New-York tribune., 1900-01-19
THE TREATY WITH FRANCE
FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE WAIT
ING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
MANv PROTESTS AGAINST RATIFICATION
RECEIVED.
fnr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE,l

- 7s-No progress has been made
With the consideration OF the franeo-AIle M 1Ii
-s-f,-orrv treaty by the senate Ootiiiiile'ee VI
- relations owing TO the fact that Connis-
~ 5-assor Is absent in Florida on account OF
s-,.ers which may detain him for a fortnight OF
80 The committee asked him last eonesoaS
= furnish certain facts and hsures WHICH wee
sa.-,a5 essential to intelligent consideration oL
tbe subject. Some Of these 1acts ana He H
-, s,,nplied and the work OF compiling the adoi-
- t-f,-rnarion required by the committee is
,,s,r On in Mr Kassons absence II VIII consume
considerable tine and require mucn laDor 10 ut
,,fsb all that IS desired and necessary, ana proo-
sb1v ali Of II viii not be ready before the end OF
ne month II IS probably not felt by the commit
tee that there is any great need OF has1e' OWING "
The fact that the hearings in opposltlon 10 the
raa,at1ou of the convention before the Tarn Com
rnfttee Of the French Chamber OF Deputies VIII NOT
close until February 10
senators and Representatives are constantly re-
oeiving written arguments, memorials ana PeCr
-s,s S-on, manufacturers and others Interested IN
,a-soUs provisions which viii be affected II the
treaty is ratified and becomes operative MUS VI
these communications are against rauhcaI4oh
Among the protests received are those from repe
seDtarves Of the cotton knit goods and hosiery IN
7,s+rv o@ manufacturers Of cotton laces, embrod-
cries etc from the boot and shoe and other manu-
facturers Of leather goods including gloves rom
the manufacturers Of jewelry, clocks ana Watches
and clock and watch cases and movements manu-
OF dvnamos and other electrical apparatus ana
repraseurarives Of other important domestic in
rrs--ies some Of which have come into existence
o- been placed on q permanent and paying basis py
the operation Of the existing tariff
THE GROUNDS OF OPPOSITION,
The active opponents Of ratification among manu-
facturer- and other producers may be divided into
Two groups: First. those who are engaged in In
dustries the products OF which viii receive no
beueft present OF prospective, because such prod
ucts viu still be compelled bear the high rates Of
the French maximum tariff If the treaty shall
be ratified: second, those who are engaged in in
dustries the products Of which, If the treaty shall
be ratified viii be admitted from France At lower
rates Of duty than are now imposed upon them
The former contend that the French maximum
rates are prohibitory and the latter that even
under existing rates competition from France is
keen and the inportations so heavy that any
ductlon OF duties would be exceedingly injurious
and II cases disastrous. 10 the manufacturers
engaged and the wage earners employed in the
branches Of domestic industry affected.
Among Senators and Representatives one OF the
chief complaints against the pending treaty is the
obscurity Of terms. which little light is shed
by he document itself Perhaps after Cornrnis-
sioner Kasson has furnished the facts and figures
required by the committee the obscurities viii
appear in great measure. Among other facts re-
qured by the Senate committee were the respective
maximum and minimum rates articles affected
by the pending treaty.
The first paragraph Of Article OF the treaty pro-
vides for the admission into France at the mini
rates Of duty OF AL articles Of merchandise
being the product Of the soil Or industry Of the
United stares. subject 10 the same conditions
applicable 70 merchandise imported from other
countries" The second paragraph Of Article
makes certain and important exceptions and the
articles therein specified must continue 10 bear
when imported from the United States the max
mum rates Of duty although when imported from
nearly every other country Portugal being the
sole exception in Europe similar articles bear only
the minimum rates Of duty. These exceptions are
numerous under the provisions Of the French gen
eraI tariff law Of 1892 which formed one Of the
bases Of the reciprocity negotiations and many
additions have been made by administrative de-
otsions affecting classification since that law was
enacted For example. take the article Of machine
tools" The only information the treaty gives on
its face Is reference TO Section SIS Of the French
tariff law On turning 70 that section and the ad-
rlIu-strative notes thereto appended q long vista
opens before the inquirer Section SIS provides as
follows:
xseE.Se A5.tS.ss tool.- Unit Maximum Minimum
6aa5as5 - 1oo xii, cneo s2ss5 ses
P5aHss5 P5a5as 5'l to 22oS 100 kn .sn asa aoass
Snail and Of pre- "o2Ss
Sess ese2 han s5a gaiIg EIog
grams t55I pounds)I00 XII CaeD 1881 a65
According 10 the notes OF administrative decisions
appended 70 Section 55 the following are also in
cluded: Machines for mailing cases machines for
fastening cardboard boxes, tack making machines
machines for sharpening card machines or prepar-
ing and starnplrs cardboards. machines for the
manufacture Of tubes spools (busettes) for spin
hlAg machines for separating. by means of a
magnet. iron filings mixed with other metals: ma
chimes for manufacturing metallic gauze; machines
-or pairing paper for bookbfnders for rnanufact-
Esrs q cardboard goods etc; Industrial machines
Coooyears machines for stitching soles and VelTs
cleaLlng ana polishing knives apparatus used in
EaIll-acllre Of lette- envelopes apparatus for
patiilg ensign halyards log lines: DR. GARNER
patent therapeutic apparatus called ergastat: ma
chlnes for cutting paper machines FOR turning
are a4so included II this number The nickeile5
Iarls q such chairs shall be separately dUtiabie
secordiEg 70 Section 57s which rnDoses roa1TnI1T1
- o. S-e % and minimum duty Of SO 20 on each
~ Al-ograEas. net Apparatus for Offering beer
LloSs-.led on four wheessd carts and a series Of
LtoIalse zinc plates and OF sheets Of paper alter
Hlnber- At each extremity the liter Is s-Inn,1IaS ~ @
T5s =; 9 receptacle OF glass furnished with a small
ARTICLES EXEMPTED
ne exceptions mentioned in the treaty refer %
only tWenty-three sections or paraeranbe or +ba
l-A general tarin, but as viii appear from the
appended 10 only z single paragraph they
t"-Ss Z great number and variety OF articles
-i-eo me several sections by administrative
@lectng classification. The following
SHOWS the names CT the articles and classes
O aruces 10 be excepted from the operation of the
P--S 1e4ty' together with the maximum and
III rate O. duty on each article or class of
@f'-c-es' expressed in United States currency:
Ha4ss A5stelss s.,.. =, -,. Unit Maximum. Minimum
Five years old and
Fasis years o4e Essa F4ss9 2ss5 1870
Gssss. 6sss ..-- 55 gross, itS5 fs5 2fs 2ss