New-York tribune., 1890-08-29
MR.. RBID'S REPLY.
Legation OF the United States.

Sir: have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of q letter from your Excelency in which
| you are good enough 10 advise me that my COM
| municaton of the Sd OF july on the subject OK
| the continued exclusion of American pork from
France has been communicated 10 y0nr colleagues,
the Minister of the INTERIOR the Minister OF Conn.,
mcrcc, and the Minister of Agriculture.
Your EXcellency remarks that the French Gov'
ernmcnt in its disposition TO modify the existing
rule as Ia the exclusion OF American pork; counted
that this evidence OF goodwill would De re-
ciprocatcd by the United States, and expresses
, regret that the Customs Administrative bill all
ready passed. and the new Tsrlif bill voted by
the House of Representatives and now under com
sderation by the Senate. have increased the diff
cutics in the way of such action the admission
Of pork as has been desired and give just ground
of complaint on the part of French merchants.
Your Excellency will pardon me for endeavorina
10 show that this is view OF the situation WHICH
the facts do not warrant.
The existing rule rs to the exclusion OF Amer.
lean pork has not been modified. Not step to
that end, SO far known, has been taken.
What evidence OF goodwill, then, in tins regard,
has France given which the United states could
he already expected TO recprocateY BESIDES
there would appear 10 he no similarity or Just re-
lation of any kind between the two subjects
which your Excellency couples-the French ex.
cqsOn Of AmeIh P0rS % ahd fS 'TS Is
any reason apparent why continuance OF the
one should be justified by your apprehcnsions as
TO the others.
of them is not yet even a law and the nature OF
their operation mnst as yet be TO some extent
matter Of conjecture. The French decree has been
i'm full force for the last nine years. and its scope
and results are perfectly known.
There is every reason, from the history or such
legislation in the past, 10 believe that, II en-
pcrcncc shows defects or injustice in the working
of the American bills, they viii be modified. The
french decree. in spite of argument and remon-
STRANGE in spite even of proof that II does nobody
any good has been tenaciously maintained un-
changed for nine years.
The American bills are merely development
of a recognized American policy, understood by
all the world, in practice during the greater part
of our Notional history, and continuously for tho
last twenty-five years. The French decree is en-
tirely exceptional, and not in conformity, so far
as known, with any general recognized French
The American bills touch all countries with
out the United States from all other countries.
and prohibits its product alone, while the similar
products Of the rest of the world are admitted.
The American bills make no charges agalnso
the quality of the products who's" importation
they regulate or tax. The French decree is based
upon the indcfensible charge that the American
product excluded is unwholesone, though tn,s
charge has been repndiated by the trencp
Academy of Medicine itself. and though this pI,o.
hibited and unwholesome product mas rec recently nn,
been crowrcd by the highest prize oi your own
Universal Exposition. .,
Under these circumstances. venture 10 sug;;
gcst that the French Government Is hot III soou
nosition 70 nut forward in explanation OF us own
action ANYTHING which the United States may now
do in the impartial development OF It's weitknown
policy Of protection. France Is. ana mas T., peen cen
Tor nine years past persistent aggressor; II mas
absolutely prohibited the importation Of an in-
nortant American product. on indefcnslble
charges It still maintains this prohibition: mnthIn: IN
,beroby Coined either for its own consumers its
own "Sn'Js producers, and that the only apprccable
effect is to do an injury to century-old friend
Inv opcnly discriminating against that friend IN
f9vor of Germany, Italy and England. After
snch record, and in advance OF the slightest
known movement 10 amend it, how can Franco
| IN E,Nccllpncy
cotes that its evidence Of goodwill should now
bc rccproeatcd by the United States? lie who
seeks Justice should first do justice Much more
should that Nation which seeks friendly con.
sidcration for its merchants refrain first from in
Justice TO the merchants of the country appealed
TO, and from defamation Of that country1
products =,
1t is proper further to call your ExcellencVi