Evening star., 1897-12-03
EXTENDING OUR MARKETS
Senatorial Opposition to Reciprocity Agree.
ments Looked For.
The Adnhkaistration Cordially Sup
porting the Negotiations OF Ex-
Minister kasson.

| Some difficulty in the Senate with the
reciprocity arrangements which are in pro-
cess Of negotiation at the State Depart
| Elent is feared by the administration. Pres
| ident Mckinley Is developing into a good
| deal Of ar advocate of liberal trade rela-
tions and is cordially supporting ex-Minis-
| ter Jonn A. kasson of Iowa, who Is con-
Quoting the negotiations on behalf of the
United States. Agreements relating purely
| to argols. brandies, chanpagnes. still wines
paintings and statuary may be made by
the President without the approval of Con-
| gress. but those involving a reduction of
/ twenty per cent uron other classes of arti-
cles require the approval Of both houses in
order to give them authority.
several such agreements will be made
ana submitted to Congress, but none will
probably be ready for some weeks after
the opening of the session. sSThe work Of
perfectlng such agreements is slow one,
ana none or the representatives of foreign
powers is willing to affix hfs final sigma
ture until he has transmitted the text Of
the agreement to his home government
me negotiations with France were sup
posed at one time to be fairly well ad-
Nanced. NJ. Patenotre. the French ambas-
sador, was priding himself Upon the com
pletlon of an agreement regarding the
limited list OF articles named above be-
fore ne left Washington for his new post
at Madrid.
Offers Do Not Justify,
Careful investigation by the United States
experts leads to the belief that the privi-
leges offered by France were not sufficient
TO justify concessions by this country
France has a maximum tariff. but the min
imum tariff has already been granted to
many of her important neighbors Nothing
more than this was offered to the United
states. and IT has been felt that we should
secure important concessions regarding live
ANIMALS and canned meats before making
q discrimination in favor OF French wines
and works of art. The negotiations have
accordingly come to a partial halt pending
the arrival of the new French ambassador
similar delay has taken place in the
case OF Germany, where the new ambassa-
dor Is awaiting specific Instructions from
the foreign otnce at Berlin. The negotia-
tons are farther advanced with European
countries "if most cases than with the
south American and Central American re-
pub1cs Some of the latter, are little dis
satisfied with the Dingley law and are not
ready to negotiate, but 1t is believed at the
State department that they. will be in a
more tractable mood within a short time.
Finds Enough to do.
Mr.. kasson is finding enough to do in
studying the facts regarding the European
countries which are ready to negotiate
without having a number OF INDEPENDENT
propositions thrust upon him. 1t requires
considerable research to ascertain the ex-
act situation in any given case, because it
is Necessary to know the entire importation
and consumption of an article from all
countries as Well as the importation from
the United States alone. These statistics
are not all readily accessible. in spite of
the great assistance given the State De-
partment by Mr.. Worthngton C. Ford the
chief OF the treasury bureau of statistics.
Ihe mere statistics, moreover, are not suffi-
cient sources Of information, but a knowl-
edge Is required of the trade conditions
which make it likely or unlikely that the
United states can wrest the market from
their rivals with slight tariff discrimina-
tions in their favor. u
The influence of the administration will
be thrown In favor Of liberal concessions.
where an adequate return is received and
this influence will probably be sufficient to
carry such concessions through the House,
IN spite of the opposition of local interests
II also hopes that the Senate will in
dorse liberal agreements which promise an
opening for American trade, but the alb
sence of republican majority there is
the administration policy: