Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-25
RECIPROCITY WITH FRANCE.
Treaty Signed-Lnst of the Instru
ments of Its Kind

| WASHINGTON, July 2L-The long
pending reciprocity treaty negotiations be-
tween the United states and France were
brought to a successful close at the state
| Department late this afternoon. when
Ambassador Cambon. IN behalf Of France.
! and Commissioner kasson. i'm behalf or
the United States, affixed their signature
| 10 the treaty. IL is by far the most I'M
| portant treaty concluded under the rec!-
/ procity provisions Of the Dngley law.
/ and the only one affecting trade with q
/ large commercial nation. The negotiations
were marked by rather sharp and long
continued discussions. which continue uD
TO the time the signatures were placed or
the document In the end spirit OF
/ compromise prevailed. and each side
yielded something. As a whole. both sides
express satisfaction with the general re-
suits secured. for while the compromise
necessitated some minor sacrifices. the
! general effect Of the treaty will encourage
commerce between the two countries.
FRENCH CONCESSIONS.
The concessions granted by France en-
braced most Of the articles i'm what IS
known as the French minimum tarin
This comprises GA heads. the rates being
on an average about ~ per cent. below
I
was found necessary. however. owing TO
protests from French agrarian interests,
10 except from this minimum list about
twenty-tOur articles chiefly agricultural
products. The French ministry was
obliged TO pay heed 20 this sentiment and
in turn NJ. Camb0n made the exceptions
a condition of closing the treaty. II was
on this point that the negotiations were
IN doubt for several DAYS. and Il was
flrsHKr Irr Cad.
the exceptions that an agreement was
made possible
Beside tho reductions given 10 this
country the treaty j. important I'm con-
tnuirg a number Of minimum rates which
would have been abolished had the treaty
not been concluded. The most important
articles IN this connection are petroleum
and mineral oils. AT present these oils
enter France on the minimum rate. bur
had to-day's treaty failed a rate would
have been imposed making a difference
of duty amounting to about 100000. The
same Is true as TO cotton which Is one of
the chief articles of shipment from the
Uaited States 20 France. and enters duty
fee. Had the treaty failed heavy duty
would have been imposed upon American
cotton. The same j. true of copper. rub
Der, and many classes Of machinery
CONCESSIONS TO FRANCE.
France secures important concessions on
over 100 of the chief products sent % this
country. The Dlngley act allows not &C.
exceed 20 per cent. reduction as bass
of reciprocity. but the full 20 per cent. is
not allowed on all the articles covered hy
the treaty. On some of them the reduo- !
ton is five per cent, on others ten. and /
on others Is, and up 10 20 per cent Tho /.
list would have been larger. and the per. /
90 ma
cases. had II not been for the reluctance /
Of Commissioner Kasson TO permit eX-
ceptiOns from the French minimum list.
This was the main cause leading up %
the omission Of champagne from the list
of important French products included In
the treaty While quite DESTROYS of SEE
curing a reduction of duty on this class
OF wines, the French authorities We're
not ready TO grant the large number OF
reductions asked as an offset for the
proposed reduction on this particular ar
ticle. As a result the regular rates viii
be maintained on sparkling wines coming
to this country.
STATUS OF OUR PRODUCTS.
The treaty will result in placing the
products Of the United States on the
same basis In France as products OF Great
Britain and Germany At present. these
have The minimum French rate,
while the American goods, with few cy-
ceptions. have had TO pay the maximum
rate.
The negotiations ended to-day were BE-
gun nearly two years ago, Uy NJ Pate
notre. then ambassador from France.
The French treaty is the last OF the
Of this kind and the treaty
work under the Dugley act is brought
to a close. Six treaties have been MADE.
all. save that with France relating 10
British West India Islands.