Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-08-14
TARIFF WAR is ON
Dr. witts VIII Resign Il the Car
Abandons il.
THE AMERICAN CONGRESS
cisvelAnd's Message stirred Up the
noarse--une~sine~a IN Germany
Commercial sitaatioa.
THE AMERICAN CONGRESS

mItfee composed OF delegates from ths
federated states will meet In Berlin i'm.
mediately upon the eompletion Of the
holiday leave. IN Ssptembef, with DIR.
MIGUEL. frussian minister Of financn
The semi official announcement from
Frankfort that thseonferencs which was
recently IN session there bad agreed 10
the general principles 81 tho new taxa.
ton plan 10 not credited here. In beat
informed quarters quito Tho contrary 10
believed Dr. MIGUEL. It Is said. found
considerable opposition 10 each leading
proposal Of the scheme.
The South German finance ministers
objected 10 the wine tax. while the other
finance ministers opposed the tar on
manufactured tobacco Consequently
DIR. Miguel viii negotiate compromise.
according to the terms OF which the wine
tax will be dropped. provided the duty
on tobacco be accepted. thus increasing
the ratio OF the value OF tobacco. The
inland excise duty nov lsVied by weight
viii be abolished. thus making free of all
restrictions the cultivation Of tobacco.
Tariff on Tobacco.
foreign importer il that providing for
reduction Of tho tariff on imported to-
baccos. The proposal IL made with a
view to preventing tho inferior nntivc
products from crushing those Of superior
quality grown abroad out Of the market.
Minister Miguel also desires that q tax
be placed upon advertisements and on
matches. besides the imposition Of fur
Their tax on bourse transactions. The
reichstag. il Is expected, will burst into
flame over the proposals touching to-
bacco, matches and advertisements.
Count Won Schouvalon, the Prussian
ambassador TO Germany, has gone to
St Petersburg 10 try TO counter the
anti German policy OF DR.. Witte. the
| Russian finance minister.
| General Won Werder, the German am
bassador 10 Russia. has been granted an
audience by the czar. He was accom-
panied by Count Won Schouvaloi and
both OF them urged that a commercial
entente be concluded between Russia
and Germany.
witte May Resign
1t il reported that DR.. witte, after the
interview declared to tho czar that he
would resign his Office IL the tariff war
with Germany was abandoned without
concessions being made by Germany.
DIR. witte is strongly supported by the
imperial council. and the czar was OBJ
liged to give way to him in tho matter.
| Thereupon DIR. Witte authorized semi
official announcement by the press yes
terday that the Berlin cabinet would be
forced TO accept the Russian conditions
before a commercial entente could he
1 oh utr he Lat. a.. -
the struggle thus justify the official
warnings issued here TO the public not
TO trust reports that settlement OF tho
| tariff troubles was close at hand
On Thursday the emperor signed a
decree adding 80 per cent to the duties
collected on finished products imported
into Germany. This increased tariff
will practically cause the ruin OF the
leading branches OF trade in Finland
Watching American Congress-
The proceedings Of the American con-
gress are watched with keen interest
here. President Cleveland's message
gave bourse operators in this city and
elsewhere in Germany the impression
that silver was doomed. and this caused
heavy drop in the values Of Mexican
securities
There was intense and general IN
easiness over the commercial situation
in America The apparent strength Of
the silver men In Washington, coupled
with the rise in the price Of silver, led TO
reaction OF opinion. and Mexican go
curities have recovered three points
since Thursday, even though ii is as-
serted that agents in Mexico OF the
Bleichroders the well-known German
bankers, have information Of an in
tended reduction in the rate OF interest
now paid on Mexican bonds. The adj
vance by tho Reich bank Of it's discount
rate Of B per cent means determination
to prevent drain OF gold from Ger.
many. Inquiries for gold from Austria
assisted to hasten tho decision OF the
Reich bank 10 raise its discount rate
II demand for gold through an inter
national bank shows marked increase,
the Reich bank will again raise its dis
count rate.
Wants q Quiet Inception.
The proposed visit in September OF
Cardinal Ledochowski. project IL the
congregation Of the propaganda Eide to
Berlin and Posen. the first time ho viii
have visited those cities since he was
exiled 10 1873. IL exciting all catholic
Germany. Tho cardinal wants tho
quietest kird OF reception. but the
Prussian catholics are determined 70
give him a public ovation. The author.
tiles at Posen and Guesen. thirty miles
from Poeon. are preparing a series Of
fetes to be held In his honor. All tho
fetcs are sanctioned by the government.
Emperor William will entertain the
cardinal during bic stay Ia Berlin.
The paralysis from which the duke Of
Saxe- Coburg and Gotha 10 suffering IL
extending. The physicians Who ara in
attendance upon hira have notified the
duke ~ Edinburgh. second son 81 Queen
Victoria. who is the heir apparent % the
dukedom. that the dukes condition "a
critical Emperor William will return
10 Berlin on Monday Tor the purpose Of
reviewing the guariG