The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-20
Conference of All Those Opposed To
Reciprocity with Cuba TO BE
Held Later in the Week.
FRENCH TREATY CONDEMNED
ARGUMENT BY SENATOR ALDRICH
AGAINST THE AGREEMENT.
Policy Of the Senate I'm Regard 20 All
Reciprocity Treaties Defined
House Must Approve Them.

WASHINGTON, March 1s.-Chairman
Payne. OF the ways and means committee,
to-day introduced the following hill. en-
titled ITO provide for reciprocal trade rela-
tions with Cuba as a result OF the Re-
publican conference decision last night:
THAT for the purpose of securing recipro-
cal traoe relations with Cuba the President
is hereby authorized, as soon as may be,
after the establishment Of an independent
government in Cuba and the enactment by
said government of immigration and eXclu-
sion laws as fully restrictive OF immiSra-
tion the laws OF the United States. 10 en-
ter into negotiations with said government
with a view TO the arrangement OF COM
mercial agreement I'm which reciprocal and
equivalent concessions may be secured in
favor of the products and manufactures OF
the United States by rates of duty which
shall be less by an amount equivalent TO at
least 70 per cent. ad Valorem on such prod
uctS and manufactures that the rates i'm
posed upon the like articles when imported
into Cuba from the most favored OF Other
countries, and shall not be greater than the
rates imposed by the United States upon
the like articles imported from Cuba; ands
whenever the government Of Cuba shall en-
act such immigration and exclusion laws
and shall enter into such commercial agree
ment with the United States and shall make
such concessions in favor OF the products
and manufactures thereof as aforesaid. and
which agreement. in the judgment OF the
President, shall be reciprocal and equtva-
lent, he snail De authorized 10 proclaim
such facts, both as to the enactment OF
such immigration an deXclusion laws and
the making of such agreement, and there
after until the first day of December. 1893.
the imposition of the duties now imposed
by law on all articles imported from Cuba =
the products thereof. into the United State5
shall be suspended, and in lieu thereof NShs|ll
be levied. collected and paid upon all such
articles imported from Cuba so per cent
rate OF the duty now levied upon like ar
ticleS imported from foreign countries. The
have and
his duty, whenever he shall be satisfied that
either such immigration or exclusion laws
or such agreement mentioned in this act
are not being fully executed by the govern
ment of Cuba. TO notify such goVernment
thereof. and thereafter there shall be lev
led, collected and paid upon all articles i'm
ported from Cuba the full rate OF duty pro-
vided by law upon articles imported from
foreign countries.
The steering committee Of the element
which has opposed the ways and means
committee reciprocity plan met this after
noon at the call OF Representative Tawney.
of Minnesota, chairman of the committee.
and with several other leaders i'm the move
ment canvassed the situation carefully. In
dividually most of those present expressed
a desire to carry the contest to the hoor
of the House. 1t was considered desirable.
however, to take no action until eil OF those
who voted in conference against reciprocity
were called into conference. This meeting
will be held later in the week Beyond this
decision no action was taken.
XXX
The Senate committee on foreign rela-
tions to-day listened to an argument by
Senator Aldrich i'm opposition to the ratih-
cation Of the French reciprocity treaty. He
took a very positive position against the
French treaty, saying that In his opinion IL
was pernicious agreement and calculated
TO work great injury. lie said that in max
ing the concessions provided for in that
treaty the United States were securing only
the low tariff rates of France. which are
Internationally granted 10 other countries
and which should be ours by right
The committee did not act on any OF the
reciprocity treaties before it, but IL made
public the definition of policy with refer
ence TO the House of Representatives In
connection with these treaties which the
committee has agreed upon. The practical
effort Of this agreement is 10 authorize the
amendment Of each OF the reciprocity
treaties by adding the provision that this
treaty shall not take effect Until the same
shall have been approved by the Congress"
The effect Of this modification will be 10 re-
Quire that the House as well as the Senate
shall act on each of the treaties
In announcing its decision the committee
saws that il is entirely competent for the
senate 80 10 amend the treaties as TO re-
Quire the approval Of both houses, but it
contends that THIS concession does not IN
any way AFFECT the prerogat tive OF the Pres
ident and the Senate the only treaty
making power of the United States. For
this prerOgatiVe the committee stands out
stifiiy. The report says; The Congress Is
without power 10 grant 10 the President
or 10 the Senate any authority In respect or
treaties nor does the Congress possess
any power 10 fetter or limit In any way
the President or the Senate in the exercise
Of this constitutional function Il cannot
enlarge or in anywise limit attach con-
al 10 N king
power Whether the treaty is one which
Is self-executing or one which REQUIRES
legislation by the Congress 10 give IL effect.
IL In any event must be first negotiated By
the President and ratified by the Senate
THE committee Is clearly OF opinion.
therefore. that nothing contained In Section
Jurisdiction and power OF the Senate 10 act
on the commercial treaties now pending.
approval OF Congress 10 change tariff
duties heretofore fixed by law is a oues-
tion not involved and upon which the COM
mittee expresses no opinion.
''The fact that the Senate as a legislative
body concurred with the House OF Repre-
sentatives In the enactment OF the tariff act
OF 1897, including Section 4, Is without
weight upon the subject. for the obvious
reason that IL il impossible FOR the Senate
by participation, deliberate or inadvertent.
as a legislative body. in such an enactment.
TO disable itself in the slightest degres
from exercising the power conferred upon
IL by the Constitution 20 act upon treaties
negotiated DN the executive
The State Department made public to-day
a synopsis OF the projected new tarin OF
Switzerland which had been transmitted By
United States Minister Hardy. al Berne. IN
a report dated Feb -. Mr.. Hardy says
that the tarin viii be brought before the
Conseil National and the Consen d Etat In
April and May next. respectively. but he
adds that II doubtless VIII be much later
before the amended form which may BE
agreed upon by these two bodies reaches q
vote. After this- he continues. there fs-