New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-15
WORKING FOR RECIPROCITY.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH GERMANY AND
FRANCE RESUMED
A TREATY COVERING THE BRITISH WEST
INDIES ALSO IN PROSPECT-MOST
FRIENDLY SPIRIT MANIFESTED.

FRIENDLY SPIRIT MANIFESTED.
Washington. March l4-Negotiations for reel
procity treaties with Germany and France have
been resumed and there is still prospect that
a treaty may he negotiated with Great Britain
covering the British West Indies These nego-
tations were interrupted some months ago by
the service Mr.. Kasson, % Reciprocity Coinlnls-
sioner was obliged to give to the Joint high
Commission AS this work Is closed, Mr.. has-
son is free to resume negotiations with the other
countries and he. has written to INFORM theiu
that he is at liberty to proceed.
Ambassador Cambon returns from Paris with
the earnest hope OF carrying through treaty
under Section OF the Dingley law On the part
Of France it ls proposed to give to the United
States the minimum tariff list. The French
tariff has two rates maximum and minimum
The differences average about - per cent. Coun-
tries specially favored by France get the mini
mum rate while those having no arrangement
pay the maximum rate - per cent higher. 1he
effect Of this is TO place higher duties on Amerl-
goods than on those Of England, Germany
Russia and some thirty-one countries with
which France has made commercial arrange
ments
In the negotiations with Mr. Kasson this mini
mum rate is conceded. the only question be-
ing az to what the United States will grant IN
return. The law permits a 20 per cent reduc-
ton Of duty on designated articles, but no ar
rangement has been reached to- what these
articles shall be- The French contention is that
the list should he liberal their minimum list
covers the entire tariff list. They also contend
that the average French duty on American
goods is about IA per cent ad valorem. as
against about 10 per cent American duty on
French goods NJ Cambon is awaiting further
t,,fc,. from pa riC
expected that active negotiations will proceed
in about two weeks
GERMAN EVIDENCES OF GOODWILL.
The German negotiations have been resumed
on a rather broad scale They began over
year ago on a strictly commercial basis, ana
made no progress owing to Germanys course IN
certain other public matters. Recently. how
ever Germany has given unmistakable evidences
OF goodwill. As result the officials here have
shown a disposition TO listen with more atten-
ton 10 her desires to reciprocity. and the
subject is being considered in its broad general
features The scope of the negotiations is
shown by the fact that Secretary Hay himself
is carrying them forward. the detailed work on
schedules not having been taken up yet by Mr..
Kasson. Whether not the negotiations Will
prove successful It is too early to predict, al
though both sides particularly the Germans.
express nope that treaty will result within
the next three months.
The British negotiations reached an advanced
stage and then collapsed entirely They were
managed by Sir Julian Pauncefote and Mr..
| Kasson. who together outlined the articles 10
be covered by the proposed treaty. The docu-
ment was nearly ready to be signed last sum-
mer when the London authorities made state
| ment that they were considering the advisability
| Of granting countervailing duties TO the sugar
producers Of the British West Indies, after the
| American practice This put off the reciprocity
treaty. for II the imperial Government gave
| countervailing duties there not the same
need of a reciprocity arrangement. But except
for this statement the imperial Government has
done nothing on countervailing duties. and the
West Indian colonies have received neither the
benefit of the duties Of the reciprocity treaty.
II has suffced however, TO let the negotiations
apse and no progress on the subject has been
attempted recently. If Sir Julian goes TO the
Disarmament Congress at The Hague in May ne
is not likely to conclude the reciprocity nego-
tiations before he goes, and after that the period
Of two years for negotiating reciprocity treaties
under the Dingley law will have expired.
TINE LIMIT NEARLY EXPIRED.
The approaching expiration Of this period IS
inducing all foreign countries 70 hasten their
negotiations The Dingley law provides that
the President shall have authority for two years
from the date when the law became operative
| July a 1S97) to make reciprocity treaties. etc
This period expires July "a next, SO that only
three months remain complete treaties under
| this law 1t is said however. that n they fail
of completion within that time II Will not neces-
sarly end all the negotiations as the President
still has the constitutional right. independent
Of this specific law, 70 negotiate treaties by and
| with the consent IF the Senate. II deemed ad
vantageous, this constitutional authority will be
| exercised even after July "a
The negotiations with Peru have not proved
| successful. as that country not willing to
| grant reduction on the articles which this
| Government considered should be covered.
| These are practically all the negotiations al
though there has been an initiative in other
| quarters.
| RRKAN ANp THE LEEEERSON DLNNER.