Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-12
AMERICAN TARIFF LAWS.
Reciprocity
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN

reciprocity thought It unwIse to bring
the American producer into COMPETE
ton. The proposition also involved
free wool from Argentina, and the
wool growers would never consent to
that. 1t also involved free "copper"
which was the subject of high duty
Thus" he exclaimed, "the proposition
has gone down before the shepherds
crook"
The reciprocity clause as finally
passed gave the president the right to
stop the entry of free molasses, sugar,
coffee. tea and hides and skins from
amy country he thought was not CIV
Ing proper concessions to imports from
the United States. He could levy du-
ties up to 2 cents a pound on sugar,
4 cents gallon on molasses, 3 cents q
pound on coffee and 10 cents on tea.
The debate In the senate was rather
uninteresting, showing an effort to
jockey for position in the ensuing
presidential election. The exception
was when the constitutionality of the
clause was argued. The Democrats
contended that 1t conferred on the
president a power that was vested IN
congress, and that when left to his dis
erection rather than to that of congress
it was dangerous. Ii indeed not uncon-
stitutional This view was shared by
Edmunds of Vermont and Evarts of
New York, two of the ablest men on
the Republican side of the senate. The
Republicans asserted that the power
conferred upon the president was
merely administratiye-to do certain
well defined things in the event cer-
tainly equally we'll defined contin-
gencies developed They quoted many
precedents for their position.
The next reciprocity convention the
United states entered into was one
with Hawaii, negotiated by Secretary
Fish. This provided for free trade be-
tween the ports of the two countries.
renewal of this agreement was nego-
tiated in 1884. but was not ratined UNI
til 1887. 1t conceded to the United
States the harbor at Pearl island.
stipulated that the king should not dis
pose of any port or territory. neither
give any special rights to any other
power nor enter into reciprocal relation
with any other country. In addition
the word bananas" was substituted
for fruit" in the treaty. thus exempt
ing California fruits from the danger
of Hawaiian competition.
When the treaty was first negotiated
the New York Tribune said: And
quite probably some of our sons of
manifest destiny believe 1t may open
the way to the ultimate annexation of
the islands" 1t did open the way, and
the Tribune was one of the sons of
manifest destiny" who upheld the ac-
ton.
when the wilson German law was
passed it abrogated the reciprocity
clause of the Mckinley tariff, and the
Republican national convention round.
ly denounced the Democrats for that
action, saying 1t was national ca
lamity. When the Dingley tariff law
was enacted reciprocity was re-enact-
ed with 1t, and at the same time ex-
tended to other than western hemis-
phere countries. The reciprocity OF the
- 1rr0 a.
ical reciprocity" because 1t was made
to apply almost entirely to tropical
countries.
But the reciprocity OF the Dingley
law sought to open the gates or Spain
and other countries to American man
ufactures and foodstuffs by opening
our ports to champagnes, still wines
and other non-competitive products. IN
accordance with the provisions of tho
Dingley law President Mckinley APP
pointed John A. Kasson and sevelat
others members of commission WIN
power to negotiate reciprocity treatles.
They met with considerable success III
the negotiations with other govern
ments, but when they came to negoti-
ate with the United states senate IL
was a different story. There Is as nne
a line of reciprocity treaties slowed
away in senate pigeon holes as any one
could wish to see. They tell OF apso-
lutte failure in the senate.
There are several reciprocity agree
ments In existence between the United
states and other countries, and 9. few
treaties, but these are comparatively
unimportant, with the exception OF
Cuban reciprocity, which gives CUBA
20 per cent remission of duties on com
modities coming to the states. IN ex-
change for similar remission of from
90 to 40 per cent on commodities going
to cuba from the states. Never was
anything fought harder In congress
than Cuban reciprocity was fought by
the home sugar producers.
Copyright. 1909, by Frederic J. Haskln,