, 1891-12-13
The Weeks news In Berlin.

Copyrighted 1891 by n. Y. Associated Press.
BERLIN, Dec. l2.-The treaties of com
merce are now practically passed in prinei-
pie and detail by almost the unanimous
nous voice ofthe reichstag. The minority
drawn from the Ultra Conservatives and
members OF the r%eichspartel who opposed
the proposed measures, found themselves
too feeble either to divide on the first
reading or to try to cause n delay by
referring the treaties to a committee.
Chancellor Won Caprivi caused it to
become known that he would brook no
dallying in the committee and that the
details Of the treaties would in no way be
modified. In the language Of compliment
acceptance, Herr Singer, a Socialist;
Prince Won hatfield and Baron Man
%teuffel, Conservatives; Herr Oechethauser,
a National Liberal; Herr Rlckert, a Fret
%sinnige; Herr Oerterer. a Centrist. and
Herr Decker, a Guelph, supported the
treaties.
In the course Of a recent interview
with the editor of Lubbock EiseRbdhn
ZeiUung, Prince Bismarck accused the
government of hurrying the treaties.
The prince would not take part in the de
bates because the members of the reich
stag had not been given sufficient time to
study the proposals. Referring to the
inscription supreme lex regis voluntas''
placed in the golden book OF Munich by
Emperor William and to the other recent
autocratic utterances of his majesty,
Bismarck said he had never been a sup
porter of absolutism and regretted the
emperor had made such expressions.
The ARrariah papers continue their en-
deavors to keep up a fiction that Ameri-
can pork Is diseased. DR. Breakbusch, a
noted scientist, has made public the re-
suits of the examinations of 3 600 speci-
ments of American pork. He found
traces of trIehinae IN about % per cent of
the specimens when passed through his
hands. He experimental with cats and
dogs, trying to infect them by feeding
them with the diseased meats, but failed
entirely. This. the doctor considers a
positive proof that trichinae survives but
a short time after the death of the in
tected animal.
The chancellor dwelt upon the necessity
of passing the treaties before Christmas
The results of their operation, he de
clared, would soon show that no prefer.
ence had been given to the other indus
tries over that of the agr%iculturist. He,
with great difficulty, had kept the corn
duties as high as 81 marks. Chancellor
Won Caprivi concluded his address by
announcing the government. in view of
the meeting OF the dearth of labor in the
rural districts. was preparing amendments
to the laws relating to the maintenance and
housing of the rural laborers.
Upon the conclusion Of the chancellors
speech the reichstaE decided to take a
second reading of the treaties in full sit
ting of the house. On bourse the opin,
inion is that the general conventions will
have little effect upon the general aspect
of business for a long time to come. The
term zolIverein as applied to treaties is
considered a misnomer. Each of the five
states contracting, while making some
concessions, retains a string of heavy
duties against the others.
The value of the measures can only be
shown by time. The new tariffs when
announced hardly caused a momentary
throb on the bourse. In Vienna, how
ever. the prospect of an increase in vari.
GUS ~trafics under the new tariffs led to a
large buying Of railroad securities and
gave a general impetus to business,