The Monticellonian., 1895-01-11
GROWING SERIOUS.

Continental Europe Combining Against tho United States for Gross Errors of Oue Congress in Enacting Legislation in Cons
 travention of International Law-Secre-
 tsry Gresham, Attorney-GencraI OIney
 and Secretary Carlisle in Consultation. WASHINGTON, Jan. 7@Every indie3s tion points to a combined move on the part of continental European powers to resent the alleged violation of treaty provisions embodied in the discrimina- ting duty levied against German beet sugar because of the German bountics given to German sugar producers un- der German law.
 The German government especially is exhibiting remarkable ingenuity in calling the attention of the United States to the errors of it's congress in enacting legislation in contravention to the principles of international law, the most recent instance being a pro test presented by the German ambas- sador against an alleged unwarranted perversion of consular prcrogatives.
 This new protest which has just been presented, caused conference between Secretary Gresham, Attorney General 0lney and Secretary Carlisle Saturday, after which Secretary Gresham spent some time with the president, but it is not understood that final conclusion as to the course of this government was reached.
 As far as can be definitely learned, Germany claims that the rights, privi- leges, immunities and duties of her consular agents and those of the United States holding office in the re- spective countries are rigidly defined in the treaty of December H., 1871, which was negotiated and ratified solely for that purpose. However, congress has by the quarantine act of February 15, 1893, and others, it is claimed, imposed duties upon consuls in Germany which were not contem- plated by the treaty and which are therefore in violation of the agreement by the two countries.
 The quarantine act which the Ger man government objects to, provides a fine of &, 1000 for any vessel which shall enter or attempt to enter a port of the United States without a bill of health, signed by the American consul, or the medical officer of the American marine hospital service where such officer has been detailed by the president for the purpose at the foreign port from which the vessel cleared.
 It is also understood that Germany charges upon the United States viola tions of the treaty obligations in the respect that treaties entered into with German countries, since incorporated into the German empire, gave to Ger man citizens the right to frequent all the coasts and countries of the United States without obstruction, and ito reside and trade there with the same rights and privileges of the most favored nations.
 Germany claims that these treaties, though of ancient date, have been ab- solutely observed by the German em- pire and are now being violated by the United States.
 Not only Belgium, but France, also is following Germany's lead A ship ment of 800 cattle from the west to Bordeaux, France, is now in quaran- tine, in New York, because the French consul refused to certify to their inn munity from "Texas fever" or some other imaginary disease.
 So little trouble was anticipated with regard to shipments to France that bills of lading on the cattle were discounted by New York banks. Nevertheless, the cattle are still in New Jersey stock yards, with small prospects of ever making an ocean trip.
 On all hands it is admitted that the interruption of foreign trade growing out of the alleged violation of treaty. obligations with Germany in regard to beet sugar is growing to be a serious matter.