Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19
REVISING THE TARIFF
President Would Accomplish
1t by Reciprocity.
SMALL HOPE OF SUCCESS
Defeat of Congressional Standpat-
tiers.
GERMANY's DOUBLE SCHEDULE.
Maximum Rates Will Be Imposed on
Our Goods Unless Concessions
Be Made Before July. -, /,
GERMANY's DOUBLE SCHEDULE
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS. i5s>
Written for The Star .a and the Chicago Record
The tariff commissioners sent over to Ger
many to find a basis for a reciprocity
treaty to go into effect on the fsez4of'
July next, when the existing provisional ar
rsngement between the two countries ex-
pires, have reported to9 the Secretary Of
State that they are entirely satisfied with
their reception and with the progress they
are making. But, even If they should
find basis for such treaty. there is no
prospect of its ratification by the Senate
of the United States. and Secretary Root
will not place himself in the awkwardspfe-
dicament of negotiating a.<convention that
will not be ratified. If he could get any
assurance from the Senate. eommittee on
foreign relations and finance that they
would recommend ratification, or II test
vote coud be taken on resolution Inc
structing him to enter into a convention
with Germany, it might be safe for. him
to undertake negotiations; and the Prest-
dent would then call an extra session or tHe
Sixtieth Congress to consider that partic-
ular treaty and to thrash out q CONNER
cial policy for the government the
United States. We have commercial
policy now so far as our foreign relations
are concerned. ~s-- - -.--
Both the President and Secretary Root
believe that the best way to revise the
tariff is by means Of reciprocity treaties I'm,
der which we can make tariff concessions
in favor of the products of countries that
will make equivalent concessions in favor
of our products, instead of arbitrary
reductions for the benefit of all concerned.
our commercial foes as we'll as our COM
mercial friends.
That was the policy advocated by Presf~
dent Arthur and inaugurated by him in
1884, when he sent a commission to every
other American republic to initiate series
of uniform treaties, admitting free or CIV
ing low rates of duty upon all raw ma
terials and other articles needed In this
country without sacrificing the Protection
required by our manufacturers We might
improve and increase our trade great deal
in that way without impairing the benefits
of our protective tariff. The President and
the Secretary of State. however. have been
comforting with the majority leaders at both
ends of the Capitol and they find Mr.. AID
rich. Mr.. Dalzell. and other senators and
representatives Of their complexion stub
| bornly opposed to ''monkeying with the
tariff and ridiculing the reciprocity idea as
| homeopathic free trade These estimab Bile
gentlemen. and Speaker Cannon is with
them, will not yield an inch. They, have
deciaed to stand pat at least until after
! the next presidential election, and will re-
that when the proper time comes the tariff
will be revised by its friends." They scofr
at the warning they received at the late
| elections, although half the present repub-
| lican majority in the House of Representa-
| t.ves was wiped out. End a repetition of the
vote Of November will give the democrats
Defeat Of Stand-patters.
The only republican districts in which a
| fight made directly on the reciprocity
question were the second Minnesota and the
seventh Iowa, in which Representatives Nc
Cleary and Lacey were defeated. Both of
| them were good men, exemplary represent
atives. But, for some reason. both became
rabid "standpatters,' and have been es-
pecially active in opposition to the reci-
procity idea. In 1904 McCleary was elect
ed by 5000 majority and Lacey by 1000.
In 1906 both were defeated chiefly because
] of their opposition to reciprocity negotia-
tons. The reciprocity league fought Me-
| Cleary directly on that Issue in retaliation
| for his attacks upon that organization.
| Not one member of the House committee
on ways and means came back with his
usual majority, and Mr. Dalzell, who says
| that reciprocity is a ridiculous proposition,
| had a very narrow escape. although two
years ago he floated into the House ON a
majority Of $4,000.
! But it required series of plaques and
discipline before Pharoah would let Israel
| go.
1t would not be strange if the ''standpat-
| ters'' should wake up on the morning after
| election in 1908 and discover that the
friends of the tariff had lost their oppor-
tunity to revise II.
Initiating Our Practice.
| There has been a change in the situation
/
! ago We were seeking concessions from sew
| eral countries so as to secure a better
| market for our products Now we have
| got to beg for concessions in order to keep
! what little market we've got and will
| be compelled to make concessions ourselves
| or lose the trade. We have set example
| to the rest of the world in the way of
| building high tariff walls and have no right
| to grumble if they initiate our example The
| Russian minister of finance smiled Gym
| ically when l complained to him of the
! high duties imposed by his government
| upon American manufactures. and observed
that they were simply initiating an old
Yankee trick" Not only Russia, but other
nations, putting up the bars against
| our goods, and have got to pay high
| price to get them down again.
| Secretary Root has explained: this situa-
| ton to members of both the House and
| Senate committees and has warned them
| that unless some action Is taken by Con-
| gress to modify our tariff schedules and
| regulations, other countries will retaliate
! by adopting prohibitive rates and regula-
| tons on American products Whenever our
| government complains of discriminating
| rates or embarrassing regulations. it Is al
matters. Every European government
1 would be willing to make valuable con-
l cess.onS in our favor, but they naturally
/ insist a condition precedent that the
| United States should first show concili-
1 atory disposition and modify its own rates
| and regulations. Unless We do so, it is
| useless for us to try to secure any favorS
1 for our farmers and manufacturers in for
1 eign markets. European nations are put
| ting up their tariff rates all the time and
! then reduce them in special, cases Where
equivalent concessions are made in favor
| of their peculiar products.
4 That is the situation in Germany. and
| Mr. Root will not attempt to relieve it I'M
i less he receives the authority of Congress
4 or some assurance that the treaty will be
I ratified.
I Germany's Two Schedules.
Germany has recently adopted a new tar
j if, in which there are two schedules of
| duties upon all articles. The maximum
rates are imposed upon merchandise from
| countries with which Germany has no
i treaties. The minimum rates are imposed
upon imports from countries which have
made equivalent concessions in favor of
| German products. The difference in the
maximum and minimum rates is very great
| as will be seen by the following compare
son:
| Tariff ties lin ma tks)
| per 100 kios.
| Maximum. Minimum.
Rye OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 500 - $500 r.
Wheat OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 7.50 $50
| bariey -.............. ......-.- i-W l.U