The Washington times., 1905-06-23
TARIFF SCHEDULES
WILL Be ALTERED
Revision to Be Accomplished
by Legislation. /.
NOT BY RECIPROCITY PAcTs
Minimum Rates for Favored Nations
and Maximum Rates for Dis
eliminating Nations.
NOT BY RECIPROCITY PAcTs

Tariff revision in the next Congress-
will be sought through direct tariff leg
islation, rather than through reciprocit5-
treaties.
The reciprocity movement. according
TO some of its best friends. is as dead
as Caesar. The treaties pending in the
Senate are recognized as hopeless Eff
fort to secure their ratification will bs
dropped.
Instead of this the effort in behalf OF
tariff reform viii be devoted to promo
ton of the maximum and minimum tar
if plan.
Views of Advocates
Such is the summary of statements
made today by two of the foremost ad-
vocates of tariff reform. Both men are
of national repute as leaders in this
movement. and both have been devoted
heretofore TO the reciprocity movement
hey are now agreed that reciprocity
cannot win: that the Senate will not
ratify treaties, and that direct legisla-
ton, requiring only a majority of votes
in each house of Congress. will be more
easily secured than a two-thfrds ma
jority IN the Senate
This. III short. is the crux of the whole
matter. The reciprocity treaties must
muster a two-thirds majority of the
Senate. The experience. especially Of
the French treaty, proved that this can
not be done.
The Committee on Finance. it is de-
CARED by the reciprocity people, was set
uI to oppose them. and they frankly
recognize now that there is no chance
To get it reorganized during the pres
Maximum and Minimum Schedules.
Fully believing that something must
be done to liberalize tariff conditions,
and that Ii it is not done the Repub-
Iian party will be made to suffer for the
neglect, the friends of liberalization are
now turning attention TO the maximum
and minimum tariff plan. Under this
law would provide two sets of schedules
a maximum and a minimum Those
ccrnjrics making concessions to the, adj
var ge of America could be given, by
Administrative order the benefit of the
minimum schedules; those continuing
the policy of extreme discrimination
against the United States would be
forced to pay the maximum rates on
exports to this country.
If We do not accomplish something
with the tariff. the next House is liable
reciprocity advocates to whom refer
ence has beer made He is national
figure in the tariff liberalization move
n.ent. and declined positively to have
his name quoted.
Il don't think the loss of the House
would especially injure the feelings of
the high tariff interests, he continued,
because under Democratic House il
would be impossible to secure agree
nnent among the legislative branches.
and no change could be made.
Democratic Plans.
And if the Democrats were able to
force their tariff policies they would go
to the extreme of reduction and would
cause reaction which would make. if
possible. once more for the high-duty in
terests to intrench themselves in power
again for e series of years.
..The one thing. therefore. that can be
accomplished for safe. sane, sensible
beneficial reduction of schedules that
ought to be reduced Is to take up and
push the idea of the maximum and mini
mum tariff 1t is a great success in
France and ! would not be surprised If
we would be able to get a bill through
Congress looking to its adoption.
another of the pron1inen. reciprocity
advocates To whom these views were re-
ferred Endorsed them in full. but said
that there was a grave doubt whether
even if a maximum ard minimum law
were passed, it would be of any bene-
fit-
What Should Be Done.
''You see. a maximum and minimum
law which would name the present
DinSley schedules as the minimum and
the maximum at 20 or 80 7er cent higher
yet. would be Of no benefit whatever
Yet that Is what the protected interests
would probably try to force on US.
Now # we could pass a law fixing
the present schedules as the maximum
and placing the minimum at 80 per cent
OF the present schedules it would be
real achievement. That is fair and
logical proposal, for Dingley's commit
tee placed the schedules 20 per cent
higher with the ayowed pdrpose os max
ing trading capital out OF the last 20
per cent-giving something TO trade off
TO nations that wanted special consid-
GRAFTON in our markets"