New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-10
A REPORTED OBJECTION.

The statement that Germany has formally
nrotested against the proposed Tariff bill on ac-
count Of its sugar schedule will hardly tend 10
produce the effect desired. No hostility to Ger
many has prompted the shaping OF n measure
to provide needed revenue for the United states
Government and to give needed defence 10
American industries. The measure Is so framed
as to apply equally to several nations which In
effect pay bounties on beet-sugar exports. This
Nation has quite as much occasion to regard
their payment Of bountles as an unfriendly inva-
sion Of our market and an attack upon our IN
dustries as either Of them can have to consider
a counterbalanclng duty an injury to Its inter-
ests. Probably not many Senators or Repre-
sentatlves will be anxious to go home after a
vote in favor Of German and against American
interests, II the German Government bluntly de-
mands such a vote from them. The people Of
this country have been in the habit Of supposing
that they were sufficiently free to make their
own revenue laws without consulting any for
eign potentate.
But 1t is said, with an air Of alarm, Germany
can retallate terribly by excluding American
products from that country. Well, If our Ger
man friends choose to make their own bread and
bacon moro costly it is their right to do so. But
obvious as some suppose. All foreign countries
taken together require about n certain quantity
of food and other supplies from US in order to
live and that because there are no other sources
from which they can get what they need. If
Germany pleases to take larger part OF the
outside supply, and at higher price, II seems
tolerably clear that a smaller part Of that out
side supply will be left for other consuming coun-
tries, which will therefore be obliged to buy as
much more from us. and very likely to pay a
little higher price also. Americans can prob
ably stand it, If Germans can. 1t is within the
power Of the German Government to require Its
subjects to raise more wheat and more pork, In
stead Of buying somewhere else at less than the
cost Of production in Germany. But making
food dearer than in other countries with which
German industries are competing may have
something to do with the success Of those indus
tries. 1t is their affair, and they are at liberty
IL they choose to attend their own funeral.
This country Is fortunately Independent as
to food supplies. 1t has decided to secure for
itself home supply Of sugar. if It can do so
with economical success. TO that end it has
full right to exclude foreign beet sugar alto
gether, or to place such duties upon bounty-paid
from defeating the plans and prostrating the
industries Of this Nation. II is not within the
right Of any other Power TO dictate to the United
States In that matter, or to regard its defence
and development Of its own Industries as an
act of unfriendiness. When German regula-
tons virtually excluded American pork, con-
trary to treaties, 1t was not avOwedy for the
purpose Of aiding any German industry, but on
the pretext that the meats exported We're not
wholesome. Hence 1t was perfectly legitimate
for our Government TO endeavor TO remove the
erroneous impression, and to guard against It
by new methods of inspection BIT it has not
occurred to Americans that they had the right
to object because German revenue laws are care
fully framed to develop and defend German in
dustries. After due consideration, It will prob
ably appear TO the German Government that il
has no such right with respect to the National
policy Of the United States.