The San Francisco call., 1898-06-01
THE FRENCH TREATY.

D Y proclamation of the President reciprocity h treaty with France, the first which has been D arranged under the tariff, goes into effect this morning It has been hailed at Washington with satisfaction evidence of the friendly commercial relations between the two nations and doubtless will be well received throughout the country.
 The Dingley tariff provides two methods of ar ranging treaties of commercial reciprocity. By of these forth in section B. the President is author zed to act alone; by that in section he only with the advice and consent of the Senate. In the first place his power reduce duties provided by the tariff is limited comparatively few articles of com merce and the amount of the reduction is also pre- scrbed to narrow limits The French treaty has been arranged under section B. and therefore is not subject to supervision on the part of the Senators
 The only articles which the President under this clause could reduce duties are argols, brandies other spirits manufactured distilled from grain other materials; champagne and all other sparkling wines still wines vermouth paintings, pastels, ink drawings and statuary. The treaty grants to the French the full reduction allowed by the law on all of these with the exception of that champagne. In return we receive reduction of French duties meats of all kinds, fruits and wood exports.
 The chief advantages gained by the United States are on meat products and lard compounds the reduc ton of the French duty the first being half and on the second onethird of the present rate The main advantages given to France in return for these the reduction of duties her exports of still wines and brandes. It will be that the beef and pork producing States of the Union make almost clear gain by the treaty, while the wine-producing States pay the cost and obtain but little in return.
 It is not certain what will be the effect of the arrangement upon the industries and commercial in- terests of California, but the chances it will prove more or less injurious, We have but little in the way of pork or lard canned meat to send to France, while the amount of our fruits and woods which she may is not likely to be large. On the other hand the essened duty the vast amount of still wine she will send the Eastern States may prove serious competition to our interests and more than counterbaance the gains we obtain in other respects.
 These drawbacks to the treaty are inherent in the SO large and have such variety of industrial interests that commercial arrangement which helps one sec tion is almost to inure another. This time is California that loses and the East that gains It must be borne in mind, however, that the Pres- dent had no option in the selection of the articles which the reduction to be made That was fixed by the tariff itself.
 At the time the bill was under discussion The Call directed attention to this clause and urged Western men to see to 1t that something else besides wines and brandies and works of art were included in the scope of Presidential treaties of reciprocity, but nothing was done There remains for now, there fore nothing but to make the best of the situation. Fortunately the amount of the reduction on wine inn ports is not large, and perhaps wine men may still command good prices for their products despite the advantage given to their French competitors. The Klondker who is afraid to ship his gold lest the Spanish capture it is far from civilization to know that the Spanish not capturing anything. They have not been permitted to catch nap lately
 England and the United States may not form an actual alliance but the old tendency twist the lions tail has vanished altogether.
 There will certainly be sense of relief when the telegraph gets through announcing that General