The Washington herald., 1909-03-29

senator
the Blaine idea to shreds in remarkable
speech. He pointed out that amy Amer
lean nation either included Canada, or
else II could not embrace Cuba and Porto
Rico, all OF them possessing the same
status as colonies rather than nations
It was intended to include Cuba and
Porto Rico, but not Canada, with whose
products the advocates Of reciprocity
thought it unwise TO bring the American
producer into competition The propo-
siuon also involved free wool from Ar
gentina. and the wool growers would
never consent 10 that. Il also involved
free copper, which was the subject Of a
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 molassys, sugar, coffee, tea.
and hides and skins from any countrv
he thought was not giving proper con
cessions 20 imports from the United
states. He could levy duties Up to cents
q pound on sugar, I cents a gallon or
rnolasses, 3 cents pound on coffee, and
20 cents on tea. The debate IN the Senate
was rather uninteresting. showing an ef-
fort 20 Jockey for position in the ensuing
Presidential election. The exception was
when the constitutionality Of the clause
was argued. The Democrats contended
that II conferred on the President power
that was vested IN Congress. and that
when left to his discretion. rather than
10 that Of Congress. II was dangerous, II.
indeed, not unconstitutional. 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
administrative-to do certain well-defined
things in the event certain equally we'll
defined contingencies developed. They
quoted many precedents for their position.
That william Mckinley did not think
much Of reciprocity before 1t was intro
duced In the Senate may be inferred from
q statement made by him in the House a
month before Blaine wrote his celebrated
letter. He was talking about tariffs IN
general. and stated that whenever we
have had low tariff or reciprocity we have
been the loser"
The parties had both faced about on
reciprocity President Pierce had nego-
tiated a reciprocity treaty with Canada
in 1854. which received the sanction OF
Congress the next year. IT was said that
Canada got the long end Of the bargain.
and that the only part Of the United
States which received a benefit from the
treaty was tie South. Cotton, rice. pitch,
tar, turpentiTe, and tobacco were the only
articles IN a long list for which Canada
offered a market. Canada sought to COM
pensate for her loss OF revenue through
the admission OF free raw materials un-
der the treaty by adding duties TO manu-
factures The result was that the ex.
pOrtation OF American goods to Canada
f. 1852 was smaller than before the enact
ment OF the treaty. An effort was made
in Congress to secure better terms fol-
the United States. Failing in this, Eng
land was given a curt notice that the
treaty would be abrogated. The abroga.
ton took place in 1856.
The next reciprocity convention tbs
United States entered into was one witt
Hawaii. negotiated by Secretary FTsn
This provided for free trade between tho
ports OF the two countries. A renewal o;
this agreement was negotiated IN 1884
;jUt was rot ratified until 1857. II con.
oeded 10 the United States the harbor III
Pearl Island. stipulated that the kim
should not dispose OF any port or terri
tory. neither give any special rights e
any other power. nor enter into reciprocs