The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-08

Reciprocity In the Minnesota Del
egation-Some Contradictory Tes-
timony, Showing that the Congress
men May Not Know Much About
New England Sentiment.
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building
Washington.
Washington, Jan. 8.-Representa-
tiVes Stevens and Bede of Minnesota,
both of whom spent several days in
New England recently, are convinced |
that the sentiment of that section of
the country, outside Of the city OF
Boston, Is opposed to Canadian reel
days at his old home in Maine, and
coming back. stopped at Boston, his
birthplace, where he stayed two days.
Mr.. Bede went to Boston at about
the same time to deliver an address.
Mr.. Stevens tells the Journal cor
respondent that republican New
England, excepting Boston, will never
and that it is idle to undertake to
convince them that it is the proper
thing. The country districts are al
most unit against it, and will sup
port senators and representatives
from that quarter who talk and vote
against it.
The attitude of Representative
Powers (former governor) is typical
of the sentiment Of Maine. That state
never was as strong in the American
congress as it was when 1t was repre-
sented by Reed, Boutell, Dingley and
Mil'iken. and 1t never Will be again, Tor
it is realized there that the center Of
political gravity is moving westward
Reed was speaker, Boutell was chair
man of the naval affairs committee,
Dingley of the ways and means COM
mittee and Milliken of the buildings
and grounds committee, when the
Dingley tariff act was passed. The
act embodied everything that the
! New England protectionists wanted.
Even their slightest wishes were con-
sidered, and they are convinced that
when a change comes, it will be for
the worse, so far as New England is
concerned. Mr.. Powers appre-
ciates this and, therefore, he says
that while he recognizes that the
schedules are not exactly what they
should be, he cannot by his vote con-
sent to any changes in them. So far
as reciprocity is concerned, he says
| that it would do a great deal Of harm
to his state, and he mentions potatoes
as one commodity which would be
affected. Maine raises great guam
titles of potatoes, and with competi-
ton from Canada, the price would be
hammered down. At least, he fears
this would be the case, and so he is
willing to hang an entire fiscal poll
cy on the single item of potatoes in
Maine.
Mr.. Powers attention has been
called to the wool schedule, which is
practically prohiEitive, so far as i'm
portations are concerned. The num-
Der Of sheep per capita is no greater
to-day than it was in 1860, following
| nf
mits that this may be true, and yet
he is unwilling to have the wool
schedule disturbed. He feels the same
way about lumber.
| Wherever they went in New Eng
land, Messrs. Stevens and Bede talked
with leading republicans about recip-
rocity, and everywhere they received
the same information, that all New
| England was opposed to 1T, outside OF
Boston. Bede's address in Boston was
not an enthusiastic reciprocity speech.
He said there were certain items
which might be included in a treaty,
but he was very careful not to say that
he favored the idea in any sweeping
way. IL.
Attitude Of the Farmers.
Mr.. Stevens is strongly in favor of
reciprocity, he says, and at the proper
time will say so on the floor of the
house. 1t is understood that the re-
cent speech of Representative John
Lind, In the house, represents his own
views very closely; and yet Mr.. Stew
ems thinks that the farmers Of Mime
sofa are as much against it as the
farmers of New England, and that
there is very little genuine reciprocity
sentiment in Minnesota outside Of it's
three largest cities.
Stevens and Lind are supposed to be
almost the only members of the Min
nesota delegation in either house who
f,,,< ~, oS% Scc RI hot hot I,
senators oppose it. When Lind was
making his speech in the house he was
interrupted by Tawney and Davis, and
what these gentlemen said showed
very clearly the bent Of their minds on
this question.
who oppose reciprocity, as well as Mr.
Stevens who favors it, say that the
rural community Of the state is so bit
terly opposed to the idea that no pub:
lie man would dare advocate it. Other
members of the delegation say they
have had word from their constitu.
ents, and that reciprocity is not ir
favor in Minnesota.
These opinions do not agree with
those entertained by many leading
men of the twin cities and Duluth
who think state sentiment is favorable
to reciprocity. The result will be, Sc
far as the delegation is concerned, tina
reciprocity will get a black eye il
Washington every time it comes up.
w. w. Jermane.
The Other Side.
Messrs Bede and Stevens probabl!
did not look very hard for reciprocit.
sentiment in New England. The Bos
ton Herald says that every commercial
body in Massachusetts,, outside O
Gloucester, has resolved in favor O.
reciprocity with Canada. Amos
every influential daily paper in New
England is in favor Of it and SO are