The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24
AMERICAN TARIFF
STILL VEXES FRANCE
Wholesale Food Products Asso-
citation Finds Regulations
Hard to Satisfy.
HINTS AT DISCRIMINATION
Hindrances Are Put in Way Of
French Importations,
Says President.
spscsai coryesponds~os 70 TH. sur.

PARIS, May l4.-Somc two months ago
the president OF the Wholesale Food
Products Association expressed regrot to
the Minister Of Commerce that France
had agreed to take part In the Panama
Pacific Exposition In San Francisco next
year without fixing as condition the
Improvement OF conditions imposed upon
French exporters
I'VE run against regulations" Pierre
Leny wrote, that become more numer-
Gus and difficult to satisfy every day
It would appear as II the United States
wished to render all foreign Importing
an impossibility. What good Is II for us
TO work at finding new markets II they
are hound to become unusable?"
This association has since sent in TO
the Ministry OF Commerce, at the latter 8
request, a long report on the situation
In which French exporters find them
selves. The chief complaints may be
thus summarized:
Many articles OF consumption arc now
taxed by the American customs ad val
orem. which places the French producer
In very unfavorable position as COM
pared with his rivals. as French products
are generally OF a higher price than fim-
liar foreign products and are thus sub
jected automatically TO higher pay
ment French sardnes for instance
which cost about double the Spanish or
Portuguese. pay twice AZ great duty
The report complains also OF 'veX-
atious measures which go 20 the extent
| OF an examination OF exporters books
! by agents OF the American Government
while exporters who refuse to allow this
examination may have their goods stopped
on arrival or charged an additional Is
per cent. The association declares II
impossible to accept this inquisiton rs
'intolerable In itself and liable to give
to our American clients and rivals In
formation which may be used against
u.s.
The next complaint is against the way
the pure food law Ia applied. The
regulations are declared to be compli
Gated, often none too clear and. fur
Their, continually undergoing modifca-
| tions American authorities refuse goods
| bearing label which after being de-
| clared legal has since bcen forbidden,
Thus labels stating guaranteed under the
Food and DRUGS Act, June 80. 1905
| after being prescribed by decision No
40, have been prohibited by decision No
90.
| Examples are given OF the difficulty oi
| knowing the regulations In force and ar
objection IL laid TO the American Govern
nent obligng French eNporters to siGr
declarations written In English. Anothe,
| trouble Ia that Federal prescriptions are
not always In conformity with those OF
particular State.
"To sum up" the presidents report
concludes. ''it seems as II the American
public powers seek under various pre-
texts TO put every possible hindrance II
the wav Of importing our products into
the United States. and TO give undue IA
vor to national products ot the expense
| OF ours.
1--WE therefore should he glad TO see
the French Government take measures q
| ohlige the American Government TO recog
pize that Il would find II to its lnteres
to use toward us more kindly and e1ui
table procedure. assuring us for our sales
In the United states that security that
is indispensable TO commercial relations