Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-03-01

In 1891 we exported to Germany SOL
6S4,9S of domestic merchandise. OF
this, only S6,545, 81, or IA per cent,
consisted Of articles affected by the new
treaty. The only articles which were
formerly subject to duty, but are now
free, are bed feathers. anise. caraway
and cumnin seeds, bark for tanning
and Oleomargarine and similar oily sub
stances.
The duties on wheat and -four. which
were under the old law and 1850
marks, respectively, are now $50 and
40 marks. The old duties were nearly
prohibitive under ordinary conditions.
Since equal reductions are made on
wheat and Hour imported from Austria
Hungary, the advantages which the lat
ter has over the United States ON ac-
count of her close proximity to Germany
will give her the bulk of the trade.
This applies equally to rye and oats.
Under these circumstances We cannot
expect 10 materially increase our exports
of these products to Germany.
To say nothing of the duties imposed,
the Character OF our barley, malt and
hops is such that, as in the past, we will
export none of these products to Ger
many. In TACT, Germany, besides sup
plying her own markets, is 4 large ex-
porter of these articles to Great Britain
and other countries.
The small reduction made in the duties
on sawed lumber and timber prepared
otherwise than by hewing will have very
little favora bic effect on our exports.
The only reduction made in the duties
on live animals is that upon oxen; but
our exports of oxen cannot be large,
since last year only Sill, $40 of all kinds
of cattle Were exported to Germany.
The duty on fresh meats, except pork,
has been reduced five marks. In 1891
we did not export pound of fresh meat.
The reduction of little over one-half
cent per pound in the duty will not
build up any considerable trade.
Germany removed the prohibition
| from American pork on the assurance
of the United States that no diseased
pork would be exported. The high
prices prevailing before American pork
was allowed TO enter, equal to about
twelve cents per pound, stimulated our
trade for a time until the German
farmers reduced the price, when it
again fell off. The high duty, coupled
with the fact hat Germany Is a large
producer of pork, viii naturally pre-
vent our exports from increasing to any
! considerable extent. On prepared meats,
except bacon, and by this is meant all
meats, whether sailed. picked or canned,
the reduction IS one third of a cent per
pound. This may have some favorable
effect on our exports; but the increase
cannot be large. The duty on bacon re-
mains at the cd rate of twenty marks.
On the whole, therefore, the reduc-
tons in duty on less than $6,545, 317 of
our products, in consideration for the
free admission Of over S12, 1911 600 of Ger
man sugar in-o the United States, are
not as large as ought to be made. The
German government was doubtless in
formed that the feeling prevailing among
the people of the United States against
the reimposition o: the duty on sugar
was so strong that our government
would not attempt it, and accordingly
granted the slight reductions noted
above.
|
imposed by the Mckinley bill upon Ger
man products, which in the case of wool
ems, hosiery, cottons and linens frequent
ly ranged from 30 to 100 per cent, it was
useless to expect any great concessions
from that power. Mr.. Blaine was there
fore forced to accept what he could get.
In other words, so far as Germany is con-
cerned, the reciprocity club was not
effectually welded by the United States.
The list of articles prohibited in the
proclamation of the president includes
many things on which no change in the
duty has been made. Thus. raw flax,
bran, horsehair agricultural products
not otherwise provided for, raw hides,
charcoal and wool are free of duty, with
out regard to the country from which
they are imported. Similarly cheese,
fruits and nuts buckwheat, bacon and
all live animals, except oxen, are duti-