The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-23
OIL EXPORTERS ALARMED
SHIPMENTS DROP FAR BELOW MIL
LION DOLLAR MARK.
There VIII ne sFegement Started to
Induce Congress- to Renew
Treaty with France.

washington. d. c.. Dec. 2a--Aiarmed
by a drop from million dollars to
s2s,2ss IN mineral oil exports to
France In month. American oil ak
porters have begun q frnovamert to In
duce congress to renew with the
French government the reciprocfty
treaty which expired on October 81
last Exporters also hope for the re-
newal OF the treaty with Spain. also
large importer Of American OIL
which will expire on August 81, 1910
The exports to Canada under the
operation of the new tariff law have
not been complied yet. but indications
are they still show relatively as
great a falling off in oil exports as
those to France.
Notwithstanding the abrogation of
the reciprocity treaty with France. the
reports to the Bureau for November.
the first month under the new order
of things show larger totals In both
imports and exports than In the cor
responding month OF last year. Raw
cotton. which is imported into
France free of duty and hence Is not
affected by tariff changes. is largely
responsible for the increase In exports,
while art works twenty years old
and over admitted free under the new
law. diamonds and hides were re-
sponsible for the increased imports.
The falling or in the Imports OF
champagne from France. due TO the
increased tariff. was most marked,
declining from $bs4s74 in November,
1908, TO S5s.oe2 in November, 1903.
A careful compilation OF the figures
covering the first month of opera
tions Of new commercial relations be-
tween France and the United States
has been prepared for the Associated
Press by the Bureau of Statistics as
follows:
Commerce between the United States
and France, In November. the first
month. following the termination OF
the reciprocity agreements. shows
larger totals in both imports and ex-
ports than in November of last year
The total values of exports of domes-
tic products to France In November
1909. as shown by the records of the
bureau of statistics OF the department
of commerce and labor was $20,013,4i4
against S12.0s2.b64 in November, 1905
and the value OF imports from France
In November. 1909. was si4.16s.19S
against $500 24 in November. 1908.
The increase in value In exports to
France, consisting chiefly In raw cot
ton, an article not affected by tariff
changes, since 1t is imported free OF
duty into France. The value of the
cotton exports to France in November,
1909, was si3,795s51S. against $7.0sS.-
07s In November, 1908. this advance
being due in part to higher prices.
f"rhe special trade agreements In
existence between France and the
United States, which terminated
october 81, 1909, gave to. certain ar
ticles entering France from the United
states the minimum tariff rate of that
country and to certain articles enter
ing the United States from France
special rates of duty AMI the termina-
ton ,of these agreements, made these
articles again subject to the maxi
mum or general tariff rates In France
United states.
The more Important articles of the
United States upon which the, French
rates OF duty were advanced as were
shown by q recent statement OF the
tariff bureau, we're netroleum crude,
an Increase of 100 per cent in the rate
of duty: refined. an increase of loo
per cent; heavy oils. an increase OF
9s per cent various grades of fruit
ranging from 33 per cent to 200 per
cent advance In rates of duty; Lard
go per cent; canned meats SO per cent;
manufactured and prepared pork
meats. 100 per cent and coffee 81 per
cent.
~rhe figures of the bureau OF sta
tistics show that the exports of the
mineral oil. both crude and refined,
for Illuminating purposes, ceased en-
tirely. in November, 1903. while OF
lubricating oil, the quantity fell from
l.SeO.Il5 gallons In November, 1908.
to 124,27s gallons in NovemberN 1909.
The total value OF all mineral oil ex-
ports TO France in November. 1905
was slightly in excess of $i.o0o,ooC
and in November, 1903. but S2i.363."