Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 77.djvu/395

Rh to assist the officers of the government in the administration of the customs laws.

The scope of this language is much greater than appears on its face. The president in order to be satisfied of the existence of the facts, which are the basis of his proclamation, must have accurate information of the details which go to make up the presence or absence of discrimination on the part of every foreign country which does business with the United States. If the president is not satisfied, then the provision for this immense additional duty of 25 per cent, on the total value of the imported goods, remains in effect. It does not become operative by the action of the president, but continues in force by his omission or failure to act. It is evident that there will be enormous pressure from foreign governments as well as from our own importers to see that the president takes action if he has not already done so. If he is satisfied as to one or more foreign countries, and so proclaims in accordance with the law, the United States at once is in a position to demand fair and reciprocal treatment from the others. The fact that the products of any foreign country may be imported into the United States without the payment of 25 per cent, of their value, provided the president is satisfied that such foreign country makes no discrimination against the United States, is a strong argument, not to say leverage, to induce that foreign country to remove the discrimination and reap the benefit of trade with the United States. This would also be to the advantage of our own producers and manufacturers who desire a foreign market for their products.

A differential, or maximum and minimum, tariff, applicable to countries foreign to themselves, is in force in Argentine Republic, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, Spain and Switzerland. A general tariff rate applicable to all foreign countries is in force in Mexico, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The United States had commercial agreements under section 3 of the tariff law of 1897, with Bulgaria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Cuba. In France changes have been and are now under consideration, making the maximum rate to range from 25 per cent, to 100 per cent, above the minimum.

A brief consideration will disclose the necessity of the president's being correctly and accurately informed as to details in order to become satisfied that a foreign country accords to the products of the United States reciprocal and equivalent treatment. And he must not only be satisfied once, but he must continue to be satisfied in order to have the minimum duties remain. The act provides that so long as the president is satisfied, etc., the articles from such country shall be admitted