New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-06
GERMANY.
THE SESSION OF THE CUSTOMS PARLIAMENT
CLOSED-wHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED
tFRoN ORR owns CORRESPONDENCE

CLOsED-wHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
IFRoM OUR own CORRESPONDENCE
BERLIN June 23.-It is quite unnecessary for me at
this late day to detail the great advantages that
have accrued to Germany from the protection of
German industrial interests by the Customs Union.
At the close of the session of the Customs Parliament
of last year. a majority believing the end had been
nearly attained for which the protection tariff was
designed that German industry had been sufficiently
secured from foreign competition, recommended con-
siderable reduction of duties imports. The
Council of the Customs Union, of course at the
dictation of the Pmssian Government during ITS
present session resolved to comply with the desire OF
the Parliament and passed and transmitted to that
House two bills, one amending the tariff
of 1866, the other relating TO the taxation of
su gar BY the first of these bills, among the
imports to be relieved of duty arc raw cotton.
gross lead tin and zinc wares. certain drugs and
chemical preparations excluding alcohol, linen, am
moniac stone COAL chiccOry aplOca, oxen and beasts
of burden sheep and young cattle AS 10 the reasons
for abolisbing duties on lead and tin wares. give
YOU the words of the memorial of the Council The
Customs Union belongs to the most important lead
producing countries, and to lead wares has been
constantly increasing exporting country. The
port of all articles here referred 10 is many times
greater than the imports. The retention of the duty
on such articles is therefore financially unimporant
and is not required upon them as important for IN
dustrial consumption" "1he abolition Of duty on
zinc in rolls aud plates as well as spelter and tin
wares is recommended for similar to those IN
favor of the discharge of lead wares from duty The
ground for freeing stone coal from duty given by
the memorial is this according TO article of tho
treaty of commerce of May %. 1860, with Belgium,
freedom from duty on stone coal has been conceded
TO that State, which thereby conferred the same
right as TO the imports from those countries which
by treaty could claim the rights Of the
most favored nation. As the tariff positively
imposed duty of One-half and one-third
of a silver groschen per cwt. the Customs officers
have frequently been in doubt whether stone coal
coming from countries not specially mentioned a.
entitled 10 freedom from duty should be subject 10
duty not lt has therefore appeared adyisable 10
bring the tariff in harmony with the actual state OF
affairs by the repeal of the duty altogether on stone
coal"
The important articles upon which 10 was proposed
to reduce the duties three-Tce cotton yarn ana
iron. Rice" says the memorial, : ~ Widely eN
tended means Of nOuTishment which has especially
found favor among the less Opucnt classes and great
stress is be laid upon the fact that II can only he
employed TO a constantly increasing extent when IL
becomes. as il were completely natuIallzed among
us as only then il form available increase 0f
the means of support III case OF an unlaEoIaDle
harvest. The importance OF rice as an aruclc OF
food has led most States either 10 admit IL Tree OF
duty, to impose only very trifing duty upon IT.
In the Customs Union the contrary rce ~ subject
in proportion to ITS value STAT thalers. to very
high duty thaler."
The duty proposed was half thaler. The duty
on yarn was chiefly on cOlOred, and was imposed To
favor domestic Lighthouses. "Dyeing.' says the me-
mortal, has i'm the Union been so well developed
that it no longer needs protective tar" But what
was OF more Importance than anything else contained
in this amended tariff bill is the reduction OF duties
on raw iron and steel. Avery cOnsdeIaDie IeI uc
Look at the following table OF the iron production III
cwt, in the Customs Union for the years lSG3-leGG