The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-02
Blockade Against Reciprocity
Treaties Makes German
Menace Strong.
M'CLEARY TO COME;
TO THE FRONT AGAIN
Tariff Issue Reviving, the Man
kato Congressman Will
Be a Leader.
Bv w, W.. Jermane.

BY w. W. Jermane.
Washington, Feb. 2.-The new Ger
man tariff will go into. effect March l,
and between now and that time the
American congress will be, busy trying
offset it's effects upon our export trade
Everything would be perfectly sim
pie if the senate could only be induced
to ratify reciprocity treaty. Such an
instrument, which is what Germany
wants, would not only continue the old
them, and both countries would be
gamers. But there is no use consider
ing a treaty, for the senate, while 1t
is in sympathy with the idea that
tariff war is to be avoided whenever
possible, would not ratify reciprocity
treaty with Germany, for the reason
that such ratification would at once be
made a precedent and set the country
by the ears in favor Of still other
Many Weary Hours. s.--
The president and the secretary of
state have spent many weary hours
irving to ascertain if sentiment in the
senate could not be brought around to
point where treaty would be accept,
able. But there is no use IN consider
ing this phase Of the case farther. AS
long as the standpat element has con
troll of congress, there will be nothing
doing in the way Of treaties. These
standpat leaders regard such treaties
as revision of the tariff and lower,
ing of it's schedules by indirectlon and
piecemeal. They say that if one of these
Germany, other countries would come
in and demand similar favoring trade
relationship. These successive demands
could not ultimately be resisted, they
having been acceded to with one counc
try, and 50 in the end the effect of
such a policy would be the lowering
of the Dingley rates with, all the
countries with which we trade heavily,
and to that extent revision OF the
tariff.
The state department is still trying
to see if something cannot be done IN
the way of modus vivendi, to last until ll
congress can get, ready to do. some e! ns
thing; but the outlook is not gratif.y-
ing. 1t looks now as if the German
tariff would GO into effect on March /,
as advertised, and that this country
would begin to feel the full effects OF
it in a radically reduced trade before
to adiourn-perhaps about the middle
The situation is one of the greatest
consequence to the republican party
as whole, especially as this is 8
campaign year. A heavy sagging OF
our export trade during the summe,
and, fail would no doubt contribute &
good deal to the democratic campaign
in many states, and there is no telling
what the result might be upon congress
The house might be carried by the
democrats.
Cannon's Conferences.
So many republican members Of thu
present house are directly interested
his house advisers have had numbe
of informal conferences for the pur
pose of trying to discover what ough
10 be done. There have been presen
at these conferences, in addition to tn
\ speaker, such men as Dalzell, Grosve
nor. Sherman McCleary, Payne, Hep
burn and Tawney. A majority o
those who have been consulted favo
the enactment Of the McCleary maxi
mum and minimum tariff bill, maxim
the present rates the minimum. TIL
speaker is understood to believe tina
such legislation would not only hol
Germany in check, but would also b
good politics at home. It would plac
a club in the hands of the president
and yet the present high schedule
would not be interfered with.
I16S6 conferences dIo uSluS CUuClL
ued, and in a short time it is expecte
that, the ways and means committe
will take the question up. It woul
have done so before this time, but ha
been waiting for the speaker and som
of the party leaders outside of tn
committee to be consulted on so in
portant a step. AS soon as it can b
agreed that this is the proper cours
the committee will get, together an
i, will oo thru,
house without friction.
Chances in the Senate.
In the senate such bill would ru
counter to the Lodge bill, now pendin
there. which provides that the prese1
rates shall be the maximum. Ju:
how the republican members Of TT
senate, as a whole, would stand on tn
question, it is not now possible
Platt, Depew, Gallinger, Penrose, ar
. various other men from states whic
are largely interested in manufacttl
ing, would probably incline to the M
Cleary bill. But at the same time, tt
Lodge bill would have very respectful
support. The democrats would
course support it in preference to tt
McCleary bill, and with few repu
Hcan votes, they might be able
pass it.
But it is too early to figure on VIII;
the senate might do with a bill Of tn
kind We all know that the sena
doesn't do anything with any impor
ant bill, if it can help it, and with tn:
for the present the country must.
content.
a.. Tariff as Chief Issue.
Without any doubt, the tariff is to I
the chief issue in the campaign tn
year-assuming that rate legislatio
substantially as the president wants
is to be enacted at this session, whie
is increasingly likely, DAY by day-ar
if so, it will be the chief issue in Il
presidential campaign of 1908, or OF
of the chief issues.
This situation will play directly in
the hands Of Representative McClea1
of Minnesota, and serve9sto bring hi
into the limelight again, as be was du
ING the free silver agitation. There
no question but the speaker did Nj
Continued on Cd Page, 9Th Column.