The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-15

A New Dep.-tur. :. r.re,... p.,.s..

A New Deps-ture In Eurepes. Heissse...
BERNIE. Jan Lone somewhat unexpected
but not unnatural consequence 1T cannot be
called a resultl Of the Panama scandals. which
are shaking the actual Government OF France
20 It's foundations. muet not be allowed 10 pass
without notice in America Its Importance.
direct and indirect. to the commercial interests
and to the future commercial policy Of the
United state will be apparent
on the last day but one OF the session OF the
french Parliament. tho commercial treaty be-
tween France and Switzerland, negotiated by
Jules Roche and supported by the Ribot Gov
ernment was rejected by the Chamber. NJ. Jules
Itoche himself. IL must be remembered. lie one Of
the persons involved in the charges Of cor
ruption. which have grown and multiplied with
such amazing and alarming rapidity since the
ramatic suicide OF Baron de Reinach. the flight
OF Cornelius Herr to England. and the some
what tardy and theatrical interposition OF the
French Government to p~aralyze the action Of
NJ. Brlsson's parliam entary committee OF in
auiry by arrestlng NJ. Charles de Lessops and
other directors OF tho Panama Company. In
all cases OF corruption there must. Of course.
be two parties-one who corrupts and the other
who is corrupted. The parliamentary COM
mittee was naturally looking for the politi-
cinns corrupted by the Panama Company. and,
as 1t seemed in a fair way to ind too many OF
them. NJ. Bourgeois. In behalf OF the Cabinet,
struck upon the idea OF diverting public atten-
ton from this troublesome and threatening
Inquest. by attracting public attention to the
alleged corrupters Of his parliamentary friends
and colleagues. How the idea will work In re-
gard to the scandals and the politics Of France
remains to be seen. How It has already
worked. so far as concerns tho ability OF the
Cabinet to defend its own policy in matters OF
the Rravest practical interest to France, 10
shown by tho defeat Of the Franco-Swiss Com.
merclal treaty.
This defeat 10 . triumph Of the French pro.
tectionists. and OF what II called the reaction
ary or Royalist party in France. The nerlcui.
tural and manufacturing elias ses In France
we're opposed. the commercial classes in the
main wore friendly. to a modification Of the
customs duties between France and Switxer-
land in the direction OF liberal conces-
sions to the Swiss. NJ. Jules Roche and tho
supporters OF the proposed new treaty showed
conclusively by facts and figures that tho high
taxation upon Swiss products entering France
has for some time past had the effect OF in
creasing the ercial relations between
Switzerland and Germany and OF diminishing
the commercial relations between Switzerland
and France. The French protectionists met
this demonstration after q method long IA
miliar in these discussions. by affirming that
Switzerland could not possibly get on with
out the wines and manufactures Of
France. the incontestable superiority OF
which to the wines and manufacturer OF all
other countries in the world must com pei
Switzerland. whether sho likes 1t or not. to
take whatever France would let her have on
such terms as the aRriculturists and manu.
facturers Of France might choose to dictate.
The Ribot Government. at Tits wits ends in the
whirl Of the Panama scandals. seems so fnr to
have lost control Of the Chamber for practical
and commercial pur noses that tho protection.
lists carried their point aud the new treaty with
Switzerland was rejected. This event has for
some time past been anticipated at Berne. and
the Swiss Government will undoubtedly meet
the action OF the French Chamber bv
promptly raising new barriers against the
Introduction Of French products into Switzer-
land. and probably also. by lowering still fur
ther the Swiss barriers to not only
rs between Switzerland and Germany. but as
betwcen Switzerland and Italy.
More than q year ago THE Sun called atten-
ton to the rumors. which we're at that time
in the air. OF the possible establishment OF O
great commercial 1o!;rere'n or customs union.
embracing not only tho thssc great powers Of
the Triple Alliance. but Also the federal re-
public Of Switzerland. 1t was then pointed out
that such a ioHrerein. II established. could
not fail to exercise a very serious influence.
not upon the and industry only. but
upon tho politics OF Central Europe. We're
Switzerland to come into a close ercial
and customs union with the German empire.
with Austrin-H Hungary and with Italy. 1t Is
obvious that France must be more dangerous
iy isolated than she now is by the merely de-
great military States Of Central Europe. Such
q commercial union. stretching from Ham
s snG t and b En1nsn. TO an, Naples s1d Palermo
Main, to the frontiers Of Russia. ltoumnnia
and Bulgaria could not long be maintained
Continent. Aud this not t" the immediate dis
Of France: Gat to the ultimate disadYantasc;
also II Great britain. Switzerland, holds a
mos, most imrortsnt key In her geoEranhica! posi,
Intelligence. the activity. and The prosperity OF
the people OF Switzer!ant that upon any such
E GsaE'%" Example Pie even NS1' we Of e The Hnited STATES STATES
owe so much. could not fail to exert an infu:
rreS; ah" to t tsef meye nu imitassc Of the the SWISS 81 ns
people And b the military power OF switzor-
I'm iHsd wia %i TnIS t, e rsIss1ion nG syes asTsSet s, into INTO
merr possibility Of such Ii change asthis in the
politics and public economy OF the Old World.
statistics to. which. the Trench supporters Of
the now, rejected Franco-swiss treaty vainly
imagine themselves to be beyond the roach Of
ton. it should Ge in the, matter Of what are
called the iashi3ns md Of goods: coming
costumes for female wear. Yet under the
fused to modify the Swiss importation OF
such goods from France. has. fallen to
6.OOO.OOO Of francs. and the Swiss importation
from Germany risen to more thar, 2IOQ0.O00:
now insists on maintaining. takes only A.5OO.-
900 IN value OF French, woollen goods. against
23.500 700 OF such goods from Germany; only
13.5OO.Oo 9 Of French manufactures In metal.
Against from Germany. and only s.
OOO.OO OF French manufactures In leather,
against !. 00O.Ooo from Germany; These nE-
vain In the French Cham Der. The actual com.
Hmercia! relations between Italy and
countries, and have been under debate be-
land Il. now driven into a sort OF tariii war
with France. the relation. between Swltzor-
ns the great success, Of tho st. Gothard inshas
proGtable commercial rslations with a mueS
wider circle Of customers through switzerland
than I,,nnnI Iranna Az tn tha Net 49,.