The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-11
GERMAN TARIFF A
KNOITY PROBLEM
President Will Insist on Square
Deal" but Solution
Lies with Senate.
CANADA TO ADOPT
DUAL TARIFF PLAN
Experts Declare United States
Must Do Likewise or
Lose Trade.
~ w. W. Jermane.


Washington, Nov. l1.--The admins
witch h are presented by the German
tariff situation. 1t intends to go its
full length to preserve American mar,
kets in that country, and to demand
that Germany give Us a square deal, -
but Just how the details are, to be
worked out, even the president does not
yet know. :,
The president is convinced that it
will not do to 'tmake faces' at Ger
MANY, because we value her friendship
and good will; nor does he think that
we ought to put a chip on our shoulder.
1t is the apparent purpose. OF the adj
ministration, while maintaining, Po-
sition of loyalty to American interests,
to go its full length toward placa1ting
problem is to discover some method OF
action which will give that result.
Several remedies which come naturally
into mind as soon as the subject IS
mentioned involve action by congress-,
which it may be difficult to secure.
most nothing. To bring the question
up in congress might involve a general
tariff debate, including the maximum
and minimum theory, and the Leaders
in the two houses seem determined that
there shall be nothing Of that sort the
coming winter. The only course left
open to the president, so far, as can
now. be SEEM, is to frame up trade
viii VFai's admit mtn certain 81 her products At
rates below those charged in our tariff
law. in return for similar concessions
to American products in that country.
= But here again the president runs
against, not congress as whole, but
the senate, which is the more stubborn
80 oh Of ~
gressional "wicked partner The
fate Of previous reciprocity treaties IS
a. matter of common knowledge, and
the question naturally arises as to
whether this proposed treaty with Ger
many would fare any better. There
is some slight chance that it might. n
Facts, Not Theories. to Face. i,
There is a condition and not a the
ory confronting this country In the new
German tariff, while nothing Of this TIL
sort appeared in connection with amy OF
the Kasson treaties. Existing trade
. with Germany, which it has taken, us
many years to establish, seems dess;
tined to material curtailment, and all
because we refuse to make certain rel
atively unimportant trade concessions
to that country The senate may, II
the face of this new condition, look
with more favor upon a new German
reciprocity treaty than it did upon the
treaties negotiated during the hrst NC
Kinley administration.
No matter what the senate, may o.
the question in his message, call atten
ton to the fact that the executive
branch of the government is withou
power to cope satisfactorily with 1T
and in effect pass it up to congress TO
consideration. In doing this, ne VII
focus public attention upon, 1t, ant
mayhap prevail upon t the senate ma ad to con
The Canadian Problem.
The official announcement has bee!
made that Canada is to adopt the maxi
mum and minimum principle when I
gets ready in the coming winter to re
D Wise it's tariff, and many people Il
Washington believe that the Unite
States, in order to be ready to NEE
Canada on a fair field in q contest TO
trade, ought to adopt similar pr1n
ciple. Our failure to do SO, 1t IS pre-
dicted by the experts, will place US
a disadvantage. If Canada is to hav
a flexible and adjustable tariff weapo
to measure against our own 1nt1exlbi
and unadiustable one, we will lose. TIL
adjustable weapon will make it poss
Bile for Canada, on moment 8 notice
to adapt itself to any new commerdas
condition, no matter what its slgnlf
canoe, while the United States, no ma
ter how serious the handicap thus pre-
scented, could do nothing until a NEE
ing of congress, and under certain col
ditions which might prevail in tia
body, might do nothing even then.
A popular convention in Chicago la!
summer declared almost unanimously
favor of the maximum and minimum
principle, but that declaration has ha
absolutely no effect upon the ''stant
patti republicans Of the Secretary Sha;
type. One reason for this is. the fat
that the convention was dominated o
the personality of Goyernor Cummlll
revisionist in the republican party, WI
has called to his support all member
of the party who are dissatisfied wit
the present tariff situation. To adm
the reasonableness of the maximum an
minimum idea would seem to tt
standpatters to be equivalent
admitting the soundness of the positic
which Governor Cummins occupies.
Presidents Views Unchanged.
The president IS views regarding tt
not undergone any change since he la
spoke publicly on that question. 1t
not knowing whether he is intending
mention the tariff in his messag
Should he fail to do SO it would u
doubtedly be because he believes tina
by so doing, he would detract attentlc
from his railroad-rate policy, which, +
the present moment, he believes to
of more public Importance than tt
tariff.
Meanwhile, Canada will go ahes
with her maximum and minimum la,
and the United States will have fiji
opportunity at close range to see jul
how it works out in actual practice.
this connection it may be stated that Il
Canadians, having definitely announc,
several months ago, thru Sir Wilfr
Laurier, the premier, that there is not
ing further of Importance that Il
&. remains for the United States but
55 Gnntin11nd nm % pa0p Cd Cn1pmn