New-York tribune., 1902-03-20
THE RECIPROCITY TREA TIES.
THAT WITH FRANCE OPPOSED BY
SENATOR ALDRICH -RATIFICATION
RN I.Nl,LRL- CNNERLSS
}Y ENTIRE CONGRESS.



Washington March I9.--Serator Aldrich. of Rhode
Island the chairman OF the Senate Committee ON
Finance appeared before The Foreign Relations
Committee of the Senate to-day 20 make formal
argument against the ratification Of tho pending
reciprocity treaty with France This convention.
negotiated two or three years ago. has never had
the approval Of those who control tho fiscal policy
of the two houses Of Congress and all attempts
ratify IT have hitherto proved abortiye According
the theory of It's opponents the concessions made
in the French commercial treaty altogether TOO
one-sded, and also have the effect OF upso;ng the
carefully planned tariff schedules Of ;hC DinClcv
Law. The life Of the convention was extended So as
To make last attempt at ratification possible M
this Congress hut tho opposition has not ahatcd
tho prospect Of forcing favorable vote before
Adjournment Is far from nattcrluS
Senator Aldrich took positive position against
tho treaty, saying thar In his opinion
was pcrncious agreement and calculated
70 work great injury. He said that in making
the concessions provided for In that treaty the
United States securing oniv the low tariff rates
Of France, whi n are mconditioually granted to
other countries and should he ours by right
The committee did not act any of the reel
procity treaties before II. but mad" public the
definition of policy with reference the House OF
Representatives iD connection with these trtaJies
which the committee has agreed upon. The pr9cti-
cal effect Of this agreement IS authorize the
amendment Of each of the reciprocity treaties by
adding the provision that "ths treaty shall not
take effect until the sam" shall have been approved
by the Congress" The effect of this modification
will be to require that the House as well as the
Senate shall act each of the treaties.
In announcing its decision the committee says it
Is entirely competent for the Senate to amend
the treaties to require thcapproya ct both houses
but it contends that this concession does not in
any affect the prerosative of the President and
the Senate the only treaty ma king power of the
United States. For this prcrOgatiye the committee
stands out stty. The report says:
The Congress Is without power to grant to the
President to thr Senate any authority respect
Of treaties does the Congress possess any
power TO fettcT or limit In any way the President
the Senate In the exercise Of this
function. II cannot enlarge in anyWisc limit
or attach conditions to the exercise of the treaty
making power.
which Tequ~cs legislation by the Congress
give it effect ii in any event must be first ueEoti
ated by tn" President and ratified by the Senate
The committee is clearly OF opinion therefore, that
nothing contained in Section constitutes any
valid restriction upon the jurisdiction and power of
the Senate to act on the commercial treaties
pending
Whether such treaties operate without the ap-
prOVal Congress to change tariff duties hereto
upon which the Committc" expresses opinion.
The fact that the Senate a legislative body,
COncUrrcd with the House Of Representatives in
the enactment of the tariff act of 1897. including
Section iS without weight upon the subject, for
the obvious reason that IL is Impossible for the
Senate by participation. deliberate inadVcrtent
as ii legislative body in such enactment dis
the power conferred upon it by the constitution to
negotiated bV the