The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-11-20
TARIFF
REFORM IS J0LTEO
JOHN A. kAssoN, COMMISSIONER
TO CREATE RECIPROCITY,
HAS RESIGNED.
HIS WORK IMPORTANT
But Senate Blocked His Endeavors--
Was Selected BY President
Mckinley For His
Fitness.


Washington, Nov l9.-The hoIloT-
ness Of the pretensions Of the Re
publican party that tariff revision Is
very desirable, has received very
severe jolt from John A. Kasson Of
Iowa, who was a friend Of President
Mckinley and was chosen to neso.
tiate reciprocity treaties with for
elgn nations
General Ca:son has been in con
stant trouble with the lawmakers.
Foreign nations have taken tha
trouble 10 send special representa-
! tiyes and the resident ministers and
ambassadors have consulted with him
on special treaties, but when these
treaties 10 the number of fifteen or
eighteen, reached the senate thef
were fought with might and main AMI
beaten and especially by Senator
Aldrich of Rhode Island
General Kasson was frank emo gh
to tel President Mckinley that NJ
j
because If the senates action, buf
President Mckinley told him to hold
ON. Eventually Kas9on resigned Then
President Roosevelt took up or.
stated he would take up. the Me.
Kinley idea of reciprocity. Now Ger
eral Kasson has retired from the
work altogether.
ommenting on the wreck of tie
reciprocity idea, General Kasson
says:
Regards Work important.
Il regard my work in connection
with the reciprocity treaties the most
important OF my career, even thopgA
through the Indifference Of the senate
Il came to naugh. In my time | drew
up some twelve OF fifteen treaties
With various countries, NIL designed
To modify the tariffs OF the extreme
protect.anists on such articles as did
not in any way compete with home
manufactures.
The treaty negotiated with
France took the hardest and most
arduous work, for il my instructions
and my convictions hampered me on
my side, the French were inclined 10
be very stubborn, too. But when at
last | completed a treaty which 7
believed would have greatly benefit
ted both countries the senate would
not even consider it, and II died with
out hearing.
The change in the tariff along
the line on whfch / worked must in
evitably come in time. bur perhaps
It will not be in my time There are
certain absurdities that must ere long
be done away with. Today we are
turning ont rich men without num-
Der and as the riches increase, so
does the desire for the purchase of
those art treasures Of Europe. the
possession Of which would incalculab-
Iy enrich and benefit the nation.
Art Treasures Stay Abroad.
And yet what do we find? We find
that some OF our millionaires who
have bought largely of ancient and
paintings. books. statuary
and so on, are forced, rather than
submit TO the absurdities OF our pres
snt protective tariff 10 establish
houses abroad as receptacle Of these
art treasures.
The work which attempted to 10
and which fought for. was hopeless.
told President Mckinley so when.
after most of nv labor. my treaties
we're dismissed without hearing and
20. telling the President that a com.
missioner plenipotentiary. 7 was not
wen earning my salary. I offered my
.esignation. Mr. Mckinley urged me
o remain and continue the fight. hut
g was too hopeless. and in response
O my urgency Pretiden. Mckinley
accepted my resignation with the un-
Ierstanding that ! might be called
pack at some future time. ! shall not
le called back"