New-York tribune., 1908-01-23
GERMAN TARIFF FIGHT.
PRESIDENT ATTACKED.
He Sends Agreement to Senate
ETeLu Debate IN "Secret" Session.
rTrorn The T-,tr1n. Rureau !


washington. Jan. 22-Seven solemn Senators
ate this afternoon ordered the galleries Of the
Senate cleared the doors locked and all but
sworn employees excluded Then they resolved
f-eraseves into a secret session 10 listen 10 the
reading Of 2 message from the President on the
T'lnelev law and the German tariff agreement.
while simultaneously in the House the same
message was being read in open session TO an
interested If not eager public. Then the seven
Senators held = solemn hut earnest debate as
- whether II would be inimical the inter
national welfare Of the country make the
message public and finally concluded to take
the risk and ordered the clerks 10 remove the
sesl If secrecy" When the Senators Call the
res; had gone hon1e) learned that the House had
lad the message in open session they admitted
taat the 5oke was on them. but added that they
had gained unlimited enjoyment from the op-
gortunity the secret session afforded them ora
to-icalIy to fay the President without dan
ger Of their constituents finding them out
The remarks We're not addressed 10 the mes
sage much 70 the policy Of considering II
IN executive session. well the policy or
the President in connection with the agreement
His course not only in negotiating that instru-
1nent hut in proclaiming it to the world as ne
did last July was sharply criticized 1t was
declared that the agreement makes changes
which are equivalent to legislation. ana II Was
pointed out that all legislation ahect1ns 'l7
tariff must under the Constitution. originate III
tire House Of Representatives Attention vas
,.1ad "a the third section of the Mckinley law
IS possibly permitting the President course
l,,,r MS critics contended that his action IN tne
csse had gone far beT"ha ilie ii''S
I,g- that section.
Stress was laid on the fact that the President
had NOT only negotiated the treaty but that he
had given II out 4 complete performance
-,i+hou referring il the Senate for its action
This the Senators seemed 10 consider as especial
II reurehersih1e and far beyond the authority
Or the Chief Executive
T was pointed out that the German Kaiser
had not only referred the agreement to the
reir7sraz for its action. but that he had con-
s7,f-ed both the local and the national boards Of
trade Hence the President was charged with
being even more autocratic than the head Of the
German Empire Il also declared that
under the system Of valuations provided for by
the treaty great injustice would be done to the
United States.
Senator Heyburn made strenuous objection
when The question was raised that the message
was e subject for consideration in the open
Senate instead Of behind closed doors. The
Idaho Senator maintained that an open Senate
debate would only plunge the Senate into an
almost endless tariff discussion and declared
that he would oppose the proposed legislation.
Senator McLaurin and others called for open
session and their plea finally won. but not be-
fore Senator Gallinger and one or two others |
had delivered their sentiments concerning the 1
action OF an executive in calling for legislation /
whenever the spirit moved him
L was finally decided TO refer the message to /
the Committee on Finance. If bill is to be
forthcoming it viii be from that committee.
The changes urged by the President, which are |
in line with those urged by the Secretary of !
The Treasury in letter TO the Speaker of the |
House. dated February 2g. 1906. are eight in |
number. They are:
l. That in the case Of consigned goods the /
right be granted 10 add to the invoice value at
the time Of entry
?. That the right be granted TO deduct from |
7he invoice value a. time of entry for both pur-
chased and consigned goods
& That 2 variation from appraised valuation /
ri n per cent be passed without the assessment /
II extra dUty penalty, and penalty Of l |
rer cent for each per cent Of uudervalUation in |
excess Of 10 per cent he assessed
{. That e change be made from 50 per cent /
- * ger cent undervaluatio presJImptive /
eTfdence Of fraud, and that discretion be given |
the Secretary Of the Treasury to remit the /
penalty duty when he is satisfied there has been |
no intent n defraud
Z. That authority be conferred on the Secra-
'aTy - omit the penalizing duty when he is /
satisfied that = clerical error in valuation was
unntenriona}.
s. That the additional duties prescribed in
'he present law for differentiation 70 be con-
strued as penal" with authority 70 the Secre-
tsry az rH1nit them when ne deems that course
iust
:. That additional duties on goods subject to
specific duties. when the appraiser makes only |
such change as does not alter the rate of duty,
he abolished
Z That rhe privilege IF paving duty on less
man The invoice value. when deduction has
been made from The invoice value. he granted.
Secretary Root. after summarizing these
changes saws that they have been approved by
fH@ representative of the Treasury Department
who Is = member of the American Tariff Com
mission sent 10 Berlin which commission unani-
-noUsly reoourends them. and that they are ap-
proved b- the Secretary of the Treasury In
conclusion IT. Root says
have the honor to express the opinion that
ne enactment Of tine proposed amendment -
VIC existing lsT would not only strengthen the
resent good understanding between the United
STATES sn9 Germany in respect to their COM
iasrclzl relations hut would promote harmonious
fraos relations with other powers without at
ire same time prejudicing in any way the fiscal
y eronor-f0 interests II the United States
Senator Teller. during the debate IN secret
SESSION. gave notice not only that he would op
nese the legislation recommended. hut that he
No1ld eudesvp~ 10 secure = rigid investigation
~ 'hs course IF the administration for the pur
pose u asoerrsining if the President and the
secretary IF State had violated the law in
formulating and promulgating the German
agreement