The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-30
FRANCE AND FREE TRADE.


One of the first things to be attempted in
the French Legislature, during the session
now commenced, is the repeal of the free
trade treaty between France and England,
negotiated between Louis Napoleon and Mr..
Golden nine years ago. The ratification of
this treaty was the personal act of the En-
peror. Its repeal, if the attempt to set 1t
aside be successful will be the fruit of parlia-
mentary government; yet it would be easy to
show that in this case the Emperor was wiser
than his Parliament will be if they undo his
work There is an agitation going on in Eng
Ind as we'll as in France for the abolition of
the treaty and the reimposition of protective
duties and there is this absurd popularity
about this agitation-the treaty has more than
doubled the commerce between the two coun-
tries, but its foes in each country declare
hat it has been the cause of all the distress
from which both countries are suffering. The
English protectionists say the treaty has
given undue advantages to the French; the
French protectionists say it has enriched the
English at the expense of the French. 1t is
difficult to believe that both of these accusa-
tions can be true. That commercial treaty
should ruin the commerce of two countries,
and still should have increased and stimulated
the commerce of both, is clearly an absurdity.
It would be possible to understand how a
treaty might benefit one country at
the expense of another, or how it
could mutually benefit both countries; but
how it could, at the same time, benefit both
and ruin both, is certainly mystery. Since
the treaty came into operation English eX-
ports to France have increased to twenty
three millions sterling, which is clearly a
gain to England, and French exports to
England have increased thirty-three mil
lions, which is clearly gain to France.
In 1860 the English ladies bought three mil
lions worth of French Silks in 1867 they
bought ten millions worth. The increase
was clearly gain to the French silkmakers;
and to whom was it a loss ''To the English
silkmakers, it will be replied; but if an Eng
lish lady can buy French silk of more ele-
CANT style and of better quality than an
English one, at a low price, it is not reason
able that she should be required to pay fifty
per cent. more for her silk in order to make
it possible for an English manufacturer to
force his inferior fabrics on the market
There are some industries which are
depressed in France-chiehy those of
the cotton trade-and it is from these
that the cry for the repeal of the
treaty comes; but it is also true that there
exists in France widespread and deep-rooted
prejudice in favor of protection on general
principles, and there is danger that when the
Corps Legislatif is permitted to decide the
question which Louis Napoleon decided arbi-
trarily and without consultation with the
Legislature, it will so far yield to camor and
to prejudice as to return to the protective
system. The International Exhibition of 1856
convinced the Emperor that French industry
was very skilful, and that there was no neces-
sity for protecting it by prohibition or pro-
tective duties. In the following year, conse-
quently, he introduced bill in the Legsla-
ture to repeal the prohibitory duties, but this
raised such storm in the Chamber that the
bill was withdrawn, and the Emperor pro-
missed not to remove prohibitions until the
lapse of five years. In 1860, this period had
expired and what was very much like con-
spiracy was then entered into between the
Emperor, Mr.. Gladstone, Mr. Golden, and
nj. Chevalier for the secret negotiation of
a free-trade treaty between France and
England. M. Chevalier, instructed by the
Emperor, called upon Mr.. Gladstone, then
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and without
difficulty agreed with him on the basis of the
treaty. He then saw Mr.. Golden, and agreed
to meet him in Paris, but to travel thither
separately, in order, as M. Chevalier him
self states, mot to give warning to the pro-
tectionists, who, if they had suspected what
we were about, would have risen in arnas
and made it impossible for the Government
to accomplish so necessary reform" The
Emperor received Mr. Golden secretly,
told him that he adhered to the project
for the treaty, but recommended him to
divulge the matter to no one for some weeks.
The Minister of Finance and the Director
General of Customs were not let into
the secret The business of the negotiation
was all carried on between M. Rouher, at that
time Minister of Commerce, and Mr. Cobden
and, in order to keep the matter from leaking
out through the treachery of clerks, M. Rou-
hers notes were copied by his wife, and Mr.
Cobden's by the wife of M. Chevalier. All
being arranged the Emperor disclosed the
business to his council; ''the protectionist
notabilities, being warned, hastened to Paris;
the Emperor and M. Rouher were besieged;
but nothing shook the resolution of the Gov
ernment, and the treaty was signed" In
England the treaty was welcomed
gladly; in France the protection
lists denounced it with bitter anger, and
have ever since treasured up resolution to
revenge themselves when possible With the
substitution of parliamentary for personal
government their opportunity has now ar
rived, and they are eager to improve it, But
SO beneficial has the operation of the treaty
proved to the general interests of the empire
that there viii be an intelligent and spirited
opposition to its repeal, and the French pro-
tectionists will be required to show how it is
possible that treaty which has given an i'm
petus to the commerce of France such as il
never before experienced can be deemed hos
tile to the interests of the country.