The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-17
FRANCE ON DlNGLEY BILL
AFRAID THAT 1T WILL lNJUR s
FRIENDLY RELATIONS.
Ceplcres Reports of American Consuls
on French Wines..Favcrs Arbitra-
tim q Vivid ed O a Eina,aiiisnl

on French Wines..Favors Arbitra-
tion ar d uivic ed on simeta'ism
Paris, April 16.-The Dingley tariff
bill has aroused considerable anita gon:sm
in French mercantile circles, where it is
pointed out that the measure may lead
to policy disastrous in its effects on GER
tain French industries.
Some representations Of this nature
having already been made to members of
the French government, the Associated
Press sent to NJ. HanotauX, the French
foreign minister, a number of questions
bearing on the tariff situation and the
| relations Of the two republics. The
| French foreign Office returned the follow
| ing written reply:
The Federal government at Washing
| ton will succeed without any doubt in
drawing closer the bonds which unite
France and the United States by abb
staining from over-taxmg imported
French goods, such as sparkling and still
wines, brandies, silks, woolens, gloves,
| works of art, etc. To shut out of tile
United States by quasi prohibitiye tariffs
the product Of French industry and art
VIII evidently have a contrary effect"
| lit is to be hoped this will not eventual
| ly be done. AT the present time there
are no differences between the two great
republics. They are bound together by
too many memories and traditions for
veritable spirit of hostility to grow be-
tween them. The solution Of small cur
rent questions which give rise to negotia-
| tons between the two countries is, how
ever, some times rendered difficult by
the argunentati tive spirit of the American
State department.
although France has no grounds for
/ complaining of the diplomatic and consul
! lar representation of the United States,
there is nevertheless reason for stating
| that she has been surprised at the atti-
/ ftude of certain American consuls. One of
them, admitted to exercise his functions
| in one OF the great ports of France,
seems quite recently to have undertaken
| the task OF disparaging the produce of
/ French vineyards. Incorrect statements,
| denied after inquiry by competent au-
| thorit.es, have been reproduced in of
/ fetal reports by the agent in question
(. and made public administrative docu-
nients.
| another agent who had also exer-
cieed the functions Of Consul in one OF
! the great towns of France, spoke OF
! French wines-in the course Of a lecture
delivered in the United States-in the
most unfavorable terms, the worst terms.
Both these agents represented French
wines as watered, adulterated, mixed
with plaster Of Paris and composed of
all sorts OF noxious ingredients.
! Gases sueh as these denote the deplor-
able tendencies and want of prudence
Of certain American agents"
| In reply to the question whether France
| would retaliate in case the tariff on
French goods should be very much raised,
the French foreign officer said:
| "The answer TO that is that France
prefers to believe that Congress VIII ex-
anime the question with complete i'm
| partsality and that it will pronounce
in the broadest spirit Of good will and
! justice upon any proposals to charge
| high duties ON French imports"
| In reply to question as to arb;tra-
tion. the following was said:
France loves peace and devotes her
| self to preserving it. She is consequently
| in no way hostile to measures the object
Of which Is in a general way to safe
guard peace. But before pronouncing
! On an agreement such as the one propos-'
ed between Great Britain and the Uni
ted States, France would prefer to wait
the final action Of the Senate and to see
the result Of the experiment, IL any ia to
be made"
In answer to a question az to what CO.
operation France would give to brmlnm
bout an international bimatallic confek
ence NJ. Hanotaux said:
"The cooperation which France could
give the United States in the assembling
Of a monetary conference would ma
turlly depend upon the state Of the
relations between the two countries. As
regards bimetallism itself, opinion in
France seems uncertain and very much
divided - =