New-York tribune., 1905-08-28
Mr.. SHAW ON TREATY.
Asks Cor. Cummins Where He Sa7o
Report of Speech He Quoted.

c,bicapo Aug. 27.-Leslie NJ. Shaw. Secretary
of The Treasury, to-day made public tine iol-
lowing letter. written by him to Governor A. b.
Cumnins of Iowa, in reply 20 statements maze
bv Governor Cummins before the recent recl-
procity convention at Chicago:
Chicago, August 26 1905.
Afv Dear Governor Cummins: In carefully
prepared address delivered before the heclpro-
CITY Convention at Chicago, which the papers
say you read lest you might be unsupported
Won used this language:
.'The Secretary of the Treasury. in n speech
recently delivered I'm Des Moines. is reported as
saying that the explanation of the refusal or the
Senate TO consider the French treaty Is that 1t
gives everything to France ana nothing 10 the
United States. L must do him the justice to be-
lieve that ne never read the treaty, for other
wise he has committed a grave offence against
the proprieties of debate. -
did not see that portion OF your address until
/ came West, and have delayed writing that
might ascertain where was reported TO have
made such statement. 1 knew did not say IL,
or anything that could be so interpreted, but
was not so sure about the report The occasion
was an informal luncheon, and the speech was
impromptu. though not extemporane9us. 1C ma
papers represented at the luncheon reported me
as saying:
IT was an enthusiast among those who IA
ovred the reciprocity treaties. Among these
treaties was one with France. The French con-
tract gave her an advantage in entering the
American market over every other country on
enty articles, in consideration of which she
agreed to apply her minimum tariff to eX-
ports to France except as to twenty articles,
including horses, butter, eggs cheese. leather
goods, machines (macnine toos). dynamos, etc.
That is. if we would treat France better than
did any other country, France would treat
us about we'll as she did any other nation.
"Of course, the treatyNwas not ratified. 1 say,
of course 1 mean merely to say it was not rati-
fed. There were those in the Senate who de-
clared that they did not believe this nation
should discriminate against Great Britain.
where sell $500 900. 600 of exports, for the
benefit CT nation which takes less than $500
100000"
While the report is not verbatim. It is sub
stantially correct Whether | read the treaty
before making the statement Is relatively Of lit
tie Importance but if the treaty, as negotiated,
did not give France a reduction from our regu-
lar tariff rates on substantially seventy articles
to be exact, slXty-nne articles, counting every
variety of silk manufacture one article-then
it may be conceded that I had not read II. and
If it did not exempt twenty American articles
from the provisions of the French minimum
rate of duty. as follows: Horses butter. lucerne
and cloverseed. fodder, cast iron. skins and
hides prepared boots and shoes. and parts of
same. belts and cords and other leather articles
manufactured for machinery; dynamos. machine
tools, dynamo conductors and parts; lamps
known as regulators), sugar. chcOry roots
(green or drted), eggs. cheese, honey, porcelain
cardboard trough in sheets): then it may be
conceded that I violated the proprieties Of de-
bate. though an informal talk at luncheon IS
several removes from a debate.
You, my dear Governor and have had some
experience in the trial OF cases and we have
seldom lost thr Jugh the Misrepresentation Of
our opponents. Attorneys usually, and lawyers
always, exercise great care lest they incorrectly
state a position of their professional adversa-
ries. Certainly. friends and adherents of the
same political party will be more careful still
Knowing therefore, that you would not "vio-
late the prOprieties Of debate by quoting me
without authority as having made specific
report Of my speech, as given in your Chicago
address, 1 have not seen it. and wish to cor
rect the record as soon possible. Please ad-
LESLIE NJ. SHAW.