New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-06

OFF THE DUTY on WHEAT.
Paris. August o.
CHEAP Bread.'-the watchword that has pre-
coded 50 many social upheavals in France. ana
which to-day. Just in 1879, holds that magic
spell capable OF arousing French populace 10
head breaking frenzy-has, from Rouen TO Mar
settles become the rallying Of agitation. not
only for Radicals, Anarchists and professional poll
t;cans but for the great bulk Of the people, COM
prising workingmen in the cities as well as peasant
laborers In the fields. for all of whom-in France
more truly than in any other country-bread Is
literally the staff of life
Large numbers Of the French consumers are now
in hostile array against the French agricultural
producers. To make matters more EMBARRASSING
Il must be borne In mind that IL Is 10 THESE
agricultural producers-cOntrollng altogether not
less than ten million votes-that the present Gov
eminent is under the most binding oOllgatohS' anu
whose ballots returned at the polls NJ Mehne' the
French Premier who also occupies the post OF
Minister OF Agriculture. "Pere la Famine Is the
ominous sobriquet already applied 10 NJ Mehne III
the course OF popular meetings at BelleVlhe anu
In the Faubourg 81. Antoine. because ne ala ho'
exercise his privilege OF temporarily removing or
reducing the tariff on breadstufs. in order 10 pre-
want q further rise IN the price OF bread VI
Meline, however. stands firmly TO his guns ana
his promises TO his constituents ana II ~ si"
by those who know him well that. so long as ne
remains in office the present wheat duty OF seven
francs per hundred kiogrammes (2D pounds VIII
remain a cast-iron fixture no matter what pressure
may be brought against il
The Tribune has already been apprised by cable
of the strenuous efforts to secure remission OF the
unpopular cereal duty made by NJ Ernest Roche'
NJ C;erault- Richard. VI. Clovis Hughes NJ Jules
Cuesie and other Partisan Deputies; by petitions
from the municipality OF Paris by delegations from
Marseilles Lyons. Dion. Bordeaux. Rouen henhes'
Nantes Lille. Tours. Toulouse Avignon. Clermont-
Ferrand and by committees OF the leagues against
lie Pain cher" which have been formed in all the
departments OF France. In spite of every argu-
rncnt to the contrary NJ. Meline is still confident
1ha; any reduction of the duty would make matters
far worse than they are now. lie admits the
shortage OF the supply. but is convinced that the
present nigh price Is due more 10 panic thah any
thing else" The Prime Ministers great argument
is that in 1891 during similar crisis, M Niger the
then Minister OF Agriculture reduced the import
duty Oh wheat from five francs TO three francs. ana
that NJ Nieor himself now admits tnat his measure
was most disastrous for II enabled the SPECTATORS
10 import and store away in warehouses "untod
quantities" Of foreign wheat When the inevitable
fall in the price &c; in a vigorous and successful
campaign was made 10 re-estaAish the duty ana
then the spectators began 10 sell at enormous
profits" their vast supplies of stored foreign Whea'
that had entered France under the reduced duty.
NJ Meines point IS that these enormous prohts
were paid m the end By the consumers,
NJ NEIINE AGAINST LOWER DUTIES
NJ Meline feels certain that II he reduced the
duties the same speculation. disastrous to the
consumer I'm 1891 would be repeated in 1891 on
still greater scale The Governmen; is doing every
thing it can toward preventing a further rise OF
price by according through the railways the great
es: possible facilities for moving the crops az cheap
" as practicable and reorganization OF the
bakeries j. about to be attempted in the hope oil
reducing the price OF "panifcation" to the lowest
figure The delegations seem FOR the moment in
clined 70 8ow N. Melne time 70 make trial OF
his proposed remedies, but 1t Is lncontestdbie tha
in Paris and Throughout; the country the real fee-
ing OF the consumer is that nothing short OF total
or partial remission OF the import tax on bread
stufIs 0c o. any avail
The Tribune correspondent, has been able to Obtain
the opinions or the subject OF such prominent men
as NJ Vger, ex-Ministe- Of Agriculture; NJ yves
Cuyot formerly Minister Of Public Works and
Agriculture: VI. Paul de Cassagnac, the wcil-known
Bonapartist Deputy. Or. Tying. president OF the
American Chamber of Commerce OF Paris; NJ.
Sauton presden, OF the Municipal Council OF Paris,
Nj Ernest Roche. Radica, Deputy, and leader Of
the movement to do away with the import duty on
cereals: VI. Drumont. Editor OF the "Libre Parole
NJ. Henri Rochetor Editor OF the "Intrsnsigeant' ;
NJ Casmir Lesage. Deputy from the great wheai
producing Departments of the Cher. and NJ. Castelin.
Deputy from another great wheai-2?oducing depart
nent ina: ol the Aisne As may readily be
IMAGINED the views expressed will be found &c be
widely at variance with eacA other but they all
show how close ard elaborate IS the government
supervision Of the wheat trade. and also the
unanirlty OF the advanced Liberals and Radicals
in their desire 10 throw off the governmental re-
s,rictons and freely invite the products of the
worlds wheat feds to French markets.
AN EX-MINIsTER OF AGRICULTURE's VIEWS
In reply to the question whether not total
or martial remission of the import duty wheat
would be advantageous to the consumer during the
nr,sent high price OF oreadstuhs, Nj. Niger who
,sas Minister of Agriculture In 1891 expressed the
unqualified opinion that such a reduction would
90 more harm than good. for it would make the
spectators absolute masters Of the situation
He said:
re Of The slightest use. It would be taken sdvan-
Iage Of Immediately to INTRODUCE un0er the reduced
Would be hosrded in vast supplies and held unit
resumption Of the duties would enable them &c
The interests Of the French cultivators. who sci
Ssvs Sarvested % per cent less wheat TO the hec
tare than during other seasons, when me price wa
Only y francs the quintal Under the circun
s Se existing AN ,ar i noTecyer the situation
S1S Is 0y ya no Minister Of agriculture In 1881 no
only there NO s s1pSy 81 OF 5e ST er bar
even the wheat required for sowing the following
most prohbi,ve prices. The annual amount o
wheat needed in France for human Gonsump;o ,
aent of ~ American bushe lS last yeaTT h
a E5nS Sse25 f6GP e %
ported 20 supply the demand The price of whea
in August 1896. Is francs 30 Centimes per hec
,oll;re There Is every reason TO believe that tn
French wheat crop OF 1891 will produce 100000
hectoli. res but this year more than 100000 hcc
,olitres will have b. imported. because the 70
serve supply has already been drawn upon and tn
nrice Is already - francs the hectolitre. Whel
The American crops begin 10 come | think ther
will be no cause for alarm. or to fear that brea
will reach famine prices as the alarmsts who ar
already doing so much mischief continue 10 predict
Z, la besides quite likely that the American deal
ers will be induced by financial and currency rea
sens TO sell their wheat in the ordinary course o
40 tyi,b being themselves
"price-makers' by successful Gotnering Cnde
anv circumstances nothing would be 80 dsastrou
Tor France as the reduction or abolition Of IN
present import. duty, Of I francs per hecto,T(
The agricultural interests which are absolutel
vital 10 the prosperity OF the country would b
ruined.