The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-16
BLOCKED BY The TRUSTS
The Reason of The Failure of the
French Reciprocity Convention.
The Defeat of the Proposition mt
First Attributed to the Fruit
Packers of California - Oppose
ton to Any Modification of tho
Tariff on Textiles and Metals.

/
vcntion with France, which was signed at
Washington July "a, 1899, but which faile
| of ratification. is enc of the many things.
| it is said, which illustrates the power OF
| trusts over the present Administration.
This convention was signed by the re pee
tive plenpotentiaries CT the United States
and France under authority conferred b.
| section of the act of Congress TO p OF !c
revenue for the Government and encourage
the Industries of the United States ap-
proved July a, 1897.
Slight concessi0Rs were proposed on the
| part of the United States on silks, cotton
| goods. leather. eaithen and gas wa e.
metal work and paper, but even these tariff
notifications were SO obnoxious 10 trusts
that the convenlion, after having teen s mt
to Congress by the President, was buried
in committee. II was given out at the time
! by the Administration press agents tat
/ the principal opposition to the ratiiicat Ga
of the convention came from the California
| delegation in Congress because of the pro-
| posed reduction of 10 per cent OF the wLo,e
| tariff on prepared or preserved vegetables.
fruits preserved in sugar or spirits. ard
prunes. The main opposition came from
| the paper trust and the magnates intertst
| ed in earthenware and metal wo.k.
The preamble of the convention recite1
| that 1.-The United States of America and the
French Republic. animated by 4 desile to
facilitate and increase the commercial in
tercourse between the two countries, have
agreed to conclude reciprocal convention
for that purpose. and have appointed their
respective pleripotentiaries therefor,
namely:
The President of the United States of
America, Hon. John A. Kasson, Special
Commissioner Plenipotentiary, etc, and
The President OF the French Republic,
His ENce!iency. Jules Ca;nbon, ANITA sadof
Extraordinary and Pleripotentia:y, Com
manjer of the Legion of Homer etc. w.o,
after having communicated to each o h r
their respective full powers in good ana du.
| form. have agreed upon the following ar
! ticles.'
Article I follows:
1T is agreed on the part of France that
| all articles of merchandise being the prod
uct OF the soil or industry OF the United
States of America exported to France or
Algeria (whethcr shipped directly to a
French or Algerian port or arriving by
mitted into France and Algeria upon pay
| ment only of the minimum rates of duty
imposed on the like articles Of any other
origin, and no port or other charges OF
any kind shall be imposed upon such mer-
chandise prior to entering into consump-
tion unless they are SUCH are equally
applied to inportations from all foreign
countries; and no prohibition or restriction
of the importation Of any of the products
q hal ho dc
such as shall equally apply to the like
products in the like condition arriving
from any other country. The right to pro-
vide sanitary measures against the intro
duction Of pests or of infectious or con-
tasiOus diseases is reserved.
THE following articles of merchandise
are excepted from the provisions of this
article respecting the minimum rates OF
duty, namely, horses, butter. Lucern and
clover seed, fodder. cast iron, skins and
hides prepared boots and shoes and parts
of same, belts ana cords and other leather |
articles manufactured for machinery. dy- |
namos, machine tools. dynamo conductors |
and parts, arc lamps known as regulators, |
sugar, chicory roots, green or dried; eggs, |
cheese, honey, porcelain, and cardboard !!
rough in sheets"
The Reciprocity Agreement.
Article II sets forth that:
"Reciprocally. it is agreed on the part |
OF the United States that the articles o.
merchandise the product of the soil Or in |
dustry of France or Algeria designated |
and described in the schedule whether |
shipped directly TO a United States port or
arriving by way of an intermediate port |
shall be admitted into the United States
on payment only of the reduced duties as
declared and set forth in said schedule;
and no port or other charges of any kind
shall be imposed upon such merchandise
prior 10 its entering into consumption eX-
cep, such as are equally applied TO i'm
portations from all foreign countries; and
no prohibition or restriction of the I'M.
portation Of any of the products of France
or Algeria shall be made except such as
shall equally apply to the like products
in the like condition arriving from any
other country. The right TO provide sani-
tary measures against the introduction of
pests or of infectious or contagious dis
eases is reserved
Article III recites that cit is further
agreed that should the United States con-
,ede upon any articles of merchandise de-
;cribed in the schedule of the convention.
being the product of the soil or industry |
Of any other country, a lower rate desig- |
mated for the like articles being the prod
nct OF the soil or industry of France or
Algeria, such lower rate shall be
applied OF right and without delay to the |
like articles being the product of France
Or Algeria. II Is also agreed that any re-
iuctior of the duties provided by the
Tariff act of the United States approved
July "a. 1897 upon sparkling wines, or
Ipon the articles OF wooden manufacture ,
described in paragraphs numbers S66 to
,S2. inclusive of said Tariff act. being the I
product of the soil and industry of any ,
'ther European country, which may after ,
he date hereof be conceded 10 such coun- :
ry by the United States shall be imme-
lately extended to the same articles be- /
ng the product OF the soil or industry OF +
france or of Algeria n
Articles " and follow: l.
Should either of the high contracting h
arties during the term Of this convention /,
" any legislative action SO change the n
elative conditions of trade as existing !
1 the date of this convention TO wit | =.
rance by increasing the minimum rates n
I duty herein stipulated for products of | n
he United States. or the United States by i,
Increasing the REDUCED rates set forth in h
he foregoing schedule. or increasing the h
xisting rates upon other French nToducts , II
r either party by imposing new restric-
ons or prohibitions upon importations o
.om the other in such case the option is n
served to the other high contracting par O
to terminate its obligations under this q
after six months notice to the D
her of its intention to arrest the opera Ii
on thereof n,
This convention shall be duly ratified q,
y the respective Governments so soon as c,
racticable and within eight months from la
lie date hereof and the Publications shall
. exchanged at Washington; and 1t Shall
lato effect ten days thereafter, and