Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-29
RECIPROCITY WITH FRANCE.
Proclamation by the President An
nouncing New Arrangement.

Washington. Jan. 2S.-The PreSiden
l%tc today issued proclamation an
nouncinS the conclusion Of the Fran
co-American reciprocity arrangement
drawn under Section 3 of the Dingle.
act. Under it, America comedies 90 pc
cent. abatement in duties on cham
payne and sparkling wines imported
into this country, and France con
firms the minimum tariff rate now &C
corded American products. Other i'm
portant provisions are made. including
the creation of q comission to consid
er possible amendments to the trade
regulations in France and America
The proclamation follows:
"By the President of the United
states:
"a proclamation:
Whereas the government Of the
United States and the government OF
the French republic have entered into
an additional commerce agreement
signed on the 18th day of January.
1908, by which the application of the
minimum rate under the third section
of the tariff act of the United States,
approved July "a. 1897. to champagne
and al other snarkling wines. is pro-
viaed for in return for certain speci-
fed concessions in favor Of products
of the United States including Porto
Rico, which concessions, in the judg-
ment oe the President, are reciprocal
and equivalents:
Therefore. be it known that I.
Theodore Roosevelt. President Of the
United States of America, acting un-
der the authority conferred by said act
o. Congress. do hereby conditiOnally
suspend from the first day of Febru
airy. 1908. and during the time and in
accordance with the terms Of the af-
foresaid additional agreement. signed
January 2Stn, 1908, the imposition and
collection of the duties imposed by the
first section OF said act under articles
hereinafter specified being the prod
ucts of the soil ana industry Of
France. and do declare, in place there
Of the rates of duty provided in the
third section of said act TO be in force
as follows:
"On champagne and all other spark
ling wines in bottles containing not
more than one quart and more than
one pint. six dollars per dozen; con-
tanning not more than one pint each
and more than one-half pint one dol.
lar and fifty cents per dozen: in bot
ties or other vessels containing more
than one quart each in addition to six
dollars per dozen bottles on the guam
titles in excess of one quart at the
rate of one dollar and ninety cents per
gallon"
Accompanying the proclamation is
the text of an agreement signed today,
the feature of which, in addition to the
statement of new duties on cham
payne, is found in Article /. which
reads as follows:
1T is agreed on the part of the
French government that the applica-
ton of the duties of the general tar
iIf to coffee. cocoa. chocolate. vanilla
and other pure food products, except
sugar and its by-products and tobac-
co products of the United States, in
Guiding Porto Rico, shall be condition.
ally suspended and that the said prod
ucts shall be admitted into France and
Algeria at the rates of the minimum
tariff. or at the lowest rates applied
to the like products OF any other for
eiSn origin.
In addition, mineral oils from the
United States and coming under the
decree Of July !, 1893. shall, upon en-
try into France and Algeria, enjoy the
benefits of the lowest rates of duty.
But it is expressly understood that
these concessions may be withdrawn
in the discretion of the President of
t,n l.
tional duties beyond those now exist
ing and which may be deemed by him
unjust to the commerce of Franco
shall be imposed by the United States
OF products of France"
Following the statement Of the
champagne duties is paragraph SIM
liar TO the above except that 1t author
lies the President to withdraw conces-
sions to France in case Increased du-
ties are levied. The final articles of the
agreement are as follows
Article III. It is further agreed that
inasmuch as complaints have arisen
in both countries Regarding the effect
OF the regulations in force in the re-
spective countries affecting the ad-
mission of each others products, and to
the END that il there be in the regu-
lation OF either country any prof.
sions which unnecessarily restrict
trade such provisions may be Inodi-
fled and the cause of complaint re-
moved. commission Of three experts
shall be appointed by the government
OF the United States and Il like COM
mission OF three experts shall be ap.
pointed by the government of France
Such commissions shall in conference
each with the other, inquire into ant