The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-11-29
JUST TO THINK OF IT,
1t Now Appears the Mckinley Bill Is "a
Blessing to France.

Blessing to France.
Correspondence OF the Associated Press.
PARIS, Nov. 29.-Pursuing throughout
France an inquiry into the operation of the
Mckinley tariff, similar to that the results
OF which in Great Britain and Germany have
already been published, the Associated Press
has obtained information, which is here pre-
sented.
An interview was had with Mr. Whitelav
Reid, the United States Minister, in the course
of which he said:
"When you come to anayze It carefully,
you will find that most of the outcry in France
against the Mckinley tariff should really be
directed against the Administrative bill.
Many OF the most important French indus
tries have not been affected In the slightest
degree by our new tariff. On many classes of
SILK goods, for example, the advances are in
appreciable, and in some Of them on which
the heaviest advances were made imports-
tions have actually increased. There is no
advance at all on wines, excepting a beggarlv
dollar dozen on champagne. Some of the
most important decreases In expectation are
actually on articles on which the Mckinley
Dill made no change In duty. The cause for
such decreases must then of course be looked
for elsewhere. The Administrative BILL how
ever, has compelled in many cases much high
er valuations than hitherto prevailed, and
this for time has doubtless derauged the cp-
formalities and more rigid enforcement of the
legal requirements at the consulates, have at
first provoked great deal OF dlscoutent and
complaint.
"a year ago, In answer to constant COM
plants about the Mckinley bill, | assured
the Minister for Foreign Affairs that France
was really less affected by it than any of it's
chief European rivals. Judging from the
debates In the Senate the other day, the Gov
ernment is now thoroughly convinced of this
fact You Will see that M. Ribot, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, said distinctly that the in
creased duties of the Mckinley bill have es-
pecially affected other European powers,
Whlle at the present moment statistics show
that II there has been a diminution in
european expectation to the United States, it
is England and Germany that have been most
anected, while France has been relatively
projected.
SIN reply to EXPLANATIONS Of incredulty
from various Senators, NJ. Ribot, said: i
repeat that 1t is not France which has the
most suffered, and we assuredly have there
fact over which we have no occasion to COM
plain Mr.. jules Roche, Minister of Com
merce, added his assurance that M. Ribot was
perfectly right
sit is true that the duties on most of the
important exports from France have not been
sufficiently advanced to destroy the trade,
although the expectations of such articles as
the United States can manufacture are GER
tainly somewhat checked. There are no such
advances, however, In the Mckinley bill as in
the French tariff voted last summer by the
Chamber, and nowin process OF being increased
by the Senate This tariff shows repeatedly
on articles Of prime necessity, an advance Of
zoo or 300 per cent. over existing duties.
III there Is any such advance In the Nc
Kinley bill on any important articles of
French expectation, l have not seen 1t.
Where such advances are gradually made,
business may sometimes adjust itself to them
as 1t has in the case of many of our highest
duties, but when they are made at one step,
their natural effect is to paralyze trade"