The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-12
TREATY WITH FRANCE.
RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT NOT
SURE Of RATIFICATION.
Senate Committees DO Not under-
stand what Advantage United
States VIII Derive-Have Not
Been Given Data to Form OpiniOn

NEW YORK, Jan. ia special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
The reciprocity treaty with France Is
proving q hard nut to crack, and the
prospect OF its ratification by the senate
and its approval by congress, as required
by the provisions of the tariff law of 1886,
by virtue OF which It was negotiated, have
not greatly improved. although Mr.. kas-
son, the commissioner who conducted the
negotiations on behalf of the United
States. in his statements to the commit
tee on foreign relations Of the senate,
impressed some of the members with
views less favorable than they had hith.
erto entertained He was not. however,
provided with data to remove some OF
their more serious doubts. He explained
the difference between the maximum and
minimum rates of the French tarin,
which ranged, he said, from IS per cent.
to Is per cent. and read long list or
articles, the duties on which would be
reduced, together with the various per-
centages of reduction. II the treaty should
be ratified and become operative.
He also explained that all the countries
of Europe, except Portugal, enjoy the
advantages Of minimum rates under the
French tariff. by virtue Of arrangements
and treaties that had been made from
time to time. whereas, with few excep-
lions, and those not consisting of manu-
featured articles, all grades imported into
France from the United States are SUBJ
ject to the operation of the maximum
tariff. France, he said, imports about
800. 100000 Of manufactured products
year, Of which about $400O0.000 in round
figures come from the United. Kingdom,
$50, 10000 from Germany. only $3,COo.DO
from other countries. He was not sup
piled with data showing what was the
principal manufactured goods o imported
United Kingdom or the $30.000,000 from
Germany, or the 50. 600 900 from the United
States, or the respective maximum and
minimum rates Of such principal articles.
Neither was the commissioner prepared.
when questions were asked, to show the
amount of goods imported from France
last year. on which i is proposed to lower yer
manufacturers and exporters on such ar
ticles and goods when imported into the
United States lie was Is. not otns supplied
France from the United Kingdom, Ger
many and the United States respective
ly, Of articles which will be required to
case the treaty shall be ratified and be-
come operative; or the respective maxi
mum and minimum rates on said articles
United Kingdom, Germany and all the
other countries of Europe, except Portu-
gal enjoy the advantages Of the mini
OF course, the information and figures
above are essential to any intelligent con-
sideration Of the pending treaty by con-
gress. and the commissioner promised to
supply them. as soon as profitable. in
response to the request of the committee.
Mr.. kasson's arguments in favor of the
treaty Is said to have been earnest and
skillful as well as strong, in some re-
spects. One statement he is said to
have made. however, which will be sharp
ly challenged by the Republicans in both
identified with the tariff legislation of
1897, and that was that many of the
rates were purposely made higher than
more desirable to negotiate commercial
reciprocity treaties with France and
some other European countries.
Several members of the finance COM
mittee Of the senate and the ways and
means committee of the house have al
ready declared themselves pointedly and
against that or any similar assumption.
which they say is wholly unwarranted by
facts.
fate of the pending treaty, and several
Of them are Of the opinion that, as 1t and
other reciprocity conventions refer ex-
clusively to tariff provisions and rates of
duty, they should have been referred to
the finance committee in the first In
stance. instead of to. the committee on
the latter committee. appears to have
realized that there was Justice in this
contention when he suggested to Chair
man Aldrich, OF the finance committee.
that he appoint a subcommittee to at
tend today's and other hearings, with
view to cooperate in consideration and
action. The suggestion did not bear
fruit, none of the members of the finance
committee being present at the hearing,
except Senator Wolcott, who is also
member of the committee on foreign re-
lations. Later q conference was held at
which most of the Republican members
of both committees were present and the
subject was discussed and considered.
Out of this will probably come harmoni-
Gus action on all the treaties by the two
committees most deeply interested.
What members of the finance commit
tee most want are facts such as have
been outlined above, showing what adj
vantages will be reaped by the parties
TO the respective treaties, and whether
the French treaty. or any or all of the
pending treaties, If ratified and carried
into effect, will probably result to the
advantage or disadvantage Of the United
States.
Members of the committee on foreign
relations are equally anxious to obtain
information on these essential, II not
vital, points before they decide what &C.
ton to recommend.
The committee on foreign relations have
not vet taken up the Argentine treaty,
which to become operative. according 10
its terms must be ratified and the ratif-
cation exchanged on or before February
10, one month from today.
CONSTRUCTING MOHR ROAD.