Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-05
AMERICAN TRADE WITH FRANCE.
Plans of Leon ChOtteau to Extend
FrancO-American COmmerce-His
visit to the south and West
What He Hopes to
Accomplish.

New York Tribune, March 9th:
Tribune representative called on M. Leon
Chotteau on Monday, at his room in the
Everett house, and found him packing his
trunk for a tour in the south and west
"How ara YOU coming on with your work OF
convincing the American people that they
ought to make a commercial treaty with
France?" was asked. "Pretty well, re-
piled NJ Chotteau. 81 am now going to
Washington, and shall soon visit Richmond,
Charleston, New Orleans and St. Louis.
work upon the boards of trade, and endeavor
to convince them that it Is for their advan-
tage to have a larger market for American
products in France, and to extend the
commerce between the two countries by
mutual concessions" "You are if | under
stand your position, the authorized rep
reseutative of the French boards of
trader" Yes; the chambers of COM
MERGE of all the principal cities of
France, except Nantes, join in this movement.
The Nantes people held aloot from fear that
q liberal treaty would bring In American
manufactures to compete with their pro-
ducts" 'What is your plan of operahonsP'
II address myself to the commercial bodies of
your principal cities, and thus endeavor to
create public opinion favorable to treaty
Of commerce mutually advantageous to both
nations. If such an opinion Is created by
discussion of the subject, the rest will be
easy enough. The two governments will
negotiate treaty, and 1t will be submitted
afterward to your senate for confirmation.
"What is your programme? What do you
desire should be reduced, and to what ex-
tent, and what compromising advantages do
you anticipate will be given to American
products exported to Franee7" "You mis-
take my purpose. | have no programme.
programme would be fatal. First we
| must deal with general principles, leaving
| the details to be worked out afterward.
Look at the situation. Take out your cotton,
petroleum, tobacco and a few other products
of the soil, and your total exports to France
amount to only two million dollars a
year. You want a market In our country
for many manufactured articles which are
now shut out by the high rates OF our general
tariff. We want more extensive market In
the United States for our manufactures,
which you now load down with duties of over
fifty per cent. Increased commerce would be
a good thing for both countries. Why then
should we not come together and make a
| treaty that will be OF advantage TO both
sldes?" sit is easy to tell about general
| principles In tariff, but when you come to
| the practical business of framing such treaty
| as you propose, you would encounter null
| titude of difficulties. Every important re
| duction you would suggest in the duties OF
| yodr products would hit some American man
| utacturing interest. The men likely TO be
| hurt would go to Washington and protest
i
| their forces and make tremendous row. The
treaty might be for the single benefit of the
| people of this country, but II 1T threatened
| the life of q dozen prosperous home indus
| tries, it would have a hard time to secure rat
| ifcation." Pardon me. 1t would net
be necessary to apply any fixed
rule of reduction. We could
make exceptions. If any important Ameri-
| can industries were likely to be injured by a
lower tariff they could be let alone. For in
| stance, silk might be excepted from the
terms of the treaty. l am going to confer
| with your silk manufacturers and get then
views. Please understand me. l am not
here to advance any particular scheme OF
system of duties. | simply desire, as the
representative of the commercial interests Of
| my country, to stimulate an agitation Of
lower duties on both sides-of a treaty that
| shall work for the good of the two great
republics Of the world ami draw them into
closer relations. All details can be left tc
the practical craftsmanship of the two gov
| ernments. - NJ. Chotteau left this city yester-
| day morning for Washington, st. Louis. New
| Orleans aud Cincinnati. On mis- return here
he will go to Chicago and San Francisco.