Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-03-16
United States Resuming Ne
gotiations With Germany,
France and England.
ONLY THREE MONTHS MORE
In Which the Treaties Under the Dingley
Law Can BE Negotiated-Bright Pros
poet That an Agreement Will be
Concluded with France-Ger
many Anxious for success.

Washington, March 1.-Negotiations Tor
reciprocity treaties with Germany and
Franco have been resumed and there is
still prospect that treaty may be no
gotiated with Great Britain covering tho
British West Indies These several treaty
negotiations were interrupted some months
ago by the service Mr.. Kasson. our reel
procity commissioner was obliged to give
to the Canadian commission. As this WORK
is closed Mr.. Kasson is free to resume the
negotiations with the other countries and
he has written to inform that he is at
liberty to proceed.
In the case of France, Ambassador Cam
bon returns from Paris with the very
earnest hope of carrying through a treaty
under section of the Dnglcy law. On
the part OF France it is proposed to give
to the United States their minimum"
tariff list. The French tariff has two
rates, a maximum and minimum The
differences average about % per cent.
Countries specially favored by France get
the minimum rate while those having 40
arrangements pay the maximum rate %
per cent. higher. The effect OF this is to
place higher duties ON American goods
than on those of England. Germany, Rus
s.a and some II countries with which
ments. In the negotiations with Mr.. kas-
son this minimum rate is conceded the
only question being as to what the Uni
ted States will grant in return. The law
permits % per cent. reduction of duty
on designated articles but an arrangement
has not been reached as to what these
articles shall be- The French contention
Is that the list should be liberal as their
minimum list covers the entire tariff list.
They also contend that the average of
French duty on American goods is about
IA per cent. ad valorem as against about
90 Per cent American duty on French
goods. NJ. Cambon is awaiting some fur
Their statistical informa ton from Paris and
ii is expected that active negotiations will
proceed in about two weeks.
TheGermdn negotiations have been re-
sumed on a rather broad scale. They be-
gan over year ago on u StgiCt CONNER
cial basis and made 10 progress owing to
Gcrmany's course N certain other public
matters. Recently, however Germany
has given unnIst Lkabe evidence of good
Will. AS result the officials have shown
a disposition to listen with more atten-
ton to Germans desires on reciprocity
and the subject Is being considered in the
broad general features. The scope Of the
negotiation is shown in the fact that Sec
rotary Hay himself is carrying it forward
the detailed work on schedules not hay
ing been taken up as yet by Mr. kasson
Whether the negotiations will ICovc sue
cessful. is too early to predict although
both sides, particularly the Germans eX-
press their hope that treaty will result
within the next three months.
The British negotiations reached an adj
Vanced stage and then collapsed entirely.
They were managed by Sir Julian
PaunCefOte and MI hasson who togeth-
er outlined the articles to be covered by
the proposed treaty. The document was
about ready TO sign last summon. when
the London authorities made a stat. ment
that they We're considering the udN !sabn-
ltY Of granting counterVailing duties 10
the sugar IeoducerS Of the British West
Indies after the American practice. This
put off tho reciprocity treaty for II the
imperial government gave countervaiing
duties there was not the same need OF d
reciprocity arrangement. But except for
this statenant the imperial government
has done nothing on countervailing duties
and the West Indian colonies have re-
ceved neither the benefit of the duties or
of tho reciprocity treaty 1t has suficcd
however to let the negotiations lapse and
no progress on the subject has been at
tempted of late. If Sir Julian goes to the
disarmament congress at The Hague in
May he is not likely to conclude the reci-
procity negotiations before he goes and
after that the two years period for nego-
tiatinc reciprocity treaties under the
Dingley bill will have expired
The expiration Of this period is urging
al foreign countries to hasten their nego.
tiations. The Dingley laws provides that
the President shall have authority fol
two years from the date when the Law
became operative July "a 1872 to make
reciprocity treaties etc. This period ex.
pires July "a next to SO that only three
months remain to complete treaties under
this law. 1t is said, however, that if they
fail of completion within that time it vii
not necessarily end all negotiations as the
President still has the constitutional right
independent of this specific law to nego
tiate treaties by and with the consent OF
the Senate. If deemed advantageous thi:
constitutional authority will be exercised
even after July q next.
The negotiations with Peru have no
proved successful as that country was no
willing to grant reduction on the arti
cles which this government considered
should be covered. These are practcall,
All the negotiations although there hay,
been the initia ton measures.