Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-07
Action OF France and England
May Force Revision By
Next Congress
sALFouR OUT FOR PROTECTION
British Premier Suggests Plan for the
Continuance Of Free Trade With Col
onie. only-Plans for Great Archi-
tecturaI compstition-Per Capita Of
Nation Highest on Record.


changes, and in the nature of things
cannot be before congress reassemoles'
there is great deal Of interest IN the
matter. both in the treasury depart
ment and at the state department, oW-
ing to the action of France in threat
ening to enforc,e the maximum tariff
against this country and the announce
ment of ex-Premier Balfour coming out
unreservedly in favor Of British pro-
tective tariff. The situation with
France is the more pressing of the two.
France was party to the new German
tariff treaty. and in common with SIX
other European countries made spe-
cial arrangement in virtue or "hlcn
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 ana
Germany, so that while the maximum
tariff would not mean shutting US out
OF all trade with France and Germany.
1t would seriously reduce the volume
OF trade and would infilct com mercial
trouble that this country could Ill ar
ford. The threat Of France has been
to enforce the maximum duties in the
case of cotton and cottonseed Oil, and
exclude American meats altogether UNI
less they have a government certincate
of microscopic inspection. These three
articles are the articles of largest trade
between this country and France, ana
their reduction under the new tariff
arrangement would mean great loss TO
the planters Of the south and the cattle
raisers all oversthe country. We nave
just escaped trade war with Ger
many by sending a commission OF tariff
experts to that country and fixing up
an agreement under which trade be-
tween the two nations will continue for
another year till congress has a chance
to make a defirlite treaty arrangement.
France is now demanding the same
thing, and negotiations are progressing
between Secretary Root and Ambas-
sador Jusserand that probably will re-
suit In sending similar commission to
France.
The announcement from Great Brit
ain is not taken so seriously by Off
Gals Il is known, of course, that there
is no tariff in Great Britain. She is the
only one of the great civilized powers
that has free trade, and she Is the best
customer of the United States in the
markets of the world. There has been
an effort for three years past to get
Great Britain to adopt a protective
tariff This was the question on which
Joseph Chamberlain resigned from the
colonial office. Premier Balfour, who
was his close friend and understudy In
tariff matters. avoided at the time COM
hitting himself to protective tariff
policy. Now, however, he has an
nounced himself, declaring in favor of a
preferential arrangement with the
colonies which would mean that they
would have free trade with the mother
country and the rest of the world
would be shut out by a tariff wall. The
British mind moves very slowly in
matters of national change, so that 1t
is not likely there will be any immedi-
ate alteration in BritairKs policy of free
trade But things are evidently moving
that way, and such a thing would seri-
ously affect the trade of this country
with Canada and Australia. 1t must be
said, however. that while there is now
La preference in the Canadian tariff of
331-3 per cent in favor of Great Brit
ain as against the United States, our
trade with Canada has grown steadily
lin the past decade, and that oftireat
Britain with Canada has as steadily
fallen off.
Final arrangements were made this
week for what will be, great arcli-
tectural competition in Washington. Il
is for the plans for the new home OF
the Bureau of American Republics
There is in Washington an interna-
tional bureau of this sort that is sup
ported in part by this government ane
partly in proportion to population by
all the other republics Of this hemis-
phere, It's object is to foster trade and
other amicabIe relations between the
American republics. 1t issues trade
bulletins in Spanish, Portuguese am
English, and does a most excellent
work in distributing information AMI
fostering good relations 1t has fol
years occupied rented quarters oppo-