Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-05-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent. ]
Washington, May 4th, 1870


the nature of things cannot be be-
fore Congress reassembles there is
a great deal Of interest in the mat
ter both in the Treasury Depart
ment and at the State Department
owing to the action of France in
threatening to enforce the maxi
mum tariff against this country,
and the announcement of Ex-
Premier Balfour coming out unre-
servedly in favor of a British pro-
tective tariff. The situation with
France is the more pressing Of the
two. France was a party to the
new German tariff treaty, and in
common with six other European
countries made special arrange
ment in virtue of which they were
to accord each other the "most
favored nation" treatment, and
this meant that other countries, in
Guiding the United States, would
be cut out Of such treatment as
soon as their treaties expired.
Now France is our third largest
customer, the two leading ones
being Great Britain and Germany.
so that while the maximum tart fl
wouldnot mean shutting us out of
all trade with France and Germany,
1T would seriously y reduce the
volume of trade and would inhict
commercial trouble that this coun-
try could i'll afford. The threat of
France has been to enforce the
maximum duties III the case Of
cotton and cottonseed oil, and eX-
clude American meats altogether
unless they have a government
certificate Of microscopic inspec-
tiOn. These three articles are the
articles Of largest trade between
this country and France, and their
reduction under the new tariff ar
rangement would mean great loss
to the planters of the south and
the cattle raisers all over the coun-
try, We have just escaped a trade
war with Germany by sending
commission of tariff experts to that
country and fixing up an agree
ment under which trade between
the two nations will continue for
another year till Congress has a
chance to make al definite treaty
arrangement.
France is now demanding the
same thing, and negotiations are
progressing between Secretary Root
and Ambassador Jusserand that
probably will result in sending u
similar commission to France.
A curious case Of a modern Jean
Naljoan was presented to the Presi-
der this week. 1t was a man
named William January, who nine
years ago was sentenced to jail,
and while serving his term, escap-
ed and assumed thename of Charles
Anderson. He lead d perfectly
honest life and did well in the
world, married, and became the
father of one child. Afterward he
was betrayed to the authorities by
a former convict associate, and
would be taken back to serve out
his old sentence with no time of
for good behavior if executive
clemency were not exercised in his
favor. The President has promis-
ed, however, to look into the 90 :,
and if it is all as has been r,
sented to the Department of JUS
tice, there is no question but that
the eX-convict will be given free
pardon and allowed to continue
the reputable life he has been lead
ing.
a statement has just been issued
by the Treasury Department show
that the per capita circulation of
the country is $34. II, the largest
on record. The highest previous
record was in February last when
it amounted to $33.96. This is on
a population basis of 1856, =