File No. 5869/226.
The French Chargé to the Secretary of State.
Manchester, August 25, 1909.
Mr. Secretary of State: In a letter under date of August 10 I had the honor to communicate to your excellency some observations which the French Government had been induced to make to you on account of the proposed application of a differential treatment to French products on and after October 31 next.
Not having yet received any reply to this communication, the minister of foreign affairs has asked me to inform your excellency that the minister of commerce would be particularly happy if the conciliatory attitude of the United States Government would, by satisfying to a certain extent the demands of French public opinion, enable him to refrain from applying the general tariff on October 31 next to American products which now enjoy the minimum tariff.
The French Government is far from seeking to use retaliatory measures against American commerce, as they would be of no benefit to anyone, and it does not wish to neglect any effort looking to a commercial understanding between the two countries. It would be happy if the United States Government would appreciate its intentions and facilitate the means of carrying them out.
Therefore the minister of foreign affairs has asked me to request your excellency to kindly examine whether the President of the United States has not some constitutional means of postponing until the extreme expiration date of the reciprocity conventions the enforcement of the duties in the new tariff against French products now admitted under the benefit of section 4 of the Dingley tariff.
I should be thankful to your excellency if you would kindly send me your answer to the letter which I had the honor to write you on August 10 and enable me at the same time to answer the question asked by the minister of foreign affairs.
Please accept, etc.,