The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-23
O|L EXPORTERS
 BECOME ALARMED French Trade Has Dwindled to
 Almost Nothing TARIFF LAW TO BLAME Other Exports to France Have h. creased While Imports Also Show Gains But Oil Trade Has
 Been Killed.
 

Washington, December 22.-Alarmed pS a drop from S.00o,00o to $26.263 in min- eral oil exports to France in a month, American oil exporters have begun a movement to induce Congress to renew with the French government the reci- procity treaty which expired on October S last. Exporters also hope for the re- newal of the treaty with Spain, also & large importer of American oil, which will expire on August s1, 1e10
 The exports to Canada, under the op- eration of the new tariff law, have not been compiled yet, but indications are they will show relatively a great fall ing off in oil exports as those to France.
 Notwithstanding the abrogation of the reciprocity treaty with France the re- ports to the bureau for November, the first month under the new order of things, show larger totals in both im- ports and exports than in the corres- bonding month of last year. Raw cot ton, 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 20 years old and over, admitted free un- der the new law; diamonds and hides were responsible for the increased im- ports. The falling off in the imports of champagne from France, due to the increased tarifr, was most marked. de- clining from s5S4.s74 in November, 1908, to s5s,0e2 in November, 1909
 A careful compilation or the figures. covering the first month of the operation of the new commercial relations be- tween France and the United States Press by the bureau of statistics and is as follows:
 Commerce between the United States and France in November. the first month following the termination of the reci- procity agreements. shows larger totals in both imports and exports than in Mo- vember of last year. The total values of exports of domestic products to France in November, 1909, as shown by the records of the bureau of statistics of the department of commerce and labor was s2o,o134 A against s12,ss2.554 in November, 190S and the value of the imports from France in November, 1909, was s14, ,19s against s, 462, ,024 in November. 1908.
 The increase in the value in the ex- ports to France occurred chiefly in raw cotton, an article not affected by tariff chances; since 1t is imported free of duty into France. The value of the cot ton exports to France in November. 1909. was s16, 795, ,51S against $7,066.J73 in Novem- Der, 1908, this advance being due in part to higher prices.
 The special trade agreements in exis- tence between France and the United States, which terminated October 31, 1909. gave to certain articles entering France from the United States the minimum tariff rate of that country and to certain articles entering the United States from France special rates of duty, and the termination of these agreements made these articles again subject to the max imum tariff rates in France and to the general tariff rates in the United States. The more important articles from the United States, upon which the French rates of duty were advanced, as shown by a recent statement of the tariff bu- reau of manufacturers, were petroleum, crude, an increase of loo per cent in the rate of duty; refined, an increase of 100 per cent; heavy oils. an increase of 33 per cent. Standard grades of fruit ranging from 8 to 200 per cent ad- vance in rates; lard, 60 per cent; canned meat, 33 per cent; pork meat. 100 per cent, and coffee, 121 per cent
 The figures of the bureau of statistics show that the exports of mineral oil, both crude and refined, for Illuminating purposes, ceased entirely in November, 1909, while of lubricating oil, the quan- tity fell from 1.36o,115 gallons in Mo- vember, 1908, to 124,S7 gallons in No- yember. 1909 The total value of all mineral oil exports to France in Mo- smber. 1908, was slightly in excess of .l. .oOo.O 900 and in November, 1909. but s2l.- 26o