The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-04
BILL
is NOT UNLIKELY
1t Is Well Known That President
Wilson Favors Such
Measure.
URGED BY FITZGERALD
He Comes to Capital and Is
Fighting for Favored
Nations Plan.
Especial to The Time Dispatch. ]

Washington. April 3.-With the
arrival in Washington tonight of
Mayor Fitzgerald, OF Boston. to urge
upon the Ways and Means Committee
the Importance of n reciprocity tariff.
nations favorine the United States
In tariff matters Increased Mayor
Fitzgerald came straight from Cover
nor FoBs. who has urged the Massa-
chusetts Legislature to memorabilia
Congress In favor OF reciprocity
tariff. He told members OF the COM
mittce with whom he talked tonight
that to pass tariff on the maximum
and minimum lines of the old Payne
AldrIch tariR would mean the ruin OF
the tariff
The tariff bill as now drawn will
admit -four. and only -four, free from
nations which admit our hour. This
does not include Canada. which i'm
poses duty on American flour IT
Is believed that Mr.. Underwood would
favor reciprocity tariff If ne thought
there wecr any chance OF passing one
President Wilson In private CONVERSE
ton has said that he thought we are
under an implied promise to give Can
ada the benefit OF reciprocity If she
80 desires, and said he hoped that this
might be arranged.
when the present bill was discussed
with the President by MIR. Underwood,
the President was told that the pres
ent reciprocity bill would be allowed
to stand, despite the efforts to repeal
IT after our treaty had been rejected
by Canada
The specific request which Mayor
Fitzgerald has made to the members
OF the Ways and Means Committee with
whom he has talked since arrival to-
night is that the bill be so rearranged
IN I'M a,IH l.
posed on the goods OF all nations which
give the United States n quid pro quo
suihcicnt In the estimation OF the Pres
ident 10 warrant this reciprocal ar
ranHetnent.
This would mean "A reduction OF 90
per cent less than the minimum tarin.
he pointed out that under the present
law the President has right TO make
these concessions. and the present law
IL still on the statute books
Mayor Fitzgerald has not get seen
the President. but will see him to-
morrow. He Will also have talk
with Secretary Bryan and Secretary
Redfeld The latter is the Presidents
adviser in tariff matters Mr.. Wilson
freely admits that he Is not a tariff
expert himself. The President con-
suited Tonight with Il number of SEN
ators whose co operation he deems nee
cssary To get a reciprocity or any kind
OF tariff through. There is no doubt
ted TO give the people the kind of tar
IN he wants. that tariff would be n
reciprocity tariff. He has learned q
great deal about practical politics
since he came to Washington. however,
and is alive to the fact that he will
encounter serious barrier in the Sen
ate. in which there is already n formid-
able opposition 10 the free sugar and
practically free wool program. With
in the last two days Senator Hughes.
na "
IN the upper house. has been making
a poll OF the members Of the Senate
II Hughes reports back that q reel
procity hill can be passed. It is not at
all unlikely that the President will
insist upon one.
The countries which are most favor
ably disposed toward reciprocity with
the United States at this time are Ar
gentina and Mexico. A treaty OF reci-
procity with Argentina was held up
by Aldrich and Lodge and the stand
pat clique of politicians several years
ago. after IT had been mapped out
by John Barrett. who al that time was
minister 10 Argentina. The rebellion
In Mexico is the sole cause which pre-
vented the actual ratification OF a
treaty OF general reciprocity with the
United States which had been formu-
lated about three years ago
II has always been the fate of these
reciprocity treaties that even when
they were agreed upon by the State
Department and the special commits
sioners, that they were defeated by the
Republican Foreign Affairs COMMITTEES
There were eleven at one time pigeon
hoied by this same reactionary strong
hold
The State Department is now in con
nection with the coffee importation
from Brazil. taking up the general sub
ject OF reciprocity with members OF
the Ways and Means Committee