The morning call., 1890-11-08
THE NEW FRENCH TARIFF.

When Congress clothed the President
with the power TO impose duties on articles
in the new free list, when imported from
countries which impose excessive duties on
products of the United States. the objection
was made that this was investing the EXecu-
tive with exclusive legislative authority.
The bill passed. the objection notwithstand :
ing; and now, we notice, the plan is about
to be adopted by another nation, the French
Republic.
The Minister of Commerce has laid before
the Tariff Committee OF the French Cham
Der a new tariff. which imposes two sets of
dnties on foreign imports. a maximum set of
duties and a minimum set. NJ. Roche ex-
planned that a country getting minimum
tariff rates must grant to France consider
able reduction in her present duties on
French products. The French Chambers OF
Commerce would have preferred tariff with
one set of duties-a minimum set-only,
leaving to the President of the Republic
authority to increase duties on the products
of any nation which levied eXorbitant duties
on French produce This will probably be
adopted by the Chamber. 1t is as nearly as
possible Mr. BlaineS idea which Mr.. AL
drich Incorporated in the Mckinley tariff.
The situation in Europe is 4 forced con-
clusion from the recent legislation of Ger
many, France, Austria, Italy and Spain.
All these nations, looking to the welfare of
the agricultural class, have raised duties on
cereals in order 10 keep out grain gown be-
yond their frontiers. Germany has barri-
caded against Austria, Austria has barri-
caded against Italy, France has barricaded
against Germany and Spain, and each coun-
try has been thrown back on its own re-
sources for its food supply. This may have
benefited farmers in few localities, though
we notice that the French wheat-growers
still complain that they cannot compete. but
it has come hard on workinen in cities, and
ii has disjOinted commerce that was active
and Profitable.
NJ Roche now proposes to try a new de-
parture which, if produced to its natural
consequence, would lead to the organization
of z0llYerein among the leading European
countries. Countries which admit French
produce at low rates of duty would have ac-
cess 10 French markets for their own
produce at corresponding rates. Countries
which maintain the present quaSl-prohib-
tive tariffs mu st submit to have their prod
uee excluded from France. 1t is what the
boys call tit for tat. The scheme will prob
ably enlist the support Of the commercial
bodies in France, of the great body of
operatives and Of jewellers in cities gener-
ally, but it is likely to be opposed by the
agricultural class, which holds that it would
lose more by admitting the Germans into
French markets than it would gain by OBJ
tanning access to German markets.
The trouble with the French farmers is
that they have never tried to hold their own
markets by producing a better article than
foreigners could supply. They have en-
deavored to keep California flour out of
France by levying monstrous duties on it,
but the only effect has been TO enhance The
cost of bread in Paris, Rouen, Bordeaux,
Lyons and Marseiles. Frenchmen will
have the best bread that can be made and
that bread can only be baked out of Califor-
mia -four. There is only one reason why
they should not grow as fine wheat and
grind as rich -four in France as we do in
California, and that is our dry climate.