The Washington times., 1903-12-27
ALARM OF HARD TIMES"
DERIDED BY C. N. BLISS
His Nine Thousand = Mile
Trip Concluded.
FOUND BIG PROSPERITY
Says Country at Large Evinces Only
Curiosity About Wall Streets
Great Doings.

NEW YORK. Dec $50 far as Cor.
nelius y. Bliss. ex-Cabinet member.
merchant. and millionaire. could dis
cover in S,000-mile trip to the Pacific
Coast and all through the West. there
are no indications anywhere of hard
times financially. Prosperity reigns in
the great West. he says. and farmers
and business men are undisturbed bv
the recent Wall Street furries. which
they regard as merely local and in
capable of causing any concern TO the
commercial world at large.
These fiurries have aroused a natural
curiosity throughout the West, Mr.. Bliss
says, but have had no permanent effect.
The curtaiiment of production in certain
direcuons is, In his opinion. not an in
dlcation OF approaching distress, but
merely an incident Of business activity.
There is nothing in the business out
look that ought to cause uneasiness,"
declared Mr.. Bliss. Whatever there
may have been OF an alarming nature
has passed away. There is no sign that
the conditions that existed in 1895 and
1896 are to be repeated. Business is pros
porous. Mercantile collections are good
Reports brought to me by Western mer-
chants are to the effect that they have
all had good year, and that the out
look is good"
No Tariff Revision
do you think that there IS any need
Of revision of the tariff" was asked
II do not think tariff revision is at
all likely Mr.. Bliss replied AT least.
not during the present session of Con-
gress. which will be too brief to permit
any action TO be taken on the tariff I'm
any event. 1 don't think anyone be-
lieves a revision of the tariff is desir-
able at this time, except. possibly, in
way of reciprocity treaties. Every re-
vision means a year or two of agitation.
which is disturbing to business. The
people are not ready for it
do you not think there is a general
feeling that tariff revision must come
sooner or iater2"
II think the feeling exists in the Re-
publican party that It will be prepared
TO make such revision as may be neces-
sary when the time does come" was
Mr.. Bliss answer.
Cuba and Panama.
Great satisfaction was evinced by the
former Secretary over the passage Of
the Cuban reciprocity treaty. II have
been a very strong advocate OF Cuban
reciprocity from the beginning" he said
land / am gratified that the agitation
has resulted in success. The history OF
that agitation shows how hard it is to
make any change in tariff regulations
IL has taken two years to bring about
the ratification OF that treaty. II would
he so with tariff revision. Any attempt
at the most reasonable revision would
mean two years of effort and no Con-
gress could undertake it on the eve of
a Presidential election"
Mr.. Bliss does not believe the Repub-
lican party can afford TO bind itself TO
the strictest construction OF the protec-
tive principle and while he does not
think any revision OF the tariff possible
by the present Congress on the eve OF
Presidential campaign. he has no SYM
pathy with that rigid adherence to pro-
lection that inspired the resistance TO
the Cuban reciprocity treaty.
Shares McKinley's Views.
Construction of the Panama Canal.
Mr.. Bliss believes, will be of enormous
benefit 20 the country. He asserted he
knew personally this country had moth
Ing whatever TO do with the rising which
ended in the revolt OF the state of Pan
anna. and he pointed out there were
plenty Of precedents for the immediate
recognition OF the rev government
Mr.. Bliss shares the views expressed
in President McKinley's last speech,
when. on the eve of his assassination.
the President indicated his sympathy
with the desire for less stringent tariff
provisions.
When Mr.. Bliss became president Of
the Union League Club. in 1902. he sup
ported the resolution in favor of reci- |
procity with Cuba. that was adopted by |
the club in February OF that year. The |
Protective Tariff League strongly OPP |
posed the reciprocity treaty. Mr. Bliss, |
one of the founders and formerly presl- |
dent of the league. did not attempt to |
conceal his opinion that the course /
adopted by the league was shortsighted.
There Is no doubt the league viii fight 1
the proposal 10 place the Philippines on
the same footing with Porto Rico and
Hawaii as bitterly as II fought reel
procity with Cuba.
Il believe the Philippines. he said,
should be placed on the same basis
as Porto Rico and Hawaii in regard to
exports and imports. Such a move
would not injure home industries. II
would certainly benefit them. New mar
kets for our enormous production are
what we require more than anything
Use. These markets can be acquired
1nly by reasonable re- with
that viii take r It's.
In Industrial v 1
Il see no danger OF owe at
present" he continued. all
nent going on in the ,naI ry.
'Or instance, Is of no consee ere
always come times when bl SIS
active than at other time en-
must act accordingly. I IS
,auses a little depression. l. ,e
reedom Of all the markets VI
% take our products there
by be no occasion for Gu
production"
DO you think the distu
Wall Street are a sign OF al
oppression"
My trip OF nine thousand
ne through Texas, Arizona r
fexico 10 the Pacific Coast.
'aiffOrnia Washington Ore