, toL. , _ t . > _ < * . . ' < * s 4. ( J- , ; * ! j
12 The Conservative *
FKKNC1I KECIPROOITY THBATV.
Seiiator Aldrich of Rhode Islaud Bays
that if the provisions of the reciprocity
treaty with Franco "were understood by
the interests to bo affected by it there
would bo a thousand manufacturers
hero in less than a week protesting
against it. " That is not impossible.
On previous occasions the overprotected
manufacturers of Rhode Island have
protested against the slightest abate
ment of excessive protection. But if
the provisions of the treaty were under
stood by the farmers and most of the
manufacturers of the West they would
serve notice on their Senators that a
failure to vote for the ratification of the
treaty would bo taken as an unpardon
able offence.
Senator Aldrioh is against the treaty
because it will reduce the duty on knit
goods from over 64 per cent ad valorem ,
which is practically prohibitory , to 51.5
per cent ad valorem. The Senators
from New Jersey oppose the treaty because -
cause the duty on silk goods , which av
erages 58 per cent ad valorem , will be
reduced to a trifle under 50 per cent.
Possibly these senators are acting as
their manufacturing constituents wish
them to. If so , those constituents are
scandalously greedy. When the Diugley
tariff bill was framed some of the duties
were made higher than they were
in the McKinley law , so as to have
something to trade on when reciprocity
treaties were negotiated with France
and other countries. Apparently the
manufacturers who are the beneficiaries
of those abnormally high duties do nol
wish to see one jot or tittle of them
abated.
The French agrarians charge that the
treaty sacrifices French interests. A
small group of American manufacturers
say it will do infinitely more for Franco
than for this country. The reverse is
the case. The average reduction o
duties to be made by the United States
is less than 7 per cent. The average re
duction to be made by France is 48 per
cent. If the treaty is ratified , as i
should be , there will be a small increase
in the imports of some French cotton
silk , and glass goods. There will be a
great increase in American exports to
France of provisions and breadstuffs
Of American meats Franco bought onlj
$8,900,000 [ worth during the last fisca
year. The treaty reduces the duties 01
hams and bacon 50 per cent and on lard
37JjC per cent. The Western manufac
hirers of agricultural implements can
appreciate the value of a reduction in
the French duty of 41 per cent. Monti
before last the exports of wheat auc
flour to Great Britiau were valued a
$5,540,000 and those to France at $5,700
Wheat from the United States pays a
higher duty than that from any othe
country. Under the treaty there wil
be no discriminations and Franco wil
buy American cereals more freely.
The treaty as it stands is of much
value to this country. It does credit to
; he perseverance and skill of John A.
assou , who negotiated it. Noverthe-
esa , the indications are that it cannot
command a two-thirds vote in the Sen
ate. An effort is being made to get from
Trance a year more of time in which to
act on it. While that year is gliding by
a few hundred thousand dollars' worth
of French cotton hosiery and knit goods
vill be kept out of the United States.
Millions of dollars' worth of American
) readstuffs , provisions , and manufac
tures will be kept out of France.
This Now Jersey-Rhode Island-Con
necticut dictation is becoming offensive
; o Western producers. It is intolerable
that they should bo denied access to
French markets in order that a few mill
bosses may remain protected by duties
ranging from 50 to 120 per cent ad val
orern. What are the Senators from the
middle West thinking of that they are
not laboring to secure the ratification of
this French treaty ? Chicago Tribune.
BEAUTIFUL. _
and tender elo
queuce of Ool. Bryan never more
liquid or saccharine than at a banquet
when dwelling upon the sweeter , and
more preferable methods of Christianiz
ing the Filipinos , at Lincoln the other
evening , trickled from his tongue like
sorghum. He declared that one Filipino
educated and returned to his insular
homo would do more to elevate his race
than a hundred thousand U. S. troops
Wo presume the thoughtful and learuec
colonel reasoned from his knowledge o
Uuited States Indian schools and the
results achieved by graduates therefrom
upon their return to tribal relations
The colonel , no doubt , knows that when
ever an educated Indian has gone bad
from the Carlisle , or any other great in
stitutiou , for breaking savages into the
gaits of civilization , that the entire
tribe to which ho belonged and returnee
has become immediately infected with
earning and piety. Contagious civiliza-
ioii and infectious piety are the instru
ments with which Col. Bryan proposes to
elevate , ameliorate , educate , emancipate
and exhilarate the yellow races of the
sles of the Pacific. Could anything bo
more lovely and alluring than this gun-
ess philanthropy ?
Wadding cannon with leaves from
the Bible ; or , having military bands in
spire our soldiers to vigorous assaults by
> layiug sacred music , must give way to
, he Filipinos who return from the Unit
ed States plethoric in wisdom.
IS NOT 1'OKTO RICO OUK OWN.
Some commercial degenerates are said
; o have used the argument with the
president that Porto Rico sugar and
tobacco will compete with the American
product. We must protect our own
growers. Our own growers 1 Is not
Porto Rico our own ? Are not the
Porto Rican growers our own ? What
kind of absorption is this ? What kind
of Americanization of our new depend
ence does it portend ? It would leave
Porto Rico worse off than it was under
Spain , and it would impose on the people
ple of this generous and justice-loving
Republic the harder lot of exchanging
places with Spain and coming down
from our ideals to the level of that once
proud and magnanimous people. The
Evangelist , Presbyterian Organ.
In the District Court of tlio United States ,
District of Nebraska.
In the matter of William1) )
Pottharst & Co. , and Arend Case No. 80
Renken , a member of said > In Bankruptcy ,
firm , of Talmage , Otoe Coun-1
ty , Nebraska , Bankrupts. J
On reading and filing the petition of Arend
Renken , a member of said firm , bankrupt , for
his discharge herein , it is Ordered that Mon
day , the Oth day of April , 1000 , be and the same
is hereby fixed as the day on or before which
all creditors of and all persons interested in
said estate or in the discharge of said Arend
Renkfn , in Bankruptcy , shall , if they desire to
oppose the same , file in my office in Rottmanii
Block , in Nebraska City , Nebraska , in said
District , their objections in writing to the
granting of said discharge , and file specifica
tions of the grounds of said opposition. And
the hearing of the same will lie heard at the
ollice of the Referee. Thursday. April 12,1000 ,
at 10 o'clock a. m. , at Nebraska City , Nebraska.
Witness my hand hereto at my ofilco in
Nebraska City , Nebraska , this 21st day of
March , 1000. JAS. W. EATON ,
Referee.
H.W.JL % HNS'
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