The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-04-30
DIR COM NJ MERCE.
ruu cotton EXCHANGE AND CHAM
EEu OF COMMERCE. CONSULT
ING OVER 1T.
MIR. Leon Ehotteau Addresses n Large
Meeting au the subject Of CONNER
csnt Relations with France.

In RESPONSE to q call made in yesterdays
papers for n meeting Of citizens and business
men at the Cotton Exchange, u large NUMBER OF
The most prominent men of tho city assembled
Inst night 1T the Cotton Exchanges. for the pur-
pose Of receiving and hearing Mr.. Leon onnt-
teau Representative Of a reciprocal treaty 'of
improving the commerce. between France ana
this country
The maetinp was called TO order by tho proa-
ident Of tho Cotton Exchange. who cnllad % the
chair Gen. Cyrus Bussey. president of ~"
Chamber of Commerce. Mr. II. q. iIester was
requested to act as secretary whereupon the
pfeatdiug officer explained the object ol tho
meeting, which s clearly set torth IN the H. ~,
lowing hgp,al q the F,enoh c2moe % II - .as as
people oi me oh''ed e'"'ee' "o "''0"' -
aoio"e' PARIS. February .. 1878.
Citizens Of the United states of America:
Axpnan France and ths United States The alb
sansa of any such treaty Ia equally prejuhi"ial
to both counties. II is important thereioto. ~
bring about a modification In the existing state
Of things and. If possible, to convert, 1or ihe
more ready interchange of our respective
products the general tarl mo oonynn',onh i, l
parties Interested prior to is ratification at
Washington aud VersailIee. ,,,,.,,.
A committee, for the purpose ot stipulhtlng
The basis upon which such atreaty should be
drawn up, has been formed at Paris, ana we
np fJpIted States like committee. which would Mt
ance gms,'e enter into Communication with us on
the subject. The cooperation OF these two
time, so combine their efforts as to
prepare the way for Franco hm9rcap, con,
gress be held in Paris during tle EShninm
and close discussion by tho congress- Of the
whole question. resoutt9nss might ,o be y, %dopoGn dn
dence TO The governments and parliamen's of
France and the United States.
From that moment the part we shall nave
haar pnll
Much will. however, remain for us to accom-
plsh In view more especially q Tt rnat mwmEsh,me
ing law which, while better mnistering to the
wants of the two nations. would finally assume
kbs form Of an international agreement.
Our interests. although in reality id nichl'
are rendered anaeonstic by existing legtsla-
on op hsm Th Whst w nnt
solute solution, or the of means involving
sudden and radical changes. we have hopes to
tcal measure viz. that offered by agradual
reduction Of tariff rates.
Mr. J. sherman your minister OF hnances'
n view which, we trust. VIII be acceptable TO M
The sixth report Of the commission appointed
lie custom. house duties of the United States,
shows that, out of more than 25oO articles rated.
s2s pay al caore duties ayefagng from IT 10 so
OF various sorts, and 1000. although not emu
merated. are always liable TO certain dues.
These $500 ar' icles do not yiold to your public
treasury as much revenue as you would be JUS
titled In expecting from ilfteon Or twenty a!tl-
ees less heavily rated. snoh is the conclusion
The sub Committee Of Ways aud Means OF the
House Of Representatives at Washington was
when 1t promised to modify your tariff. 80 as to
favor the importation of European goods into
the States. and put new lilo into your export
srade
such action on tho part Of Mr.. Sherman and
The sub-commtttoe of Congress- In favor Of q
aiminutipn of custom house rates shows that
Sneta ha Va an ID htpn nd tho rpnuhliG OF 1TTg.
For over a century the current Of emigration
howed without abatement toward your shores
OF late however, tho tide has slackoned, aud u
decreases annually. Have you not been com
PEELED to admit TINT within the last few years
rope In consequences of his not beng able t.
fnd proper remuneration for his labor In the
How comes ii that. in the midst Of any amount
of work waiting TO be accomplished, no work
Is done when capital abounds in your midst?
Your answer may be that crises have alarmed
the United Sta es at times when custom house
rates did not reach an unreasonable limit. You
must periorce acknowledge. however that the
tariff which obtains to- day has In greit de-
gree contributed toward and aggravated youl
Did you reflect on tho denressed state Of in
dustry In America you would mt once see that
heavy taxes are always paid by the consumer.
The mean average of custom house ratios be-
ing 40 per cent In the United Staes. and con
stituting prohibitory tariff. why hesitate to
selves anew those markets of tho outside world
which n too rigorous Legislation has closed t,
your energy and exertions?
You can no longer say: TO buy an article ~
France Ii d antamount to enc ouraglng French
industry at the expense of homo industry and
Is doing an injury to ones country
You have long since admitted tho fact that q
barrel of Bordeaux wine, when unoaded on the
wharf al New York. at once causes the pur-
chase oi u sack of corn or Il barrel of petroleum
more easily interchangeable, and every sal.
he o Ways and Means
the House OF Repres' natives mt Washington
obtains from Congress the custom7h2use ON, 2 re-
susnt Increase Of rates: for. 4 today you
lower your duties, you may think 1t advisable
to raise them tomorrow. Has not your tariff
been remodeled some forty times since 1882
And surprising that your legislators St, should u
mitted reductions, their faith in respect to thu
future would in no wise remove the obstacle
offered by the general French tariff. Our tariff
in fact. prohibits in the most absolute manner
the entrance into France of your cotton an,
most Of your wooen m 1 staPaGs such n OF your ir Gas
category. y ur wrought iron aud most of you
works in metal, your refined sugar. your var
nshed or dyed feathers. eto.
A conventional tariff. whilst regulating you
interests and our own, would bring to the tw
great republics that security which auic ken
energy and encourages enterprise on larg
Such a treaty cannot prove obnoxious t
France and the United Safes If private in
itiative frst determine the basis which the pari
Congress will ba called upon to construct.
Let us therefore mark out common limo {
action and endeavor by corporation to iac
itate the task allotted in last resort to the pal
liaments of both countries
And you. on your side. give us the tangh
proof that our voice finds an echo on the oth'
side OF the Atlantic and that you accept-hy I'll
formation OF Il central American committee
your midst-our offer to cement a moro sui
stanlial and enduring link than that viii h ha
for some time past existed in our relations
trade and amitY.
President-Menier manufacturer member
the Paris Chamber Of Commerce. Representi
tive Of the Department of the Seine-et- Mari
In the Chamber OF Deputies.
Vice President-L Hielnrd President of Il
General Syndicate of the Union Nationale &
Commerce OF de l'Industrie
Treas urer-Alfred kuohlin- Schwartz. man
facturer.
Delegated member-Ieon Chotteau. publci.
Secretary Edmond Dutemple. publicist.