Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-29

| scheme of double rates was drawn up.
AT the same time. the Spanish admin
| istration announced its intention of no
longer making unconditional most fa-
vored nation treaties. Commercial re-
lations with other countries at once be-
came strained. A tariff war, broke out
with Germany, and the penalty tariffs
of several countries were applied to
I'Spanish goods. The relations at pres
ent are mainly on tie basis of a pro-
visional most favored nation trsat-
ment.
TN 1893 Russia adopted a system
somewhat similar to that of France. In
article, however, as was the case in the
French law, the Russian tariff made the
general schedule (Which was in use
prior to 1899 the minimum schedule of
the new tariff, and placed increases
ranging as high as 80 per cent over the
minimum. Russia was not able to up
hold the plan in its entirety, and was
compelled to make commercial treaties
with France and Germany, in which re-
auctions on the minimum rates We're
given. At present, therefore, Russia s
tariff system is composed of maxi
mum a minimum and conventional
schedule. The conventional rates are
given to countries having most favored
nation. agreements, the minimum rates
To other countries. while the maximum
rates are intended to be used In case o.
tariff war.
.Tha BRAZILIAN tariff of 1900 is ar
ranged In a manner similar to the Rus-
sian. The tariff contains maximum ana
minimum rates, the latter to be applied
to imports from those countries which
treat Brazilian exports, especially COZ
fee. on a favorable basis.
THE experience of Greece with the
maximum and minimum system has
been similar to that of Russia. The law
az 1893 provided maximum and mimi
mum rates, but the later commercial
treaties reduced the latter, so that at
present the rates applied to most ia
yored nation countries are partially the
conventional rates and partially the
minimum rates.
I'm Norway the maximum rates are
Nys
INTENDED to be used only In case Nor
wegian goods are treated less favorably
than those Of any other country that
is, these rates are to be used in case OF
a tariff war
"Altho Spain was the first country to
attempt to use the system OF maximum
and minimum tariffs. France may be
regarded as the country which has
given the system its present promi-
nence. The first efforts to have it
adopted as the tariff system of France
were made by NJ. Meiine early in the
seventies, and again in 1881, but the
attempts were unsuccessful. Ten years
later, however, the demand for higher
rates OF duty became stronger, ana
Meline's party Viewed the plan with
more favor The method of having
conventional tariffs with the various
countries with which France had COM
mercial intercourse was the cause of
much dissatisfaction at the time, as the
Investigation of the superior council of
commerce showed. The existing treaties
were denounced. and Meline's bill, after
some notifications. was adopted In
January, 1892 The underlying idea of
the plan was that the legislative body
should fix the limits of the tariff rates
below which the executive could not
go in the effort to establish commercial
connections with other countries. That
| is, the home industries were to be as
sured that they would not be disturbed
by any attempts to alter the tariff rates
in the minimum schedule. and perfect
stability of conditions was thus hoped
for. On the other hand, in order to
make 1t to the advantage of foreign
| countries to grant concessions to
France in return for which they would
receive the rates of the minimum tariff,
! it was proposed to make the difference
| between the maximum and minimum
rates as large as possible, so that there
would be gain If the minimum rate
were secured and loss If 1t were not
The author of this bill also desired that
| the largest possible number Of items
should be included in the two sched-
ules. as that would increase the power
of compelling other countries to grant
| low duties in return ter the rates of the
minimum tariff. If any country re-
fused to.grant either the most favored
nation treatment to French goods. or to
apply tariff rates which the French Of
ficials considered low enough. the maxi
mum tariff rates We're to be imposed on
all goods coming from or thru that
country.
.The rates in the two tariffs differ by
about IS per cent-that is, the maxi
mum rates average about Is per cent
higher than those of the minimum tar
i iff. Agricultural products were, how
ever, given the same rates in both the