Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-05-30
SECRETARY SHAW TALKS TO DIES
MONIES BANKERS ON
RECIPROCITY.
THE MERCHANT MARINE
Secretary Returns to Subject That Has
Long Been Close to His Heart
Touches Upon the Maximum and
Minimum Tariff Plan.

thusiast among those who favored the
reciprocity treaties" said Secretary of
the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw yesterday
at the luncheon given in. his honor at
the Slavery by the Bankers club OF
Des Moines. They were not ratified,
wisely or unwisely, I do not pretend to
say which, though once I thought un-
wisely.
Among these treaties vas one with
France. The French contract gave
her an advantage in entering the
American market over every other
country on seventy articles, in consid-
Grafton Of which she agreed to apply
her minimum tariff to exports into
France except as to twenty articles,
including horses, butter, eggs, cheese,
leather goods, machines, dynamos, etc.
That is, If we should treat France bet
ter than we did any other country
France would treat us about as we'll
as she did any nation.
"Of course the treaty was not rati.
fled. 1 say of course Imean merely
to say that it was not ratified. There
were those in the senate who declared
that they did not believe that this ma
ton should discriminate against Great
Britain, where we ell $500, 600, 900 of
our exports, for the benefit of a nation
which took less than 5000, 600, 900.
Il understand that the newspapers
which have declared that they will dis
lieve that there is any considerable
mand OF us that we discriminate in
III NV e. ~ 40 oooi~n% o{I1rc Ny@~ =
this statement be construed to mean
the Endorsement of a policy Of retalia-
ton.
Four Policies.
1--WE do not now discriminate. There
are four possible policies to follow,
and 1 have offered $1,000 for the dis
cover Of a fifth. First, we can adopt
a policy of discrimination or car con-
tinue our present policy. If we follow
our present policy we may operate
either under a high tariff or a low tar.
If. There are a number, l am in.
formed, who believe that our present
policy Of so-called high tariff should
be the n to which we should adhere.
But if we adopt the policy of discrim.
nation there are two ways in which
to practice it. We may discriminate
in favor of those nations which dis.
crimtnate against us. This is called
reciprocity, / believe. I am not say.
ing that it is wise or unwise; 1 am
merely setting out the facts. If We do
not adopt this plan then we nay adopt
the policy Of discrimination against
those which discriminate against us
Nor can this statement II this policy
be construed into a declaration of a
tariff a Indeed, the adoption of the
policy Of discriminating in favor OF
those nations which discriminate
against us would be equivalent to a de,
claration of a tariff war with those that
make no determinations against us
Would 1t not compel Great Britain, fol
example, to join such a war?
II do not know what the recommen
dations of the administration will be;
l do not know what congress will do;
I am not the advocate of any plan
but I do say that these are the prob
lens on which the business men of the
nation should be thinking, on which
you should think. And it is a ques
ton, too, which is bigger than poll
tics"
Secretary Shaw arrived in the cit,
yesterday morning. He visited the
state house in the forenoon to call OF
Governor Cummins. who was not IL
the city. He was the guest of tht
Bankers club at the Slavery for lunch
con, and last evening was entertained
at dinner by Mr.. and Mrs. Harry West
He came from the west and went OF
to Chicago last night, and after re
naming there today, will go back tt
Washington.
German Retaliation.
At this time his utterances with re
J spect to the tariff have added signif
canoe because of the attitude whicl
( Germany is said to have announce
a determination to assume with refer
: ence to the imports from this country
1t was not the s%ecretary's intention t
discuss the question at the luncheon
{ but having devoted attention to it 4
hts recent speech at Cleveland, Ohio
= a speech incidentally, which me
the approval of the President an
the question of how to meet the Gel
,ooo ei+notio, hnipo oro of fbo ~