Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-08
Senior Iowa Senator Explains
Fully His View of Reel
procity Question
BELIEVES IN THE PRINCIPLE
He Has Never Suggested It's Abandon
ment, But Has Stated That Under
the Present Law, it is a Difficult
Matter to Secure Their Ratification
by the Senate.

-.
with Times Reporter, Senator Allison
expressed himself in regard to the tar
if and reciprocity as follows:
He said he had certainly not sug
gested in any interview or conversation
that the policy of reciprocity should be
abandoned as impracticable, but had
stated in general way that recipro-
city by means of reciprocity treaties
which required a two-thirds majority,
Of the senate, for ratification, and aft
forwards the approva, of congress,
seemed from experience to be imprac-
ticable, and he had cited as examples
the difficulty in securing the ratifica-
ton or even the consideration in the
senate of the reciprocity treaties made
by President Mckinley, under the
fourth section of the Dingley law of
1897.
These treaties" said the senator.
continuing his discussion of the Wash
ington interview, were opposed on
the ground that if agreed to, the effect
would be to reduce the duty on many
articles below the standpoint Of pro-
lection to our own producers, and
therefore impair many of our manu-
featuring industries, and impair II not
destroy, production in some lines of
agriculture. Thus the treaty with
France was opposed on the ground that
1t provided for reducing duties upon
manufactured articles largely produced
in our own country, below the point of
fair protection. 1t was also opposed on
the further ground that France did not
give us sufficient compensation. The
treaty with the Argentine republic was
opposed on similar grounds. The WOOL
growers of many of the western states
claimed that the reduction OF the duty
upon certain qualities of Argentine
wool would have the effect to lnJure
greatly the wool producers OF our own
country. 1t was also claimed that some
of these treaties would greatly injure
the fruit production in California, Flor
ida and several of The southern states.
Hence these interests, or those repre-
senting them, were hostile to the ratifi-
cation of these treaties. Thus all these
treaties failed in the committee or in
the senate by nom action.
THE failure of these treaties is GER
tainly indicative Of the difficulties in
the way OIL SeCuIllS idNolaDAC shSeAoAA
by a two-t thirds vote in the senate.
II think the policy of reciprocity is a
wise one, and that whenever 1t can be
applied it ought TO be. and in any way
practicable, and I have no doubt reci-
procity legislation can i'll many cases
be accomplished, thereby increasing our
trade with foreign countries. Legisla-
ton in the nature of reciprocal legisla-
ton can now be, found apon our stat
ute books, and has frequently been pro-
posed in both houses in the considera-
ton of tariff bills. In limited way
this power was given to the president
in the Mckinley law of 1890 and in the
Dingley law Of 1897, and worked very
we'll.
This power could be further extend
ed and applied in any future revision OF
the tariff with advantage to us and to
the countries with which such arrange
ment would be made.
II regard the policy OF reciprocity by
direct reciprocal legislation or by Civ
ing power in certain specified cases to
to the president as a most valuable adj
iunct to the policy of protection, and
as an important means whereby we can
extend our markets to foreign countries
and whereby we can acquire new mar
;kets in countries with which we have
now little or no trade. and it may be
that the treaty making power can be so
used as to, avoid the objections found
i'm the case of the Mckinley treaties and
still afford all needed protection to our
Industries and labor, a.tho. as l have
stated, there seems to be serious diff
culties in the way of this method.
1.-THE policy Of reciprocity. which has
so often received the sanction of the
republican party, Is not to be aban-
doned. There is a general public opin-
ion favoring this policy. and 1t VIII in
the future find expression in state and
national republican platforms substan-
tia,ly as in all state and national plat
forms since 1890. Before such declara-
lions 1t was part of the general tariff
nolicy of the republican r';lrty. as shown
nv treaties made by republican admin
istrations before that time. In con-
formity to the accepted construction of
the constitution, treaties affecting the
revenue must be approved by congress
before they can become operative. Ihe
Cuban treaty recently ratified must be
Ga approved. This will be done at an
extra session In November. If not be-
fore, in case of an earlier extra session"
..Do YOU drink pale beer, Miss Mill
waukee!