Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-03-25
AMERICA WATCHING FRANCE TINKER
 TARIFFS
CHANGES IN MANY SCHEDULES WILL AFFECT TRADE or
 UNITED STATES.
GENERAL RAISE IS EXPECTED
CHANGES IN FRENCH DUTIES IS EXPECTED TO INFLUENCE
 DOMESTIC RATES.

WASHINGTON, D.. C., March 24.--- The attention of American manufactur, CTS will for the next few months be en- tirely focused upon the proposed tariff revision in this country. France pro poses to revise its tariff and in the change to be made the United states is vitally interested. If the proposed French tariff bill should be enacted into law in it's present shape, American trade would be injuriously affected.
 Contrary to the usual custom, the measure had its origin in the tariff com. mittee of tho French chamber of depu- 'ties and the attitude of the government toward 1t therefore, has not form ally been defined in parliament The probabilities are, however that the bin will undergo a num- Der of changes before it is finally enacted into law which, it is expected, will be about the first part of next year.
 Some interesting facts in regard to the new measure are g.eaned from a compilation entitled Proposed New Customs Tariff of Francc," prepared by N. I. Stone, tariff expert of the de- partment of commerce and labor, the object of which is to indicate the pro- posed changes of tariff rates on goods which the United States either exports to France or could export under favor able conditions.
 Taking up the articles covered by the existing Franco American agreement it is found that the following are affect ed by tho proposed changes. Canned meats--It is proposed to advance the general rate of 20' francs per 100 kilos to 30 francs, an increase of 50 per cent while leaving the minimum rate of 15 francs unchanged. While the agreement remains in force, the proposed change would, therefore, not affect American canned goods.
 Fresh Apples and Pcars-Under the existing agreement these fruits are ad- mitted at the rate of francs per 100 kilos 1t is proposed to advance .he minimum rate to francs, an increase of l50 per cent, and to increase the gen eral rate from to francs. Should the increase of these and the other mini mum rates covered by the existing agreement lead to it's abrogation, it would result in an increase from tho present minimum rate of francs to the new general rate of 8 francs, wnich would raise the duty fourfold. It is proposed to increase tho minimum rate on hops from 30 to 40 francs and the general rate from 45 to 60 francs per 100 kilos.
 Ear more numerous arc the tariff changes on articles which arc not af- feeted by the commercial agreement at present in force between France and this country. In proposing the many changes, the French commission was guided by the object of making the diff ference between the general and the minimum rates about 50 per cent on the average, being considerably higher than the difference in the present tariff, the purpose being to make 1t worth whi C for foreign countries to negotiate rec iprocity treaties for the application of the minimum rates.
 As all the important commercial coun- tries except the United States enjoy tho benefit of the entire minimum tariff in France, the. changes already mentioned would affect injrrious)y imports from the United States oHly, and would still further aggravate the disadvantages under which American products must compete with products from other coun- moro important of these changes the fol lowing may be mentioned, the rate be- ing given in francs per 100 kilos: Meat extracts, general rate increased from 40 to 45 francs; cotton seed, now ad- mitted free, to be subject to a daty of l.50 francs; peanuts now admitted free. to be subject to duty of 2.50 francs and preserved vegetables, duty ir. creased from 20 to 24 francs.
 Even moro disadvantageous to Amer iean trade are the proposed changes, which, while increasing the general rates to which American goods are srb- ject, contemplate reduction of the minimum rates which are applicable to imports from favored countries. As in stances of snch changes the following may be mentioned: Heavy agricultural machinery weighing over 400 kilos, for which it is proposed to increase the general rate from Is to 16 francs per 100 kilos, while reducing the minimum from 9 to 8; detached parts of copper and brass, weighing to 10 kilos apiece, for which it is proposed to raise the general rate of 50 francs to 52.50, while reducing the minimum rate of 40 to 35.
 It s proposed. however. in a large