Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-30
Text of Tariff Agreement With
Dominion Government.
GETS MINIMUM SCHEDULES
Items Transferred to General Rate
Is Concession Made.
ENJOYS MAKE THEIR REPORT
Congratulations for Successful Ter
mination of Negotiations and
Hope Of Mutual Benefit.

OTTAWA. Ont. March 30.-Finance
Minister w. S Fielding and George T.
Graham. minister of railways. reached
Ottawa at ! O'Clock from Washington,
and at once drove 10 the privy council
where the cabinet was in session
They reported to Sir Wiifrid Laurier
and the Canadian ministers that they
had successfully concluded tariff agree
Canada will be proclaimed entitled to the
minimum American tariff schedules. and
that a dozen items in the Canadian tariff
will be transferred from the intermediate
to the general rate
Mr. rIelding and Mr.. Graham were
heartily congratulated upon the result of
the negotiations. The sentiment was
generally expressed that the concession
Canada has made will be as much to her
advantage as they will be to the United
States and other countries.
The official statement on the tariff con-
ference results will be made in the Cana
dian parliament at 4 o'clock this after
noon. 1t is understood that Mr.. Fielding
has induced President Taft to defer max
ing his announcement until the corre-
spending hour, O'Clock in Washington.
d. c.. SO the proclamation may be stimuli
taneous.
Terms Of Canadian Agreement
The terms of the new tariff agree
ment between the United States and
Canada were made public here today.
The concessions provided by the
agreement will cover less than per
cent of all the import business from
the United States into Canada in a
year.
They will cover business amounting to
about S5,O0O,OOO against imports into
Canada from the United States amount
ing to more than 10000, coo In the Ca
madam fiscal year Of 1909. They include
about forty staple commodities.
One of the most important concessions
made by Canada is that of the omnibus
clause in the Canadian tariff. Heretofore
all articles under that clause imported
to the general tariff of 20 per cent ad
valorem. Hereafter those articles will
pay f7ls per cent ad .valorem.
Items Affected by Reduction.
Cottonseed oil, one of the ost impor.
tant exports covered by that clause, ex-
ceeds 100000 annually. Vegetable oils
mineraA waters and manufactures Of eel
luIoid are among the other articles OF
largest Importation. Drugs and dyes ex-
ceed 100000.
Other leading articles covered by the
conceded clause lime, sausage cas-
ings, sponges. manufactures of straw
and wax, glycerine and camphor gums,
laneOds breadstuffs
The largest single group of staple com
modities included in the agreement com
prises dates, figs. raisins, prunes, cur
rants. almonds and other nuts. Exports
of those commodities in the last fiscal
year were more than $1.14O.OO0. The com
petition in them from France and Spain
reached 100000.
Watch actions and movements, in which
there is competition from Switzerland
various forms was about the same.
Table ware of porcelain and china Is
also included in the list. In all those
articles there is either active or prospec-
France and other countries entitled to
the favored nation treatment.
The readjustment, according to the off,
cial statement. extends to the United
States the minimum rates on certain COM
modities in which not only France but a
number of other nations have an advan-
tage over the United States. Switzerland,
Austria Hungary, Spain and Japan are
said to be the most important competi-
tors.
Status of French Agreement.
1t is pointed out that the first schedule
Of the Franco-Canadian treaty does not
constitute a discrimination against the
United States, as it deals almost exclu-
sively with set of specialtes none of
which come into competition with prod
ucts of the United States. The modiica-
tions were therefore based on the second
schedule Of that treaty.
In copies Of the correspondence between
Secretary Knox and W. 8. Fielding. min
lister of finance for Canada. which was
today given out with the statement Of the
agreement, the Canadian letters indicate
firm stand for the contentious first
made in the negotiations by Canada.