Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-19

with different gentlemen of that church.
said Dr. Hale the other day. land one
or them called upon me recently to tell
me of their troubles in Tahiti. Their
foreign missionaries have had unusual
success in the islands of the Tahltan
group Many. if not all. the men among
their converts. are pearl divers. To the
surprised Indignation Of their people.
came round, their meeting was forbidden
by the Catholic bishop; and he had SO
much influence with the government that
1t was prevented. They complained to
the afficers of the church at home. and
one of them called on me to ask me to
introduce him to NJ. Jusserand. the French
| ambas sador. who heard us with the great
est courtesy. promised he would COM
municate with Paris on the subject. and
the result was that these faithful pearl
divers recovered their religious rights at
Tahiti
Spirit of Tariff Revisionists.
The same old spirit that has always
been manifested when a tariff bin has
been under consideration by Congress is
cropping up nowadays among the dele
cations that are coming here to be
heard by the committee of ways and
means. Everybody is in favor of a re-
vision of the tariff If it does not affect
his own interest. This narrow, selfish
disposition reminds one of the Texas
members of an experience when the Ding
ley bill act under consideration
Almost every day I received letters
and petitions. marked newspapers and
other communications from one Of my
constituents. demanding that tile duty
on wool be left as 1t was. provided
could not induce the committee to raise
1t. ] never saw anybody so ella morous
and persistent in my life, and he made
il appear that the entire state of Texas
would so to the dogs Immediately if the
ltrfE al to t,c.
wakened up in the middle of the night
by kilograms from him asking the situa-
ton and the probabilities of legisla ton.
until / lost my patience and wrote him
a sharp letter. saving that ! understood
the condition perfectly that it would
not be necessary Tor him to trouble him
self any further. Then followed 2 silence
for about a week. I did not receive any
kilograms until one morning I found a
ha.frate message on my breakfast table
reading follows:
1T will not ne necessary Cor You 20
bother about the duty on wool any more:
lave sold my sheep
That is tie spirit which mas prevented
the ratification o. the reciprocity treaties
which have been submitted to the Senate
so often, since President Arthur inaugu-
gated that policy of using the tariff
to extend our foreign trade. 1t has been
Everybody for himself. and very few
members of either House have been will
ing To Sdcrl1lce even the most tilllnS m
terest in their districts their states
for the general good o the nation.
Oppose Free Lumber From Canada.
Mr.. Payne. chairman Of the ways and
means comn3ittee. knows that the joint
high commission of which he was mem |
Der failed TO settle all % our differences
with Canada including reciprocity
treaty that would have been o. the great
est value to every manufactures in the
United States. but for the refusal TO
put lumber in the treaties. The lumber |
men of the United States were willing to
have the duty on logs removed because !
the standing timbsr on this side of the
border has been much reduced that !
they have to go over to the other side |,
to get food for their sawmillS. but they |!
are determined not To permit Canadian
boards to come into the timberless states |
Of the northwest. The members of the |
Senate ard representatives from the !
lumber states would not permit such
proposition TO be considered. and all the |
negotiations with Canada. which had been |
progressing favorably up to that time fell
through. The Canadian government is
still willing to give u tree market. worth |
Si0.0U0.UU year or more to nearly all
Of our manufactured merchandise. pro- |
vided we will permit a few hundred thou |
sand dollars worth of Canadian lumber to
come across the line without the payment
of duty.
Reciprocity Should Guide.
1t is to he hoped the committees will
consider the expectancy of securing inn
portant concessions from other govern |
ments who impose high duties upon our
exports before they reduce the rates in |
any of the schedules of our tariff law. II
is TO be hoped they will consult Secretary |
Root and Secretary Bacon. who know
what may be done in that direction. and
as Mr. Blaine told the same committees
when the Mckinley tariff was under con- |
sideration:
Use your reductions to trade with and
make the other nations give you tit for
tat.
II will be remembered that there was n
dramatic episode in the Senate appropria |
tions committe e room one day. which Wa |
known as the hat MASKING episode.
Mr.. Blaine had been explaining to the
committee the necessity OF certain appro- !
priations to carry out the recommends
tonS of the first pam American conference |
Which had recently adjourned. After he !
had put Oh his overcoat and gloves. and
was making his adleus. Senator Hale
looked UP and asked:
Mr.. Blaine, what do you expect 10 gain |
by the policy You are working on?
Mr.. Blaine unconsciOusly brought his
silk hat down on the able with such |
force as TO dsfigure il Tor life, and an |
svered:
Not a damn thing If Congress per- |
sists in putting sugar. hides. rubber. |
coffee and other imports from the other |
American countries on the free list with |
out asking any returns.
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