The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-31
IN Eye FOR BUSINESS
France Consents to Lei Up on
the American Hog,
TREATY OF RECIPROCITY
Proclaimed By the President
in Force June |.

Washington, May 3o.-The United States
and France have concluded the first com
mercial agreement entered into under
section III of the Dingley tariff law. The
negotiations have been pending for the
! last eight months, and after many vcissi-
when ambassador Cambon, in behalf of
France, and the Hon. John Kasson, rec
! iprocity commissioner for the United
! States, affixed their signatures to the for
NAL agreement.
1t makes important changes in the tariff
rates on a number of articles constituting
the chief trade between this country and
France. The particular advantages Sc
cured by the United States are on meat
products and lard compounds, France re-
ducing her rates one-half on meat pro-
ducts and about one-third on lard COM
pounds. The chief benefits to France are
in reduction in rates on brandies, distilled
wine, vermuth and workh of art. There
is no reduction in the rate on champagnes,
olthough the Dingley law contempla ted &
reciprocity reduction on champagnes in
case mutual concessions were given.
BY the terms of the agreement the new
rates go into effect on June l, or next
Wednesday. In the meantime, under the
terms of the law, the president has issued
a proclamation grating the reciprocal re-
auctions specified in the agreement and
at the same time the French authorities
at Paris will decree areduction in the
French rates in accordance with the
agreement.
The conclusion OF the agreement is
source of general congratulation among
the officials of the state department and
of the French embassy. Several reciproc-
ity negotiations have been in progress,
and 1t was thought those in Great Britain
were likely TO be concluded first. The
French negotiations began last October,
when NJ. Patenotre was the French am
bassador here. 1t soon developed. how
ever, that the United States expected
much larger concessions, particularly on
meat products, than Mr.. Patenotre was
ready to yield. NJ. Cambon, formerly gov
ernor general Of Algiers and regarded as
one of the most capable diplomatic Off |
Gals in the French service, when he sue
ceeded Mr.. Patenotre resumed the work. |
acting under instructions from Paris, and |
concessions were made which allowed the |
two governments to come together.
It was motter of no little surprise that |
the arrangement was concluded at the |
present time, when the war emergency !
compelled this government to look for |
every possible resource for revenue, and |
when there was a concentration of off, |
cial attention on measures relating direct /
ly to the war.
Aside from the tariff changes made by |
the new agreement the convention is re-
garded as significant in showing the good |
will existing between the United States
and France. In official circles there never
has been any question as to the continued
between the two countries but
in unofficial qaurters there have been re-
ports of friction.
1t is believed that the agreement will
serve to dispel misapprehensions as to
the satisfactory relations between the two
governments and that it will be quite as
beneficial in increasing the good will be-
tween the two republics as to the trade.
The presidents proclamation is as fol-
ows:
RECIPROCITY WITH FRANCE.
BY the President of the United States
If America
Proof