The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-09-23

| prOprlate measure. W6eGnef the
deficit continues or not the strictest
economy consistent with the public
welfare will govern in making up
the appropriation bills, but the eoun-
try is growing and its demands upon
the public treasury are so rapidly in
ereasing that it is doubttF if entire
relief can be secured merely by re-
trenchment.
seThere can be no reciprocity
treaties considered by the Senate,
unless the President first negotiates
them and send them there. The ini-
tiative is with him. But if he
should find himself able to make
such treaties the Senate, am sure.
would not ratify them unless it was
found on examination Of their pro-
visions that they did not seriously in
lure any important American indus
try. The platform on which Presl-
dent Roosevelt was elected so declar-
ed, and do dot imagine he would dis
regard that declaration in negotlat-
ing such a treaty, and if he did 4
know ting Senate would not ratify or
approve his action in doing so.
Reciprts Is then should be confined
to, non-competing products and to
such products as are able to stand a
reduction of duties without injury
to the industry that produces them.
Each treaty must, therefore, be tried
on its own merits, according to its
own provisions, and for that reason
no one can tell in advance what will
be done in any particular case.
eff we are to sacrifice the protec-
ton of any one industry to secure
larger markets abroad for some other
kind of American products, it will
be difficult to show why we should
not dispense with protection as to
all and thus go at once to free trade
or a purely revenue tariff, the folly
of which has been demonstrated as
often as the experiment has been
tried.
esThe difficulty of agreeing about
reciprocity in competing products
was demonstrated when the recent
Reciprocity Convention assembled in
Chicago. The delegates were chief
ly prominent business men, repre-
senting the different sections of the
country and almost every kind of
industry. Every man Of them was
enthusiastically in favor of reciPro-
cal treaties that reduced duties at
the expense of somebody else, but all
alike were opposed to all traties that
reduced duties on-products that com
peted with their respective produc-
tions. The result was a virtual
abandonment of reciprocity, except
in non-competitive products, and
the substitution of a proposition to
have a maximum and a minimum
tariff, which is not new, but has been
under consideration in a tentative
way for several years.
tsWhat will be ultimately decided
on with respect to it can not be fore
told. but it can be regarded as sett-
led that no important changes, II
any at all, are likely to be made IN
the tariff by treaties OF any KIND ;
certainly not for the purpose OF m
creasing the revenues, and that we
must in consequence find some other
way than by reciprocity to make up
our deficit.
"Sooner or later there will be re-
vision of the tariff, for the Repub-
lican party, while unaltcrably COM
mitted to protection, is not welded
to schedules and will not hesitate to
make changes in rates when changed
conditions make it necessary to do
30. There are no doubt some duties
that can be changed now, with re-
sulting benefit; if nothing more were
to he considered than the industry
to be affected, hut when we touch the
tariff we touch the business of the
whole country, and therefore should
not enter upon such a work upon
slight cause, but remembering that
all existing conditions must he con-
sidered when any kind Of tariff leg
islation is enacted.
cit has been charged that freight
rates are too high, that rebates are
secretly given and that discrimina-
tions are practiced and tits propos.
ID that all these evils sholl be cured
nv comforting the rate making power
on the Interstate Commerce Com
mission.
From the evidence taken It ap,
4 pears that theer are various kinds %
practices and abuses that should ot
4 prohibited, and there will no cloubt
i - j.J,;s1 .%;n,1< "a thar character al