New-York tribune., 1896-12-04

Isss-A VIGOROUS PROTEST
EXPECTED FROM THE
KAIsERs GOV
ERNMENT
Washington. Dec. 3-There is reason to antici.
pate further break in friendly relations be-
tween the United States and Germany The
President to-day issued the following important
proclamation of retaliation for unfriendly acts
Of the German Government:
Whereas. BY a proclamation OF the President
or the United States. dated January ~, 1883
upon PROOF then appearing satisfactory that no
tonnage or lighthouse dues. or any equivalent
tax or taxes whatever were imposed upon
American vessels entering the ports OF the En-
pre- or Germany, either by the Imperial Gov
ernment or by the Government of the German
Maritime states and that vessels belonging to
the United States Of America and their cargoes
were not required i'm German ports to pay any
Zee or due of any kind or nature. any import
due higher or other than was payable by Ger
man vessels or their cargoes in the United
States, the President did thereby declare and pro-
claim, from and after the date Of his said proca-
nation Of January 26. 1S>S the suspension Of
the collection of the whole of the duty OF per
cent per ton, not to exceed 30 cents per ton per
annum imposed upon vessels entered In the
ports Of the United States from any Of the ports
or the Empire OF Germany by Section IL Of the
Act OF Congress approved June 3D. 1886 en-
titled: AN Act to Abolish Certain Fees for Of
Amend the laws Relating to Shipping Commis-
sioners Seamen and Owners of Vessels, and for
Other Purposes
And whereas. The President did further de-
clare and proclaim in his proclamation Of Janu.
AIRY 26 1>SS that the said suspension should
continue so long as the reciprocal exemption OF
vessels belonging 70 citizens Ct the United
States and their cargoes should be continued In
the said ports of the Empire OF Germany and
no longer:
And whereas 1t now appears upon satisfactory
Il 4, hone It,4c taO
taxes equivalent thereto are i'm fact imposed
upon American vessels and their cargoes entered
in German ports highe.' and other than those inn
POSED upon German vessels or their cargoeS en-.
tered in ports of the United States, so that said
proclamation Of January ~. lSSS. in its opera
tion and effect contravenes the meaning and In.
tent of said Section II of the act of Congress ap-
proved June ~. 1855:
Now. therefore. /. Grover Cleveland. President
of the United States of America. by virtue OK
the aforesaid Section ~ of the act aforesaid. as
we'll as in pursuance of the terms OF said pr0cla-
nation itself. do hereby revoke my said procla-
nation OF January 2i 1SsS suspendng the col.
lection of the whole of the duty Of q cents per
ton. not TO exceed 30 cents per ton per annum
(Which is imposed by the aforesaid section OF said
acU upon vessels entered in the ports of the
United States from any of the ports of the Ger
man Empire: this revocation of said proclama.
ton to take effect and after the second day OF
January 1877.
IN witness whereof have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal Of the United States
to be affixed.
Done at the City OF Washington, this third day
of December, in the year of Our Lord one thou.
sand eight hundred and ninety six. and OF the
independence OF the United States the one hun.
dred and twenty-tirst
(SeaL) GROVER CLENELAND.
BY the President:
RICHARD OLNEY, Secretary Of State.
MANY EVIDENCES OF uNFRIENDLINEss.
Evidences of an unfriendly disposition on the
part of the German Government toward the
United States have been accumulating ever since
the differential duty on bounty-patd German
beet sugar was imposed by the Wilson tariff law.
American cattle have been excluded on the pre-
text of danger OF contagion from Texas fever.
which cannot exist in northern climates. Ameri-
can hog products have been excluded even
though cooked and inclosed in cans, on the alle-
CATION that these cooked products might contain
trichinae which cannot exist in cooked food.
Discriminating and prohibitve duties against
American oleomargarine glucose and petroleum
and many other exports which formerly went to
the German Empire have followed after the
other All these matters have been made the
subject OF vigorous protest from this Govern
ment much of the correspondence having been
conducted by Mr.. Uhl. now Ambassador in Ber-
lin while he was Assistant Secretary OF State.
Mr. Uhl is. therefore, particularly well qualified
grow more tense.
Ii is not believed that the German Government
will consent to the imposition Of discriminating
tax on German vessels without at least more
vigorous protest than has yet been made. The
German contention. 1t is understood is that the
tax complained of in the Presidents proclama-
ton is not imposed solely on American vessels,
but on vessels Of all natonaities, including Ger
man vessels The. revenues arising from the
tax are not covered into the Imperial Treasury.
but become the property of the several States
within whose jurisdiction TIE tax is laid and by
whom the money is used to improve their harbors
in order to facilitate the loading and unloading
of vessels 1t is argued that il Germany should
rescind this tax so far as American vessels are
concerned. ii would at once call forth protest,
not only from England, France and other Euro
pean Powers whose vessels would still be SUBJ
ject to taxation. but from German shippers as
well.
Mr. Won Reichenau. the Charge d'Affaires Of
the German Embassy. declined TO express an
opinion this afternoon regarding the Presidents
proclamation He simply stated In a general
way that the matter had been the subject of cor
respondonce for some time. but that he could not
anticipate what action the Imperial Government
would take with reference to the proclamation,
nor did he care to express opinion regarding
II.
DIPLOMATISTS INTENSELY INTERESTED.
News of the issues Of the Presidents retalia-
tory proclamation against Germany re-
ceivcd with intense interest by the Diplomatic
Corps, especially by the Ambassadors OF Great
Britain and France An inkling of the inten.
tion had reached them ten days ago. and had
been communicated to their respective Govern
ments. Both Ambassadors have been diligently
looking up the official literature bearing on the
subject. which is both interesting and pointed
The reimpostion OF tonnage dues on German
vessels Is understood to be due to quiet in
vestigatlon conducted during the last year by
Mr. Chamberan United States Commissioner