The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-03-20
THE RECIPROCITY
AGREEMENT 10 Be
READY BY may |
Democratic Ways and Means
Committee Unanimously in
Favor of It
THE DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE
TARIFF REVISION PLANS READY

II 1t Is Not Tackled onto Reciprocity
As Rider, Will Be Considered
Schedule by Schedule-President
Expects Democratic Help.
Washington, March 20.-1t is the
expectation of Chairman Underwood
that the Democratic members of the
house committee on ways and means
will begin work on tariff questions
some time during the coming week,
and that by the time the extraordinary
session of congress Is convened on
April 4 some plan will have been
mapped out to govern the committees'
procedure after the bill to carry out
the Canadian reciprocity agreement
has been framed. The most complex
question that will come before the
committee is whether any tariff ques-
bill as riders, or whether such sched-
ules as the committee decides should
be revised shall be treated as separ-
ate measures.
The certainty that hearings will be
demanded by producing and manu-
featuring interests affected by any
proposed revision Of the tariff may
determine the ways and means COM
mittee not to complicate the Canadian
question with consideration Of such
schedules as wool and woolens, cot
ton, or agricultural implements. The
majority Of the committee is unit in
favor Of the Canadian agreement and
it is believed that the decision will
be to keep 1t separate from. other
tariff matters, and take up schedules
after the Canadian bill has been sent
to the senate.
Contrary to the general report, Rep
resentative Peters of Massachusetts
will not introduce the Canadian bill,
which will be presented almost Inn
mediately upon the convening Of the
special session to carry out the terms
Of the agreement.
That honor will, fall to Chairman
Underwood following the practice of
having revenue measures presented
by the chairman Of the ways and
means committee. The bill, however,
will be the one framed ii, the COM
mittee and will be known as COM
mittee measure
Exceeds Mccall Bill
Although the prospects are that the
Canadian bill will not carry general
tariff revision as rider. it is not. i'm
probable that 1t may go great deal
further than the Mccall bill, which
passed the house in the last session.
At the same time the Mccall bill will
be followed 80 far as it was designed
10 carry out the terms of the agree
ment with Canada. The difference
between that measure and the one
which will come from the Democra-
tic committee probably will be in the
nature Of an additional provision
which would give to the president the
power to enter into freer commercial
relations with Canada in respect to
articles not named by the agreement.
Such q paragraph may be built up
on the plan Of section 3 of the Ding
ley act. That provision, known az
the trading section Of the Dingley
law, enabled the president, without
consultation with congress, to enter
into negotiations with other countries
for mutual tariff concessions on Ger.
tain stipulated articles even to the
extent Of suspending absolutely the
imposition and collection Of duties.
Most Of the Democrats in congress
are in favor Of absolute free trade
with Canada, but they realize that
they have not the power to legislate
to that end. Their course would be-
therefore, to put the authority in the
hands Of the president to exercise OF
such time az Canada, by action of its
parliament, might consent. Such q
provision, It 10 said. would not In any
way involve the existing agreement.
The introduction Of such q provis-
ion in the Canadian bill might neces-
state q very slight change in the
agreement itself. That agreement
vas patterned after the language OF
ne Dingley act, rather than the later
Payne-Aldrich act. Under the former
the words articles the growth, pro.
duct or manufacture Of" were held by
decisions Of the general appraisers
to be too broad. They permitted the
Introduction of articles which were
assembled In q foreign country, COM
prised Of parts manufactured In coun.
tries to which the concession was not
intended to apply. Cognisance Of this
fact was taken by the trainers Of the
Payne-Aldrich law and the word
wholly" was made prefix to the
words ''the growth. product or manu-
facture Of"
The effect was to narrow the appli.
cation of the law to the original intent
Of congress-. The Canadian agree.
ment, as negotiated by the two coun.
tries, does not use the word wholly
Many of the tariff experts regard thil
as an oversight and. think that II
should be rectifed. In the event oi
the adoption of an additional section
which would enable the president tc
extend the agreement at some future