New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-07
GERMAN TREATY PLANS
SPECIAL SESSION LIKELY.
Senate Nag also 1ct on Nee Con-
vention 7citb Japan.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington, Feb. Ga reciprocity treaty with
Germany will be laid before the Senate In the
special session to be convened soon after March
4. Such q session seems assured by the notice
given by Senator Bacon to his Republican col
leagues on the Committee on Foreign Relations,
that he will energetically oppose the ratification
Of the Dominican treaty, and that they would De
wiser 10 wait until after March f. when there
will be sixty Reublicans out of total member
ship OF ninety in the Senate
Advices received from Mr. North, chairman Of
the North Commission, that the commission
has agreed with the representatives of the Ger
man government on the basis for a commercial
treaty. and il is the expectation of the State
Department that a reciprocity treaty with Ger
many, embodying the agreement reached by Mr..
North and his colleagues. will be Immediately
negotiated and submitted to the Senate at the
special session. The administration regards it
8 imperative that this country should make
some concessions to Germany in order that It
may continue TO enjoy Germany's minimum
tariff and assumes that the agreement reached
by the North Commission will prove satisfactory.
Mr. NORTH A PROTECTIONIsT.
It IS pointed out that Mr.. North is an extreme
protectionst. that he selected TO head the
commission which bears his name largely for
that reason. and that Il is reasonable to assume
that any concessions he IS prepared 70 recon-
mend are in entire accord with the protective
policy and would not sacrifice the interests Of
American manufacturers.
ANY tariff concessions recommended by
Speaker Cannon might lie regarded entirely
safe. and might be expected TO meet with the
approval Of even the most extreme protectionists
in the Senate declared a member Of the admin
istration to-day, and he added, Il am Of the
opinion that any reciprocity agreement recon-
mended by Mr. North will prove equally salts
factory"
Mr. North and his colleagues on the North
Commission are now on the high seas headed
for this country, and no here knows the de-
tails Of the agreement which has been formU-
lated as the basis for a commercial treaty. but
the State Department has been advised that the
basis for a convention has received the approval
of the German authorities and that Mr.. North
is prepared to recommend II urgently
Germany has already granted 10 the United
States an extension Of time. amounting to eigh-
teen months beyond the period when the maxi
mum tariff schedules became applicable 10 i'm
ports from this country, and IT is declared to be
obvious that this country cannot expect TO con-
tinue to enjoy such special privilege without
giving some return.
From Mr.. North's high protection views II Is
assumed that he has done everything feasible
10 conserve the interests Of American manufact-
urers and that the basis ne mas torInuIated rep
resents the best arrangement that can be made
IN the mutual interest Of the parties concerned
SENATORS AWAIT TREATY.
Members of the Senate. although aware that
the State Department expects to negotiate and
submit g treaty with Germany. loath TO dis
cuss the likelihood OF its meeting with their APP
prova! before they have opportunity to learn
just what it will provide. They point to the
! fate Of former reciprocity treaties as indicat-
ing that the of treaties OF this character
IN the upper house IS not likely to be smooth
/
| ment with regard TO this particular convention
until they have learned its provisions They also
! express appreciation Of the probable difference
/ in reciprocity treaties negotiated by stanch
/ advocate Of the reciprocity policy and one ne
/ gotiated by an earnest advocate of the protec-
| ton principle.
/ Senator Bacon's declaration that he viii Wig
/ orousy oppose the treaty with Santo Domingo.
| even in its new form. establishes the imposs-
! bility OF ratifying that convention at this ses-
| sion the time before its expiration being so
! short that il will be impossible to do anything
which meets with determined opposition. Were
! it not for lack Of time the Republicans could
! doubtless ratify the treaty despite the Oppos-
! ton Of Mr Bacon, but In the circumstances a
! special session Of the Senate seems assured.
! An interesting question has arisen in the Sen
ate regarding the eligibility Of senator bacon to
| serve IN the special session. Mr.. Bacons term
viii expire on March T. and the Legislature OF
! his state will not meet TO elect MS successor
| until some time IN the summer. The Governor
| OF the state has already signed Mr.. Bacons ap-
1 pointment but there are said TO be preCedents
| against admitting to membership a Senator
whose term has expired without the election ot
| his successor. In two instances. the cases Of
| Senators from Oregon and New Hampshire, the
| Senate has held that the Governor could ap-
| point a successor to a Senator only when the
| place had happened" TO become vacant, as by
| accident death. In two other instances now
| ever and they are more recent-the cases Of the
| present Senators from FlOlida-the appointment
| of the Governor accepted as valid. II is
! not believed however that any question will be
| raised on the floor of the Senate regarding the
| validity Of Mr.. Bacons appointment, especially
! Ill a1a assured s
| islature of his state meets.
In addition to the German reciprocity treaty
| and the Dominican treaty. II is hoped that a
lana nese exclusion treaty, protocol, will also
| he negotiated in time to submit TO the same
| session and il is possible that the Lodge Congo
| resolution may also go over until then.