not admit the reality or to provide a remedy. And then, our system of instruction should be modified. Instead of stuffing with Latin and Greek, as I was stuffed myself, the minds of the children at the tenderest age, teach them the languages of foreign countries, and above all utilize the period when the lingual muscles can most easily adapt themselves to the articulation of sounds, to which they are not accustomed by their mother tongue. Let them know that there are foreign countries which work and develop themselves, that they may not believe, in their childish innocence, that there is no other country but France. Yes, it is proper that they should believe that France is great, but great only if she will be so and labors constantly to that end. It is necessary, in a word, to reorganize our system of national and commercial education. Before closing, gentlemen, I desire to emphasize especially the following wish: It is that there may be created a league for the dissemination of commercial intelligence, by means of lectures, delivered in all parts of the country, in order to infuse new life, and to make known what is going on beyond our frontiers. I commend this wish to the protection of the Society of Commercial Geography. [Prolonged and repeated applause.] REMARKS ON FRENCH METHODS, BY CONSUL MASON. The correctness of M. Lourdelet's conclusions and the clearness and force with which they are stated leave comparatively little to be said. Most intelligent Frenchmen fully recognize the industrial and commercial disadvantages under which their country is suffering. It is also apparent that some of these embarrassments are chronic and deepseated, and that effective remedies are likely to be correspondingly slow and difficult.. If a discerning American, inspired by that kindly interest which is felt universally in the United States concerning the welfare of the French Republic, were to supplement the plea of M. Lourdelet with any further suggestions he would probably remark that, while in many respects the railway service of France is admirably conducted, there are others in which it is susceptible of important improvements. In respect to tariffs of railway freights, the complaint is often heard that for certain localities they are practically prohibitory. In Marseilles, for instance, the import of English coal has increased from 38,977 tons in 1872 to 281,450 tons in 1882. There are rich and important mines of coal in the adjoining department of Gard, but such is the control exercised over local transportation by the principal railway company of Southern France that English coal can be imported more cheaply than the native coal can be brought to this port. One reads in the journals that important manufacturers in certain interior departments are being abandoned or removed to sea-coast towns in order to escape the exorbitant freight rates of the railways upon raw materials. Under a tariff of from 1.3 to 1.5 cents per ton per mile for raw materials like ores and coal it is not surprising that the important iron manufactories of the Loire are on the verge of ruin. In the France of the future we may be sure that all this will be changed. The railways will recover their now waning prosperity by a judicious adaptation of freights to the needs and capacities of manufacture and commerce. They will learn, what is so well understood in America, that the secret of success lies not in high tariffs but in economical management and the larger tonnage which lower rates will not fail to stimulate. Their army of uniformed employés will be reduced, because improved methods of handling heavy freights and trains will render much of their present labor superfluous. There will be also, no doubt, a radical improvement in the present methods of commercial banking, an enlargement of connections with foreign countries, an emancipation from the quill-pen, sand-box, and mail-coach period, and the adoption of methods which are contemporary with telegraphs and express trains. The conservatism which scratches the soil of Provence and Burgundy with a primitive shovel-plow, while the arsenals of the Republic are turning out some of the finest steel cannon in Europe, will be replaced by an enterprise which will stir the waiting subsoil with the plowshare of modern agriculture. The Government will have either introduced the telephone and made it as general and efficient as the telegraph now is, or it will have withdrawn its present control over all electrical apparatus and permitted the telephone to be established and used by private enterprise. Commerce, agriculture, and manufacture will be fostered, and labor, in all its forms, dignified and exalted It will be recognized that a manufacturer or a merchant can be at the same time a cultivated and accomplished man, eligible by virtue of his character and attainments to a social rank not inferior to those of the liberal professions and the army. Education will be broadened and more generally diffused; it will be directed more toward the practical every-day studies which teach young men what has been learned and accomplished outside the French frontiers since 1815, and fit them for useful productive lives. The present methods of manufacture will undergo important modifications. There will be a gradual but definite partition of the workshop from the home of the operative, an organization of manufacturing industries upon a larger and more effective scale. In discussing the marked decline in French ribbon exports during the past fifteen years, while those of Switzerland and Germany had increased, it may have been explained by American purchasers of that class of goods that they find the system of ribbon manufacture at St. Etienne too slow and cumbrous for the present requirements of business. In that once busy and prosperous French community the ribbon manufacture is so divided and managed upon so small a scale that the prompt fulfillment of large orders of uniform qualities is almost impossible. So the American or English buyer coming to the continent at the beginning of a season, goes first to St. Etienne, where he purchases a few cartons as patterns, for in taste and beauty of design the French artisans are still in advance of all rivals, and with these patterns he places his large contracts in Switzerland or Germany. All this will be changed in the future if the French ribbon-makers are wise. Instead of working his hand loom in his little third or fourth story domicile, the silk weaver of St. Etienne will labor with hundreds of his fellows in large, well-lighted, warmed, and ventilated factories, provided with motive power. The hand loom will be replaced by the power machine, and the manufacturer will be enabled to take large contracts for early delivery and of uniform quality. Without some of these improvements in organization, an adaptation of facilities to the modern requirements of trade, even the French workmen, with all their admirable skill and taste and frugal industry, will be left behind in the race. The lines of steamships which France has so judiciously fostered and which connect the ports of Marseilles, Bordeaux and Havre with all maritime countries, will no longer pour their cargoes of grain upon open wharves to be covered with tarpaulins and carted away in sacks, but will discharge them into elevators connected by rail with the interior. The great obstacle which now obstructs the progress of this country is routine, a willingness to tread patiently in the paths marked out by the fathers and grandfathers of the present generation. * FRANK H. MASON, UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Marseilles, May 10, 1884. Consul. AMERICAN PRODUCTS IN PALERMO. REPORT BY CONSUL CARROLL. After over a month's observation and "investigation," I have the honor to state that there appears to be a very large field in Palermo, and, indeed, in the whole island of Sicily, for the introduction of American products of nearly all kinds. Comparatively speaking, there are few American products imported into Sicily, notwithstanding exports therefrom to the United States amount to nearly one-half of the aggregate amounts to all other countries. I think this is due to the apathy or indifference of American dealers or manufacturers, or perhaps to their being uninformed as to the existence of an eligible market in Palermo for the sale of almost every conceivable kind of American goods. Taking all the circumstances into consideration, the energy and enterprise of Americans generally in all callings, their usual desire and efforts to extend and introduce their products into all countries, it seems strange that Palermo, and even all Sicily, with direct and comparatively short communication, should have alone been apparently neglected in this respect. There are few industries or manufactories here, and these few are so crude and insignificant for a place so large as Palermo, that nearly everything is necessarily imported, and England, Germany, France, &c., are the beneficiaries in this respect. In consequence of little being produced in Sicily, everything is dear with the exception of wine, the manufacture of which even is only in its incipiency. It is believed that after defraying all expenses attending the shipment of American goods to Palermo, that they would be less expensive. and more satisfactory to purchasers than are those purchased from countries previously referred to, and that this once realized by the people here, who know little or nothing practically of American productions, they would supersede to a large extent those of other countries. As previously stated, it is believed there is an eligible market herefor almost every American product. But, to be more specific, it may be proper to mention that machinery, furniture of all kinds, clocks, watches, agricultural implements, cottons of the medium and lighter grades, carpets, silver-plated ware, lamps of all kinds and styles, gas stoves of various kinds, &c., would have a ready sale here. With a view of enabling those who may be desirous of extending their trade to this port of Italy to form a basis of profits and expenses, I have requested Mr. Belli, the vice-consul, to make a translation of the duties imposed by the Italian Government upon certain articles imported from the United States, which I inclose herein. It is, of course, in a brief report like this impracticable to specify all articles likely to find a market here, and it is still less practicable to go through and translate the entire Italian tariff in order to show the exact duty on each article of importation, but it shall always be a pleasure to me to hold myself in readiness to answer any question in this or any other respect, compatible with my official duties, which may be propounded by those interested. It has occurred to me that the better way, if not the best way, to introduce American goods into Palermo would be to establish a general store in which could be exhibited the various kinds of articles manu factured or produced in the United States, either sending a responsible person from the United States for that purpose or appointing one of that character in Palermo. PHILIP CARROLL, Consul. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Palermo, May 19, 1884. TARIFF ON IMPORTS INTO ITALY. [Inclosure in Consul Carroll's report with dispatch No. 14.] Sugar, first quality, 66.25 lira per 100 kilograms. Sugar, second quality, 53 lira per 100 kilograms. Watches (gold), 3 lira each. Watches of other metals, 1 lira each. Clocks, 5 lira each. Coal, free. Wood for furniture, 2 lira per 100 kilograms. Furniture of common wood, from 7.50 lira to 40 lira (according to the quality) per 100 kilograms. Guns, 600 lira per 100 guns. Revolvers, 350 lira per 100 revolvers. Beer, 15 lira per 100 liters. Beer, 15 lira per 100 bottles. Spirit, 12 lira per 100 liters. Petroleum, 36 lira per 100 kilograms. Cigars (Havana), 30 lira per kilogram. Cigars (other qualities), 20 lira per kilogram. Butter, free. Upon some of the importations there is a small municipal duty imposed in addition to the Government duty. PROPOSED INCREASE OF THE IMPORT DUTIES IN GERMANY. REPORT BY CONSUL-GENERAL VOGELER, of FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN. I have the honor to report that the German Imperial Government has just sent to the Bundesrath the draft of an amendment to the tariff law of 1879, which increases considerably the import duties on a number of articles and imposes duty on others which are now on the free list. This amendment, it is believed, will be adopted by the Bundesrath, whereupon it goes to the Reichstag. Inasmuch as the latter body contains a decided majority of members who favor a protective tariff, it is confidently asserted that the bill will be adopted by that body during its present session without material modifications, and thus become a law within a few months. It is for this reason that I deem it proper, at this early date, to report the material points of the bill, to ponsible g one of L. Consul, ality) per in addition MANY. MAIN. ament has f the tari on a nu the free Bundes he latter protective 1 by tha: and thus: I deem it e bill, to INCREASE OF IMPORT DUTIES IN GERMANY. 13 gether with the arguments ("motives" as they are called in the parliamentary language of Germany) of the Government in support thereof. The Government say: The reform of our tariff system, inaugurated by the law of July 15, 1879, has in a general way brought about the desired results, in this, that it has not only produced à decided increase of revenue, which has greatly relieved the financial situation of the several German States, but has also strongly fostered the industrial activity of the nation. It would, however, contravene the public interests, which the tariff has to serve in the first place if legislation should, as is demanded in some parts, consider the tariff which has now been in force nearly five years as something nearly unchangeable. Such strict adherence to all the provisions of the tariff is forbidden, on the one hand, by the constant development of the manifold industries affected by the tariff; while on the other hand, in many instances, experience alone has enabled a competent judgment as to whether the provisions of the tariff of 1879 have hit the right thing (das Richtige getroffen haben) as well in the classification of the articles as in the height of the several rates. The efforts of the confederated governments to reform the tariff in this sense have not lately been successful, inasmuch as the bills of April 27, 1882, and February 11, 1883, relating to changes of the tariff laws, have not obtained the concurrence of the Reichstag. The confederated governments have therefore desisted from reintroducing these propositions. In like manner other suggested changes of the tariff are, for the time being, withheld on account of the conflict of interests concerned therein (betheiligte Interessen) and of the want of sufficient experience, which can only be obtained gradually. The present draft of an amendment, therefore, confines itself to such pressingly necessary changes of the tariff laws as to which objections of the nature above indicated cannot be urged, and the adoption of which can now be recommended without detriment to more comprehensive measures for the further development of our tariff system hereafter to be considered. The changes proposed are as follows: The duty is increased on- ARTICLE II. Ultramarine (heretofore free) to 15 marks. ARTICLE III. The words "watch materials and watch-works of inferior metals" are to be superseded by the words "works for other but tower-clocks and watches and watch materials of inferior metals." ARTICLE IV. (a.) Embroidered and lace dresses from 900 to 1,200 marks. (b.) Artificial flowers from 300 to 900 marks. Artificial flowers, parts thereof, from 120 to 900 marks. ARTICLE V. (a.) Watches formerly 600 marks per 100 kilograms are now to be assessed by the piece, as follows: Watches with gold or gold-plated cases 3 marks per piece. Watches with cases of other metal 1.50 marks per piece. Watch-works without cases 1.50 marks per piece. Watches, gold or gold-plated, 1.50 marks per piece, Watch-cases of other metal 0.50 mark per piece. ARTICLE VI. (a.) Variegated needle-work from 100 to 150 marks. (b.) Linen laces from 600 to 800 marks. ARTICLE VII. Removes certain articles from the free list, viz, engraved metal plates and lithographic stones with drawings, intended for impressions on paper. ARTICLE VIII. (a.) Sparkling wines in bottles from 48 to 80 marks. (At present all wines pay 48 marks.) (b.) Cacao, in beans, raw, 35 marks; roasted, 45 marks. (At present all kinds are rated at 35 marks.) (c.) Chocolate, ground cacao, and surrogates of chocolate from 60 to 70 marks. *All rates refer to 100 kilograms, equal to 220 American pounds. One mark equal to 23.8 cents. |