Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-07
TARIFF AND COMMERCIAL TREATIES

The subcommittee Of the senate com
mittee on foreign relations has con-
cluded that the power to make com
mercial treaties lies with the president
and the senate and that the fact that
such treaties involve questions Of tariff
does not render it necessary that the
house of representatives should have
equal opportunity to consider them.
Doubtless this view, very strongly set
forth in the recent speech of Senator
Cullom on the question will be sustained
by the senate. The house ways and
means committee was directed to con-
slider and report upon the question and
a report from 1t will probably be sub
mitted very soon after the report to the
senate which Senator spooner has been
authorized to prepare. If the house
should assert its right to consider treat
les affecting the tariff an interesting
issue will be made between the two
branches Of congress. the possible con-
sequences Of which cannot easily be for
seen.
Yet the question is one which it is
desirable should be settled and finally
disposed of. AS was pointed out by Sena-
tor Cullom it has been raised from time
to time for Over a century, but neither
chamber has ever brought the question
to a direct and unmistakable issue.
Whenever the subject has been con-
sidered in the past the house of repre-
sentatives has always insisted upon it's
powers, but it has never declined to
make an appropriation to carry out the
s~tipulations Of a treaty. Now there is
pending In the senate several reci-
procity treaties. negotiated under the
Dingley law and affecting the duties Of
that act. A reciprocity treaty with
Cuba is proposed which If negotiated
would reduce the tariff on sugar and
tobacco imported from that island. Eff
forts are making to secure a CONNER
cial treaty with Canada All this is a
matter of great importance to the coun-
try and gives extraordinary significance
to the question whether the president
and senate have power to make and
put into effect such treaties independ-
ent Of any consideration and action on
the part of the house of representatives.
1t has been suggested by the advocates
Of Cuban reciprocity that in ease the
house refused to reduce the duties on
sugar and tobacco the executive would
be justified in negotiating and the SEN
4 nEn In HaeIFUlnE a Aaan4r -rtkh Oh
which would reduce the tariff on Cuban
products in the United States. There
is indicated / n this the Importance of a
definite settlement of the rights Of the
house in relation to commercial treat
les affecting the tariff.
The Philadelphia Press is OF the opln-
Ion that it would be a grave public mis-
fortune If an issue OF this character
touching upon the powers of the house
and senate were to rise upon the par.
ticular question relating to Cuba. II
argues that in such a contest the up.
per chamber would be backed by pub
lie sentiment There are many, how.
ever, who will think that in a matter
involving perhaps the existence OF large
and valuable American Industries the
popular branch OF the congress ought tc
have some voice and it is by no means
certain that in such an issue the senate
would be backed by public sentiment
At all events, the question having beer
raised there viii perhaps never be !
more favorable time to have it settled
and IL possible finally disposed Of.