The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-21
RECIPROCITY WITH FRANCE.
BILL INTRODUCED IN CHAM
BER or DEPUTIES,
submittang the Treaty Recently
Negotiated to the French Par
liament for Approval.

PARIS. Dec. 2O.-A bill submitting
the Franco American reciprocity treaty
to the approval of the French Parlia-
ment was introduced to-day in the
Chamber of Deputies. The Government,
in an elaborate preamble, makes a
point of setting forth the kindly dispo-
sition of the American Government
which has enabled the negotiations to
be brought to q successful conclusion"
and expatiates upon the great stimulus
the treaty will give to commerce be-
tween the two countries.
The preamble goes on to explain that
the treaty is the result of two years
work. 1t says that, while pressed to
retaliate against the restrictions CT the
Dingley tariff, the Government deemed
a resort to diplomacy preferable, in
view Of "our traditional sympathies for
the republic of the United States, and
due consideration for our country's
economic interests"
It then recapitulates the main points
Of the provisional arrangement Of May
5, 1893, which opened the way for fur
Their negotiations, as French imports
into the United States relieved from
the tariff increased 80 per cent.
Such American productions as cast
iron, leather articles and machine tools,
in which American manufacturers
possess a distinct superiority, and
which constitute q danger to French in
dustry," are. the preamble points out,
"still excluded from the minimum tar
if. Moreover, agricultural and cattle
products are similarly excluded. in or
der to protect the French from for
midable American competition"
This result" says the preamble, "is
all the more important because Mr..
Kasson made pressing demands on be-
half of American agriculture. The
French ambassador was not only able
to resist them, but even obtained useful
reductions in favor Of French agricult-
ural products exported to the United
States, such as olive oil and preserved
vegetables"
After pointing out that France, under
the treaty, obtains the unique conces-
sion of favored nation treatment, and
describing this as peculiarly gra-
cious concession" the preamble COM
pares the respective advantages obtain
ed by the contracting parties, saying:
only per cent. Of; American prod
ucts, value 25, OOO, 900 francs, benefit the
Americans, the gain being LOTT, $50
francs annually, while over So per cent.
of French products, value 156, $4,000
francs, benefit the French, the gain be-
ing 5,219,294 francs annually"
After particularly calling attention to
the important fact that the concessions
obtained by France are exclusive, and
should tremendously increase french
exports, at the same time the treaty Is
so arranged as to prevent an American
invasion Of French markets, the pre-
anble concludes as BELLOWS: s
1.-THE Government af4he White House
in signing with us this treaty, has
shown their desire to reserve to French
commerce the first fruits of the tariff
concessions which the -Dingiey bill au-
thorized to be granted to foreign Pow
ers. This action gives the treaty a
value it would be impossible to nisun-
derstand, and makes this document a
work which should draw closer at the
same time the economic relations of the
peoples and the political affinities of the
two republics s,s