The issue was controversial during the last three decades of the nineteenth century, making tariff revision a daunting task.
Protectionists in Congress by this time recognized that some type of reduction would be politically popular, but wanted to avoid a drastic cut.
Lame-duck Republicans wanted to ensure that a tariff reduction passed before incumbent Democrats assumed control of Congress in the next session and lowered rates by a greater margin.
Thus, he directed U.S. Secretary of State Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen to establish reciprocal trade agreements with other nations, especially those with raw material the U.S. needed.
The reciprocal trade agreements allowed Arthur to amend the tariff without having to involve himself in a congressional battle over the issue.