The Globe-republican., 1899-12-21


Interests Arc Affected b. the De
creased Duties.
What are the provisions of the reci-
procity treaty arranged between the
United States and France? The Amer
lean Economist is unable I'd answer
this question. owing to the failure Of
its efforts to obtain a copy Of the
treaty. An application for a trans
cript of the treaty was refused. Com
missioner Kasson. who has represented
the United States in the negotiations.
seems to be determined that the people
of this country shall be kept in abso-
lutte ignorance of the provisions OF the
treaty until that instrument shall have
been submitted to congress for its ap-
prevail. So the treaty remains under
the seal of secrecy, in spite of the fact
that publicity is indispensable to a
correct understanding of its operations
and effects upon a number of impOr-
tant industries.
It is not the fault of Commissioner
Kasson if some facts regarding the
proposed reciprocity arrangement with
France have become known in this
country. The French government has
not been so secretive as to deny to its
people all knowledge of a treaty so
profoundly affecting their interests.
Through foreign sources information
comes which is calculated to excite
much apprehension and alarm among
the American industries which. relying
upon the guarantees of the D1ngley
tariff law, find themselves in danger OF
being compelled to go out of business
and go out of the home market to for
eign competitors, because of the pecul-
lar advantages which the latter will
enjoy under the reciprocity treaty. The
following letter will be found interest
ing and instructive in this connections:
Established S79.-Schoellkopf Ami
line & Chemical Co., Buffalo, N. Y,
Nov. II, 1S99-American Protective
Tariff League, New York.-Gentlemen:
Herewith l hand you an extract from
q German trade paper, showing the
provisions of the draft of the new
treaty between France and
the United States. To say that the
provision relating to coal tar colors is
is putting it mildly. At
every tariff revision since 1883 our in
dustry has been Disseminated against.
Even the present Dingley law makes
it difficult to compete against the older
and highly developed European in
dustry, for it taxes large proportion
of our raw material from 20 to so per
cent, against only 80 per cent for the
coal tar colors. Nevertheless. taking
for granted that this rate would not
be disturbed for number of years at
least, we have gone right ahead and
invested large sums of money in en-
larging our plant, and in the face OF
the fiercest kind of foreign competi-
ton we have steadily been gaining
ground. If, however, the rate is now
going to be reduced again even below
w
ready to throw up the sponge.
We earnestly hope you will succeed
in averting this great wrong, for it
is certainly most unjust to permit us
to spend large sums in improving our
plant, and then by stroke of the pen
make all these movements valueless. |
Sincerely yours,
Aniline & Chemical Co.,
By J. F. Sch, Jr. |
Extract from "Chemische Zeitung,"
No. u, Gotha, Germany, Sept. q.
1899.
Regarding the reciprocity treaty |
between the United States and France.
We learn the following:
The treaty must be ratified inside of
light months from date of the signing
# the draft 1t is to run for five years.
md is to renew itself unless notice to
erminate it is given one year before
t expires. France agrees to apply the
minimum tariff to all articles i'm
,orted from the United States, with
he following exceptions: Cheese, but
er, lucerne and clover-seed, sugar,
cast iron, porcelain,
prepared hides. electric
ynamo machines.
In return the United States agrees to
rant France the privileges of the most
avored nation clause, and in addition
be following reduction in duties: Per-
umery, manufactured with or without
lcohol, 10 per cent; coal tar colors.
per cent; glue, 10 per cent; glycer-
ne. 10 per cent; olive oil, Is per cent;
ANTS and varnishes, 10 per cent;
otash, 10 per cent; medicinal prep
rations, 10 per cent; soaps, 10 per
emit; soda and products of soda, 10
er cent; glazed, enameled, decorated
les and roofing tiles, 10 per cent; &C.
lent, 10 per cent; bottles, Is per cent;
lass vessels, per cent: window and
Their glass, 10 per cent; plants and