The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-06
Nay Cause the President to
Write a Special Message.
CONGRESS UNWILLING TO ACT.
Europe Might Not Be Satisfied With
Repeal Of Discrimination.
Encouraged by This Success. Germany
and Aastria Might Demand Free
Admissien Of Sugar. to the Finan-
eiai Injury OF navemsysr. the Dsnss
cratic Leader.

Washington City. Jan. 5.--The protest. a
Austria against the American discrimfuat-
Ing duty on sugar. suppienentsnr as ID
does similar action by Germany. is ysvino
the administration grave concern An evi.
denee OF this was q conference today. laxt>
ing about an hour, between Sccresarv
Gresham Secretary Carlisle and Attor-
ney General oIney. Secretary Gresham il
concerned in the subject from a sfiplo~
matte point Of view. Secretary Carlisle il
Interested in the effort of possible Setalla-
tion upon the revenues Of the governs
ment, and upon the attorney general de-
wolves the duty of giving an opinion oe
the legality of the proposed movement of7
the government.
The Austrian minister undertakes to
show in the first place that the imposi-
tian OF the differential duty OF lilo OF =
Gems per pound on Austrian sugar Is ius
violation of article Of the treaty of lss0
between the United States and Austria-
Hungary. Then Ii is asserted that the
exchange or notes preceding the recspror-
ity agreement under he Mckinley acs
established new basis of commercial ra~r
latious. and that Austria Hungary con.
ceded to the United States the same res.
ductien of duties that II granted to ether
countries, under what ~ known as the
most favored nation clause The Aus.
TRAN minister also shows that the assess.
ment OF a bounty On sugar produced In
Austria Is not the act of the imperial gov~s
ernment, but Is entirely a provincial az
fair. and so corresponds to the independ~
cut action Of any Of our states. Inassnuch
as the bounty system of Austria differs
from that OF Germany. IL was contenxleH
that the same construction which put thm
differentiai tariff On German sugar did
not apply to Austrian sugar. But whom
this question came formally before Secrc-
tary Carlisle. upon an inquiry from si1oD
collector OF customs at Baltimore. the sec-
retary disposed OF the contention IN these
words. In letter dated August a. 1ast1
eThe department Is In receipt OF your ieS-
ter OF the 18th inst. in which you reQuese
to be informed whether foreign countries
grant a direct or indirect bounty on sugar.
In reply have to state that GermanH
and Austria Hungary grant. by Law. d.
rect hounties on sugar. and that unden
the operations OF the laws OF France, Bal
gium. Denmark and Netherlands. provid~
ing for the remission OF the internal rev.
enue taxes on beet sugar used In the pro-
ducsion OF exported sugar. indirect bo0n-
ties may apparently be earned BY the ex.
porters."
This letter not only disposed CT Ger.
many and Austria. but held subject to Ad-
ditional taxes sugar coming from four
other European countries. 1t may be n,cro
than coincidence that each of these four
countries has begun tho application Of 10
strictions upon the importation OF Amert-
can cattle or other food products. Tho
a.
the belief. which Is entertained by the ai-
ministration. that 1t is well nien hopeless
to appeal to congress for aid. If It -
finally held by the administration that
the sAgar duty is discriminating dutys
there Will probably be another appeal To
congress TO repeal It. but IL II IL held 70
be a fair tax, and no; In coatrasertion -
| the favored nations clause. the case rrob-
| ably will be one requiring executive ac-
| tion.
The figures collected by the treasury de-
| partuient bearing upon this subject show
| that during the past fiscal year the irn-
ports of beet root sugar into the United
| States from Europe amounted In value To-
| SIS ca, 900. Germany stands first In the
| list. with 81 boo. 900: Belgium comes sec-
| ond. with ss,s7T, 800. Austria third. with
| 81 5on eoo. France, fourth. with st2s oo0. and
the Netherlands fifth, with s5ss.ooo. All o&
| this sugar came into the United states
| last year duty free. and Il Is eontendcst
| that the effect or the differentiai OF Lilo oE
! / cent per pound, Ia addition 10 IN. duty
| of 20 per cent levied On all sugar, viii be
| 20 prohibit ihc traffic.
There are, IL IL learned otser disturbing
elements entering into our re.ationa with
| continental European powers which un-
| tloubteasy have had the effect to afimu4ato
the retaIiasory policy adopted by them.
One OF these. discussed at this mornings
conference, was the status Of the agents
or this government stationed In Europe 10
carry out the quarantine laws. When
| there seemed 10 be great danger Of the tn-
PRODUCTION OF cholera into the Hnite0
States last summer medical officers weFU
| placed at this principal European ports
and under the terms OF the act OF 1ssx
they we're required to make sure that Tho
vessels cleared for the United States wera
| free from ali traces Of diseases.
| The French government protestN3
against the presence OF our medical
representatives. The Gerusans did not 80
/ 30 far at that time. bat they Resented
| this operations on their soil OF the agents
| OF the foreign governments who were not
| cithed with diplomatic poSerx. In tho
/ end they protested atrongly, and have
| gone 50 far as to intimate that II tho
! provisions of pending legislation wticb
| nterrpsate a stsii further extension of
| the inspection pFinc;pie 20 Immigrants
/ are carried out they VIII not isarrnit them
/ TO operate. As this threat was TO abso-
lategy nuIlify any effort that the United
States government may make 20 exctuxte
ernlgrants OF the most dangerous class
and also 20 expose the people Of the
/ United States 10 Infection from cholera
| the matter Is regarded as fun Of gravity
The conferences triay dsd not result Ii
| defining any iinc Of policy. and it Is be-
lisyesi possible that the president win
/ feel obliged To lay the matter before con-
gress In = special message. 70 sappie-
ment the efforts OF the adninsasra4i0m
in congress 20 pass the sugar repeal bin
r,ow pending. II may be stated. how-
| ever that rot all Of the members OF the
cahlne, ara confident thsst the enactment
| OF fnese rneasares will afford the refsef
| hoped for and tn sUsne quarters theirs
| IL an abiding belief that the real objecf
/ Of the European combine is 10 bremk
down the entire sugar schedule ard -.
cure fr1e sugar as the price for the -
mission of American food productA