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![handle is hein.intprop/psrgryfc0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
56TH CONGRESS CONFIDENTIAL. EXECUTIVE
1st Session. I N.
PAPERS RELATING TO RECIPROCITY WITH FRANCE.
[Printed in connection with Executive E.]
FEBRUARY 21, 1900.-Presented by Mr. DAVIS, and ordered to be printed in confi-
dence for the use of the Senate.
STATEMENT MADE ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1900, BY HON.
JOHN A. KASSON, SPECIAL COMMISSIONER PLENIPOTENTIARY
OF THE UNITED STATES TO NEGOTIATE CONVENTIONS WITH
FOREIGN NATIONS UNDER THE THIRD AND FOURTH SECTIONS
OF AN ACT TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR THE GOVERNMENT
AND TO ENCOURAGE THE INDUSTRIES OF THE UNITED
STATES, APPROVED JULY 24, 1897, TO THE COMMITTEE ON
FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE, WITH
REFERENCE TO THE CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND FRANCE, SIGNED AT WASHINGTON JULY 24, 1899,
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE ABOVE-NAMED' ACT.
After the passage of the Dingley bill the State Department sent
copies of it to our various legations and embassies abroad for commu-
nication to the various governments to which they were accredited.
No more than this had been done at the time the President charged me
with the duty of negotiating these conventions, and these foreign gov-
ernments seemed to have given no attention to it.
The condition of commercial feeling in Europe, as I found very
soon after undertaking' these duties, was exceedingly hostile to the
United States. The Dingley bill had produced an effect all over the
continent of Europe of exasperation throughout the commercial world,
and among the governments as well, 'to such an extent- that one high
officer-the premier of the Austro-Hungarian Government-had
openly proposed a union of official action against the United States
commerce as their only means of protecting their own commercial
interests. In that state of feeling, at first, there seemed no disposi-
tion anywhere on the continent of Europe or in the governments of
South America to take any steps under the reciprocity clauses of the bill.
The first movement was a tentative movement by the British for
their colonies, which, however, I will speak of when your committee
comes to those colonial treaties.
Then the French, who have a different tariff system from the rest
of Europe, concluded to open a negotiation, and Mr. Patenotre came to
me with a proposition for the whole 20 per cent reduction provided by
the fourth section of the tariff bill in exchange for the whole minimum
tariff of France on our goods. I went over the figures with the rep-
resentative of the Treasury Department and found that I could not
entertain that proposition in its length and breadth, and after serious
discussion that negotiation was suspended-halted at least, and con-](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.intprop/psrgryfc0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)