New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-06
A PROTEST FROM GERMANY.
REPEAL OF TONNAGE TAX EXEMPTION
OPPOSED.
AMBASSADOR Won THlELMANN'S VIEWS PRE-
sENTED TO THE SENATE COMMERCE COM
MITTEE-A VIGOROUS FIGHT BEING
MADE AGAINST MIR. FRYE's BILL

oENiED ~ IHE srsHhib SS""AHA'>
MITTEE-A VIGOROUS FIGHT BEING
MADE AGAINST MR.. FRYE's BILL
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Washington. March 5.-The hearing pefore the
Senate Committee on Commerce this morning Oh
Mr.. Frye's bill to repeal the existing exemption OF
tonnage tax dues on ships from certain countries
which give like exemption to American snips' ana
applying especially to ships Of Germany ana the
Netherlands brought out a vigorous opposition 70
the measure on the part Of some Senator'S ana IN
dicated that the bill may have stormy passage III
the Senate, H. indeed 1t Is not defeateu Mr. ves''
OF Missouri is the leader of the opposition and ne
found an enthusiastic ally In the person OF senator
E.kns OF West Virginia. II the questions propouho-
ed by that Senator a criterion on whch 10 oAse
the Views he may hold with regard to the measure
1t Is believed that the bill Of Mr.. Frye may DE
amended so as to avoid conflict with the most
favored nation clause Of American treaues' anu ''
IL will be thus reported back to the Senate the
chances being that 1t will remain on the caiehua'
Enacted during the rest OF the SESSION.
Two strong arguments against the Dill were maoe
20 the committee this morning. one by T.. H. boas'
representing the IIamburg-American Packet oo''',
pany and incidentally the North German LLOYD
Line, and the other by W. II. Van Ioon gehera'
agent OF the Netherlands Company. Inc "ei"'"N
Ambassador also fled protest against the pas
sage OF the bill although this protest came through
the medium of the State Department the only ave
nue. Of intercourse with the other branches Oh Tue
General Government open TO the representatives u
foreign Governments. Ambassador Won lh'e''''an''
was asked by Mr.. Frye to appear before the COM
mtee II he desired. but he preferred 10 oea' WIN
the subject through the ordinary diplomatic ena"
mes, and had conference with secretary o'"e'
about the proposed legislation MI. ohey '"e'e
fore sent to the committee an argument, IN wmch
he gave the views of the German Ambassador.
,,ar ., in
says:
As the German Ambassador feels himself unable
to avail himself OF the proffered courtcsy-usans,s
and proprlety making the State Department MS
only medium OF communication with the other de-
partments Of the Gcvernment-he has ASKED me 10 10
give you his views. which have been stated 70 me
orally instead OF by the fuller written communica-
ton he would have been glad to make II longer longer
notice of the hearing had been accorded On Dehd,I
OF the Imperial Government he represents he feels
bound to suggest that the proposed legislation Is
l. His Government cannot acquiesce in the cor
RICHNESS Of the decision OF the Circuit Court OF the
LLOYD Line against the Collector OF Newly orK wnicn
holds tina, the Legislation Clause U
OF the treaty between the two countries: re I'm,
snd po int eat that the adudcaon is by
ferlor court. and not by the supreme Court o! tie
cause Was aca"esced n bS; because negotiations
which terminated favorably were pending retuhd-
ns III lie also alleges and calls attention to the fact
that the United States has heretofore retunueu
panies In VOCATION OF the most favored-hatioon
clause" thus manifesting Its own dsttust Oh ,,e e
doctrine acted upon By the court IN the case we
have mentioned , A.. A.
g. Referring further TO the opinion OF the AZ.
tornev-C;eneril OF the United states cited IN that
decision and to what may be called the geographical
argument therein advanced. he desires the commit
tee 20 consider whether tonnage tax by the I'M
perIal Government all petroleum vesseis nor
coming through the Dardanelles cou.d iairy De re-
garl,i as not being a discrimination contrary 10
the most vorei clause In favor OF Vessis
coming through the DardaneIes without IN ,hc
any circumstances he contemplated ne wishes IL
brought TO the notice OF the committee as All 'i'us-
ration and test Of the principle invoved'
Mr. Boas made elaborate argument against the
repeal OF the tonnage tax exemption ana showed
plainly that such repeal would operate to the as
advantage OF the American producer Dy putting up
freight rates on transatlantic shipments