New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-05


TALIATION BEING wAGED
| AGAINST THIS COUNTRY.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuNE.I
WASHINGTON March 4-The idosyncrasies Of the
foreign policy of the United States are again Illus
| trated in the action Of the committees on COM
| merce in both houses of Congress in reporting
! what is known as the Tonnage Tax bill. recon-
| mended and in fact prepared by Mr.. Chamberlain.
| the Commissioner of Navigation in the Treasury
! Department.
In 1884 a law was passed imposing a OF three
cents a ton all vessels entering the ports or the
| United States from the West Indies and Central
and South America and six cents a ton on those
that came from the rest OF the world; but as THIS
was considered to shippers and an obstacle
| TO commerce the theory that the patrons and
not the owners of a steamer were required TO pay
| the tax another law enacted in 1885, under which
| the President was authorized to issue procama-
ton informing all the rest Of the earth That the
United States would admit to Its ports free OF all
tonnage dues vessels from every nation when
would extend similar privileges TO the shipping OF
the United States. Under the authority OF this
| s,atute such ARRANGEMENTS made shortly
afterward with Germany the Netherlands. Sweden
| and Norway and their ships have since been al
| lowed to enter the harbors OF the United States
| without paying tonnage dues. The ships OF the
| United States have been allowed TO enter the"s
under similar conditions. But as Great britain nAs
made no such treaty. she continues TO impose taxes
| on American vessels and the United states IMPOSES
| them on hers. The ships from Germany ioi'ahu
and Sweden have therefore had slght ad'a"'"ee
| over the Cunarders the White Star Liners ana
thos. =, the American Company. which have had
y, ma, into the Treasury OF the United States from
| S15 eo to $4,000 year.
CHAMBERLAIN'S CHANGE OF MIND.
| IN his repor; OF 1894 Commissioner Chamberlain
sustains this law and strongly opposes It's repeal
hut IN the last few months he appears 10 nave
changed his mind for in his report for lS" ne says
The theory of the law may be excellent but It's
chant marine The conditions OF our naVsatoi"
render it a complete msapplicatlon Oh IN tne !, VS.
| rIe ~ reciprocity upon which presumably d" "~
| based. .x,os ,ov.
| He shows too that in the seven years VIM" NV
! exnired since the treaty negotiated Ihe'o az
rived In the ports Of the United States %s1 German
snins Of sCsOs37 tons displacement "h'io oH''
| twenty-five American ships arrived IN ".A
or,s IN the course of all those years. representing
only 1868 tons The United States mas 'he'eio'e'
| lost about $4,000 a year in tonnage CUES VIM"
| might have been imposed on German s'eai,''''
| uhue American shipowners have saved only ABOUT
sa1o wear which might have been lihposeu wv"
| them by Germany. Besides, as he says 'neie 10
| ,o,ber noint 10 be considered The ships OF the
| American Line which ply between inc unIe'
States and England. well as those OF the "h''c
Star Cunard and other British lines must pay 'o'
naaa duas because the United States has no treaty
| With
North German Lloyd companies are exempt -
| ,,ough they touch at English ports for cargo ano
,ossengers because their original point OF Depart
| ure is Germany
| GERMANY'S RETALIATION.
| The United States is now threatened win wal
NJ commercial retaliation on the part OF uerniany'
| nrovoked by the United States and due iarseiy 10
the action OF Congress In imposing y,
| du.v upon German sugar although this country hAu
| cred 20
| nrev,ouslv provided Germany would ADMIT Am-'
| loan pork and other agricultural products oi ,'''
, country into her markets. After trying TOT ."oNo
years TO persuade her to do this the uhi'eo STATES
! allowed the treaty to stand three years oii!' a"u
then revoked II peremptorlly without even so much
| as saving "by your leave, or giving 'he "'"H' "0
required by diplomatic etiquette
IT, en-. same way the United states asked Germany
N ion 1t in aboshng tonnage dues. ana she uu ~,
consent to II Until after an extended argument anu
tho use Of considerable persuasion. II this "o'e'"-
mont Is tired Of the arrangement. the poh,e way u
,,a a,out ts termination would be TO INFORM Ter
80 "a other Governments do. under similar
circumstances /, s,.,a,,o ,b,s
arrangement by legislative aeuO' ~ oniv fol-
.hrom9h the usual diplomatic claihc!s, - oi''y
riu The precedent set by the last congress ~iiIcs
knocked the reciprocity arrangements ~ ''e''' "
S Whe the United States is irving to exend ds
LIE Tor lis products In foreign JANUS au ue ,
niarkets io h.an Transportation for the beneht OF
H.anue and manufacturers. its Government rs CON
tinuay PiT Pc, nxcuses 10 transportation companies
for advancing rates he Isar on the steamships
hP5 carry American farm products 10 Uer,u ma y;
II stands to reason that ms o h The treasury of
the pionshin company. which Will ADD rev cents cents
more TO every pound o. ans 20 nav about $50 90 tax
the the nose Of Sweden and Norway about 'i'o.
a"N ,,,u COMMERCE. WITH GERMANY.
-...,,,ar,e Of the United States with Germany
80, vear amounted to N72'S4Sla2' OF WHO" o'',
eco NJ or three-tenths OF per cent was Ca
In American vessels Inc eonll'e,ue o., s.s ~, COX
r,a,as with the Netherlands amounted 70 |ao'i''''
~ ..h,ch only sss34s or two-tenths OF ! per cen',
OF wai,r, e1 in American vessels The commerce o,
the United sae 800 % of which only se4o three
tentSs of / per cent. was carriea III '"e'O
ve Tsere Is no regular with mer
Holland a and , S@e Tne s states therefore
an,irey dependent Oh the vessels oi ',,o ueH "a
ne taHspOsasGeea o' vssses Which visit
,hrjp ports are tank stameTs peiyms a et roeum
90 p o ent Of to those countries
and r an carr rHe more than
which oa are cent to Of the agricultural products Of the
United states consumed on the eoItnen ar 1l COM
While Of this + "c country feel serious dree,
age from ,r tnt to the cost Of the ansporta
ton Of American products tne Which the Gov
viii ada So egnsny already fees because OF Amer.
an treatnen OF its sugar. and VIII Shly =, q a
.hn rar Of commercial retaliation WHICH IL 10 INA"
ing against this country o,o,s and ners,,a slye
Mr.. baynh German Government when he asked
e',er s with the United states into TINS ar
II 70 onnt and asked the United states Am
sriIn 40 be pleased to tender TO the MIi,is.el
Foreign ~, the falsss States and their de-.
iriehoS ,reat The commerce and the nag OF ger.
many with the fullest rec.PIoGiy, Without any
an notic notice without explanation or apoos.
he United states withdraws from an G Seness
NTH an