The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-04
THE PORK CONTROVERSY.
Prominent American-German Ed
itor Advocates Retaliation.
Effect of Germany's Policy on the Ameri-
can Market-The Outbreak of Triohi-
niasis at Tiisit, Germany.

CHICAGO, May 3.-In an interview to-day
upon the pending controversy over the i'm
portation of pork into Germany and the
action taken by Minister Sargent, Hermann
Raster, editor of the Stats Zeitung, one of
the oldest and most influential journals of
its class in the country, contends that the
action of the German government is due
solely to the failure of the American Con-
gress to guard against such a move He
states that few weeks before Congress ad-
journed he had a certain resolution intro
duced to the effect that the President should
be empowered, in case any foreign country
prohibited the Importation of American
products before the meeting of
the next Congress, to retaliate by pro-
hibiting the importations of the products of
that country, but Congress adjourned with
out taking action. The mere threat of re-
taliation would have been sufficient to have
prevented any such law being thought Of
Said the gentleman: You are iii favor of
retaliation, then?'
II am in favor of retaliation on an all Ger
man imports, if necessary. ! do not consider
that any protest even is necessary. 1t would
be sufficient for tine government to say: You
have prohibited the i'm portation of our pork;
the importation of all your exports
But if a pretext is wanted, it is not
necessary to institute any investigation.
Their own courts furnish evidence enough
that some of their own wine is adulterated,
and that would be sufficient warrant for
the prohibition OF it all. 1t would be sufi-
Gent for the government to say: Some of
your hosiery contains poisonous dyes, and
we mean to protect our people against
danger from them by the total prohibition
OF their Importation
DO you believe sanitary reason had any
thing to do with the action of the German
government?
"Pshawl The German government knows
very well that any trichine they have in
Germany they get from German swine. I
look upon their action as an insult to this
country"
The gentleman asserts that the German
government sent commissioners here to find
out how American swine are killed, and
without waiting for report adopted meas
ures clearly showing that a pretext only was
desired. He did not know what effect retail
alton would have now, but he believed in
trying it in any event. He finally declared
that If the President or Congress would stand
against the German government it would re-
ceive the sanction of the entire American ma
ton, including practically every German
American IN the land, among whom the
sentiment was general that Bismarck does
not rule this country, and should have the
fact demonstrated to him in an unmistakable
way.
Philip D. Armour, one of the most extern
sive packers in the West, asserts that the
prohibition of American pork by Germany
has barely visible effect upon trade in COM
parison with other foreign shipments; but
| he expresses the hope that the United States
| will adopt retaiatory measures, as the policy
of the German government is manifestly ar
bitrary and not honest.