On Monday in the French Chamber M. Cruppi, the Minister
of Commerce, explained the views of the Government on the proposals of the Customs Committee for revising the tariff. He said that if all the suggestions of the Committee were adopted, "the result [we quote from the Times] would be a total revision of the worst kind." In his opinion, what was wanted was a partial revision of the tariff of 1892. It was merely a question of "bringing the scale of duties up to date." Retaliation was a subject which he wished to pass over ; it was apt to prove a two-edged weapon. It was much more profitable to discuss the common interests which France had with other countries in Europe. Trade with England had gone up by leaps and bounds, and the two countries would be guilty of an unpardonable error if they hindered its free development. On Tuesday M. Klotz, the Reporter of the Customs Committee, declared that France was compelled to defend her commerce. He called particular attention to the outflow of gold. Since 1892 no less than £640,000,000 worth of foreign securities had been acquired by French investors. "Foreign countries drained France of her gold and closed their doors to her products." No one can fail to notice the identity of this language with that used by our own Tariff Reformers to persuade us to introduce the very system which M. Klotz cherishes, though he perceives it to be ineffectual.
