The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-04

United States had also made represen-
tations in 1884 on account Of alleged in
jury done by German railroad tariffs to
American petroleum for the benefit Of
Russian petroleum. Upon that occa-
sion the United States minister, in a
note to the foreign Office, referred to
the existence of the most favored rela-
tionship by virtue of the treaty OF 1873,
and added that the treaty was part1c-
ularly applicable against any kind Of
differential treatment in the way OF
taxation or imposts Of one government
to the detriment Of the other. The min
lister for foreign affairs did not think
Count Won Kanitz was right in ascrib
ing the fluctuations of German-Ameri-
can trade to tariff legislation. In the
speakers opinion, "the ftful changes
which are peculiarly characteristic Of
American economic life'' have had a
greater effect upon trade.
.'I confess" continued Baron Won
Bieberstein, "I fear that the view in
America is that we have obtained the
greater advantages from the treaties.
That is a mistaken opinion, and If leg
isfation is taken on that basis, a disap-
pointment will certainly follow. No
doubt we are bound to give the United
States the tariff reduction recently
breach of good faith, if, after claiming
favored nation treatment ourselves by
virtue Of the treaty, we suddenly de-
MED our own contention when America
asked the same of us. make these
explanations, because now we are pro-
testing and pressing for our rights and
we wish to avoid provoking rejoinders
without legal basis. By the concession
Of favored treatment the United States
in nowise abandoned the right to
change the tariff, any more than we
undertook to permanently reduce the
wheat duty.
1--WE did not protest against the other
Dingley bill provisions which injured
German industry, on the ground that
we believe those interested should COM
plain and it might be objected that
whoever avails himself of his own
right Injuries nobody else. In fact, the
independence Of both sides is not af-
fected by the favored-nation clause;
but it does not follow that this indie
pendence is unrestricted, inasmuch as
no state can permanently reckon on q
foreign market for it's products If it
closes its own market to foreign prod
ucts. 1t would be the greatest mistake
TO adopt definite resolutions in the pres
ent unsettled state Of affairs. Doubt
less the position Is difficult, even seri-
ous but cam only ask the reichStag
to have confidence in the federal gov
ernments. I believe they are conscious
of the difficulty of the task and when
decisive resolutions must be taken, they
will combine with the firmness which
our right fully warrants, the cool, calm
consideration to which the great world
wide interests involved have a we'll
founded claim" (Applause from the
Lefty
DR.. Barth, Radical -Unionist, oppos-
ed the proposal of reprisals. He said
the differential trea tment of sugar was
certainly blow to the favored-nation
treaty; but, he claimed, it did not call
for diplomatic negotiations. Every
firm exporting sugar to the United
States should contest the imposition
legally.
Herr Heyl urged reprisals on petro-
leum and fruit Herr Marschall Won
Bieberstein asked what it was pro-
posed to substitute If the treaty was
denounced. A country like Germany,
he added, could not pursue CONNER
cial policy with Independent customs
tariffs alone. Herr Richter, Peoples
party, favored tariff conventions and
deprecated display Of passion in deal
ing with these questions. Count Won
Cardoff said the Rightists could not
have implicit confidence in the govern
ment in economic questions. Count Won
Kanitz's question, he asserted, was
sort Of vote Of censure against the
Americans, adding that he would not
have been allowed to take such meas
ures in the time of Prince Bismarck.
Count Won Limburg- -Stirum, Conserva-
tive, also attacked Baron Marschall Won
Bieberstein, and the matter was then
drOnnp6