The Washington herald., 1906-11-18
HIS WORK HOPELESS
Came to Naught Through the
Senate'S Indifference.
KASSoN AND THE TARIFF
CrOwning Labor of His Career Was
in Connection with the Reciprocity
Treaties, Though without Results.
Too Advanced I'm Years to Give
Further Thought to Such Matters.

| Hon. John A Kasson, who. perhaps.
more than any other living man in the
United States. has devoted his attention to
/ the reciprocity feature Of the tariff, has
given up his public work owing to Ill
health and the feebleness that comes with
/ advanced age.
Mr.. Kasson IS now eighty-four. He was
the First Assistant Postmaster General in
/ President Lincoln's administration. in
| 1861, post which he resigned in 1862 to
! accept a candidacy for Congress. In the
year following this he was appointed
United States commissioner TO the Inter
national Postal Congress at Paris. and
when he returned 20 this country he was
| elected Representative from Iowa to the
/ Thirty-eighth and Thirty-nlnth Con-
/ crosses. In 1861 he was again appointed
| commissioner from the United States to
negotiate postal conventions with Great
Britain, France. Belgium. Holland, Ger
many, Switzerland, and Italy. He was
elected from Iowa to the Forty-third and
FOrty-fourth Congresses, and in 1877 was
appointed envoy and Minister TO Austria
Hungary. He served IN the Forty-seventh
and Forty-eighth Congresses as a Repub-
lican. and in isis was Minister tC Ger
many. In 1898 he was special envoy to the
Samoan international conference.
Appointed by Mckinley.
In 1897 he was appointed by President
Mckinley special commissioner plenipo-
Tertiary TO negotiate reciprocity treaties.
and in 1898 he was a member of the United
States and British Joint High Commission.
which met in quebec to adjust Canadian
questions.
4 have spent a busy life" said Mr
Kasson when he was seen at his home.
l726 I street. yesterday" but the days Of
my activity are done. Ny health is such
that l can no longer devote myself 10 in
tellectual pursuits and It is even a task
on my strength 20 recall the Iabors Of the
past.
Il regard my work in connection with
The reciprocity treaties" ne said. "the
most important OF my career. even
though, through the Indifference Of the
Senate, IL came TO naught. In my time
l drew up some twelve or fifteen treaties
with the various countries. all designed
10 modify the tariffs Of the extreme pro
tectonists on such articles as did not
ia any way compete with home manufac-
/ tues. The treaty / negotiated with
France took the hardest and the most ar
duOus work, for If my instructions AMI
my convictions hampcred me on my side.
the French We're inclined 90 be very stub
born too. But when az last ] completed
treaty which l believed would have
greatly benefited both countries the Sen
srF. sf.rrHI
without a hearing.
Rich Men Maintain Houses Abroad.
The change in TIE tariff along the lines
on which I worked must inevitably come
in time. but perhaps fl viii not be in my
time. There are certain absurditles that
must, ere long. be done away with. To-
day We are turning out rich men without
number, and as the riches increase 50
does the desire for the purchase OF those
art treasures Of Europe the possession Of
which would incalculably enrich and
benefit the nation. And yet. what do we
find? We find that some OF our million
aires who have bought largely Of ancient
and valuable paintings. books. statuary.
and so on. are forCed-Tather than sub
nit 10 the absuTdities of our present pro-
tectiye tarif-to establish houses abroad
which are the receptacIes Of these art
treasures
The work which I attempted 20 DO. and
which / fought for. was hopeless. I told
President Mckinley SO when after months
of labor. my treaties We're dismissed with
out hearing, ard so, telling the Presi-
dent that as commissioner plenipotentiarv
was not even earning my salary I Of
fcrcd my resignation. Mr. Mckinley
urged me to remain and continue the
fight, but It was too hopeless. and in
response 10 my urgency President Nc
hinley accepted my resignation with the
understanding that 1 might be called back
some future time l shall not be called
back. That time has passed"