Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-15
INCREASE IN FRENCH TARIFF
PORTO RICAN - COMMISSIONER
DISCUSSES IT'S EFFECT.
Says Maximum Rate on American
Products Will Seriously Affect
1nsular Possessions.

Considerable concern is expressed by
Tulio Larrinaga, the resident commissioner
from Porto Rico. who Is In Washington,
concerning the threat of the French gov
eminent to apply the maximum tart6
schedules to American goods Imported into
France in retaliation for the alleged excess
sively high valuations of Limoges pottery
made by the United States appraiser at the
port of New York. AS Mr.. Larrinaga says
this threat, II carried out, while not of
great consequence to continental United
States. would undoubtedly have serious ef-@
feet upon trade conditions in the insular
possessions. -S''~'- -
THE proclamation Of the President the
1st instant" said Mr.. Larrnaga to a Star
reporter today, has satisfactorily closed
the negotiations that for some time previ-
ousiy had been going on between the De-
partment of State and Germany, for the
adjustment of commercial relations be-
tween the two countries. 1t Is FRANCE that
now seems to have some cause for COM
plant. perhaps mainly on account of the
high valuations that 1t Is claimed have
been assigned to the French QIimoges)
pottery by the United States appraiser at
the, port of New York .-.'s ..s.4s
France has threatened to put the maxi
mum tariff American goods imported
in her markets. and thus, although of no
great consequence to American continental
products, will very materially affect some
of the products of our insular possessions,
such as Porto Rico. In fact, the applica-
tons of the maximum instead Of the mini
mum tariff now applied to Porto Rican
coffee. would practically close the French
markets to the main staple of that island
Effect oe Maximum Rate.
up to the present time the Porto Rican
coffee, when imported into France, paid the
minimum tariff of 1876 francs per 100 ,kilo-
grams, which is equivalent to IL cents a
pound. The maximum tariff, if applied,
would represent 800 francs per 100 kilo-
grams, or q cents a pound. which would
be prohbitory. But in case France did ac-
tually carry out her threat, and in this
way close her markets to Porto Rican cof-
fee, she would also be loser in the bar
gain.as Porto Rico would then cease to buy
in France a good many articles of French
manufacture, which the wealthy classes in
Porto Rico buy of her today, such as per-
fumeries, preserves, wines. silks and other
luXurieS.
Besides this, a large number of French
citizens, who are to be found among the
conee planters of Porto Rico, would great
ly suffer from the measure. In the island.
Germans and Spaniards, q rule,
found to be engaged in commerce. while
the French take to agriculture and indeed
almost exclusively to the growing of cof-
fee. We hope that our Department of State
will be able to adjust our commercial re-
lations with France so as to help Porto
Rico, but it is time that our government
began to consider that If we are commit
ted to, the protection of all our domestic
products, we are also under the moral
obligation Of protecting those OF our in
sular possessions.
"If the tariff is soon to be revised, and
the Porto Ricans hope that 1t is, we ought
to do the work of revision in such a way
that the Porto Rican coffee may find a
good market at home. Under the present
provisions of our tariff. the Porto -Ricans
End it more profitable to sell their coffees
in Europe, against a duty of atlleast IL
cents "a pound, than to bring the product
free of duty to our home markets.