Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-12-22
FRENCH TAX ON LARD.
Doesn't Look As Though Our Good
Friends Over There Were
Ysarning for Reciprocity.
1EG0TIAT10HS AT A sTAHDSTILL

New Duty Hits $4,000, 900 Pounds Of One
Product n One Year. 10 Say Nothing Of
Others- Firing on the Q. q & Bancroft
Net Matter Of importance Nor without
some sort Of Precedent-Cabinet Dis
cusses Civil Service.
Washington. Dec. 2s.-The action Of
the French chamber Of deputies Mon.
day In passing a government bill in
creasing the duties on hogs. hog prod.
ucts. lard. etc. is regarded as retalia-
tory In effect against the United States
For some time negotiations have been
proceeding between France and this
country toward making a reciprocity
arrangement. They came to a stop re-
Gently when the authorities here asked
as q condition Of such an agreement
that France would raise its restrictions
against American cattle and meat
products. The French ambassador
communicated with his government.
but no reply was given. He was soon
after directed to return TO Paris. where
he In now in conference with the French
authorities. No word has been received
as To the purposes Of France since the
ambassador left, but the action in the
chamber Of deputies Monday when the
rsise OF duties on certain meat products
was put through by the premier. NJ
Meiine. leads to the conclusion that the
French policy will not be toward abol-
ishing the restrictions. but toward In
creasing their strineency.
Not Encouraging for Reciprocity.
The figures Of the foreign bureau Of
the agricultural department show that
the American shipments to France on
the one article Of lard reached 3i.1.s,3 i2
pounds last year. II Is not thought the
bill was expressly aimed against the
United States. as it covers some prod
ucts which are not shipped from this
country to France. In the particulars
mentioned. however. its effect is 20 fur
Their restrict the American meat trade.
In view Of this action little hope is en-
tertained that France will grant the
condition on which a reciprocity agree
ment between the two countries de-
Ponds. II was announced in the
chamber Of deputies. in behalf Of the
government. that a supplementary bill
would be presented To restrict the in
PRODUCTION OF adulterated hog products
II IL the understanding here that this
viii operate particularly against such
lards going from this country as con-
tain cottonseed oil.
Turkish Bomtartlment Of the Bancroft.
The navy department received news
OF the firing on the Bancroft yesterday
from the state department. which had
been Informed through Minister Angel
at Constantinople OF the outcome of the
incident. The matter was not regarded
az Of great importance. In fact several
instances have occurred within the
| memory = naval officers stationed at
the department Of Just such arbitrary
efforts TO enforce vexatious port regu-
lations which are common to Oriental
| sea ports. A similar rule Is applied a,
Havana. where the guns of Moro Castle
do not hesitate to fire at any vessel
passing In or out OF the harbor after
nightfall. and the Russians established
similar rule Though more liberal In
scope) at vladivostock. the great Pa.
| cific fortress, after the guards had
awakened one foggy morning to find
that large British squadron was lying
under the guns OF the forts. having en-.
tered unseen In the night.