New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-07
aMERlCAN PORK IN FRANCE.
rur STRUGGLE TO REMOVE THE PRoHI-
BrT10N.
=, rrrp TELLS OF THE PROGRESS or THE
NEGoIIAuoNs-AID FROM MANY
CABINET OFFICER

AlD ftsOM MANY
CABINET OFFICER.
ru,,s Dec Sin the matter of the decree with.
icing the prohibition OF the Importation Of American
.ors the French officials are DESTROYS of having 1t
raerstood that their action practically decided
-, a year ago, but actually settled last July, when
.sa chamber Of Deputies gave overwhelming vote
!. ,avor OF the BILL They said that nothing then pre-
n,sd the formal withdrawal of the decree but the
oideptal delay In the Senate caused BY the two
cohpet crises In the last three days Of the session.
a, mat time the Government fully intended TO with
snw the decree within week. and had all the nee
.s.,ry preparations made.
The French officials also insist that they caused the
snoyal Of the prohibition by the German Government
hitch did mot intend withdraw its prohibition unless
vrsnce did The German Embassy at Paris the French
scials declare constantly sending TO the Govern
.n, Offices and TO the American Legation, trying to
sod ont the progress OF the negotiations. The vote
- the French Chamber Of Deputies showed them that
as French Government was absolutely committed to
o. removal OF the prohibition and could not decently
hdraw from the position The delay in the Senate's
.c,on gave the Germans the chance TO get In ahead
= they instructed Count Arco Valley the German
Minister at Washington. to arrange the matter through
secretary Foster speedily possible.
No considerable effort had been made in any other
uarter till the negotiations brought nearly to q
rOnclusOn here and Congress had published some of
he
and said everywhere privately by French politicians
hat they forced TO defeat the Government
sorts TO restrict the duty first twelve francs and
.nsrward 10 twenty by the action of Germany and
Italy They say that II they had not named the same
sry with these countries, they would have been
os.ring n premium 10 bring all the American pork
hare in rivalry with their farmers, and keep Ii out
Of Germany and Italy.
The American Minister 10 France. whitelaw Reid,
"a, called upon recently by the representative of the
Associated Press and urged TO give his views upon
nese points Mr.. Reid hesitatcd at first TO give
uteranoe 10 anything for publication, but finally said
ayes: IL has been long struggle Almost the first
Instructions received from the American Government
ve-e on this subject The home Administration was
uueh In earnest about H. Still, far o. the French
government concerned, the struggle has been over
since the close of the diplomatic correspondence the
subect september 1890. Since that date the French
Cabinet has been absolutely unanimous for the with
drsva Of the prohibition and for the twevefranc duty
II named that duty in the Tariff bill sent t. the Cham
Der Of Deputies and has steadily and unanimously OPP
posed any advances In the rate. The Chamber of
Deputies gave the bill It's adhesion in July last, but
raised the proposed duty 10 twenty francs The Senate
mSde most determined resistance, and finally raised
Che duty again TO twenty-five francs"
awhO were its chief friends and opponents?" was
asked.
Minister Reid replied "All rural France seemed
70 Be its opponents and especially the region about
Nantes. Among its friends, besides all the members
Of the Government, and especially Messrs RibOt Con
sans Roche, Develle and Rouver, whose Departments
were concerned had VI. Meline, the great Pro
ecHonst leader In the Chamber the president Of the
anf commission now, and the president Of the last
CAsmbe'; Jules Ferry the former Premier, now pres
Dent Of the Senate tariff commission Jules Segfried and
Felix Faure Deputies for avre, and of others
IN both houses In one debate four members of the
Cabinet interviewed In behalf Of our measure NJ.
Roche made an especially cogent argument which had
the greatest influence. 1t pleased me, as l listened
10 him, to remember that he is an old newspaper
nan. NJ. MeDe accomplished great thing, too last
July when he got unanimous report from the tariff
commission, consisting of fifty members. in favor of
Have you found any unpleasaptuess arising out
q The controversy ?"
Not the slightest. Nothing could have exceeded
tae constant courtesy and cordially shown by The
Government, Deputies and Senators. Nor has there
been ANYTHING unpleasant In the warm discussions in
sEhy did the Government wait for the Chamber and
senste 10 fix the duty"
- Fer the same reason that the burnt child dreeds
Ae fire. Jules Ferry, under President Grevy, with,
5 e in isS anS the cT saSeS ia
Tie two honses beforehand 50 that the Withdrawal
tat the Old dnty would be dispropOrtonstey low as
@mpared with the duties on other articles 10 the new
hhf and that it must therefore be raised before 1t
would be fair 10 let the trade be resumed"
What about the inspection here y -.
~ our inspection III hneriTn Is PltopTpS b "V dsv
cost much, or last long. But the Government was so
pressed and the stories about our inspection were
reckless that they had TO promise one here at the
outset
~Will there be much business -
"In the higher grades certainly. AS 10 shoulders
and sides, more will depend upon the price. In the
last year before the prohibition Of 1880 the imports
Of pork from the United States alone "a ,2473O
hl0s and from all other countries only $4,000
klOs In 1880. with American pork prohibited. the
total imports were only 100000 klos-say $1,000
900 klos less than in 1881. That is the size Of the
zap there still is to he filed, IL still sell
heaply enough under the advanced duty to tempt the
sane classes Of French buyers"
What are your own plans now -
@TO cake little rest I have stayed here all
sumner. Now IL the Administration is willing. 1 am
going down for few weeks sojOurn in Spain and
Morocco