The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-12-19
wANTED--PORK.

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Der of Commerce to Bismarck that
the restrictions upon the importation
of American hog products into Ger
many may be removed, is not, &C
cording to our press report, the only
one that will reach the table Of the
/ German Chancellor. The fact. as
stated, that American pork enters
largely into the diet of German
workingmen, may have but little in
fuence with Bismarck, but the other
fact that the United States may inn
pose such a tariff upon German
stockings and other knit goods as
effectually to prohibit their exporta-
ton from that country may cause
him to consider the petitions in a
favorable light. Germany may get
along very we'll withouO American
pork, but she would dislike very
much to lose the $1,000, 900 annually
which American consumers of her
Knit goods pour into the country.
The one proposition touches the
purse of the people, the other simply
tickles their palate.
The joint resolution recently intro
duced in Congress providing that the
President may, during the ces of
that body, interdict the importation
of any German goods which, in his
opinion, is detrimental to the health of
the people, may have exercised some
influence with the German boards of
commerce in suggesting their petit
tons. This prohibition of the inn
portation OF any given class of goods
by any: nation is a game which two
can play at. It was suggested last
winter that Congress should take
notice of Bismarck's Introduction of
American pork, in the enactment of
retaliatory measures. But no steps
were taken to perfect it. The case is
quite different now. The American
people are in no humor to endure
longerthe churlishness of the German
Chancellor. The President threw
some light on the matter in his recent
message. It seems Germany has
been invited to send experts to this
country to examine for themselves
whether American hog products con-
tain trichina. The invitation was re-
fused. Since that invitation was given
trichnosis has appeared in several To-
calities in Germany where q pound of
American pork was never seen. This
fact has shaken the faith of the peo-
pie in the theory OF those who as
serted that the consumption Of
American pork Was the cause Of the
dread disease.
This is one reason why the demand
for our hog products is being revived.
Another is France has removed the
embargo, and is now ready to re-
ceive importations of the meats. The
German peasantry cannot under
stand why they should be deprived
of what their neighbors r permitted
to enjoy. While these facts are
fully recognized and understood by
Bismarck, and their full force es-
timated, they will have little or no
influence with him in determining
his action in the matter. The fear Of
retaliatory measures upon the part of
the United States Government may,
however, produce a change in his at
titude towards the prescribed hog.
He doubtless knows that the export
alton Of hog products from this
country to France and Germany
amounted to $50, 900 900 the year be-
fore those nations prohibited their
further importation, and that Ger
many paid at least half that sum.
But he cannot make his people be-
lieve they were losers by the trade,
nor can he ~dispossess them of the be-
liet that the United States Govern
ment may cut them off from the So
$1,000 which they now receive for
them unless a more liberal policy be
pursued toward American hog pro-
ducts by the German Chancellor.
Hence we say his Office will be filled
with petitions of which the one from
the Bremen Chamber of Commerce
is but the forerunner. The German
want American pork, and
they will have it if petitions will
bring it to their kitchens.