The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-08-02
IT WILL RETARD COMMERCE
PROTEST OF IMPERIAL NATIONS
 AGAINST NEW TARIFF DUTIES.


 erland, China, England and Greece Sought to Have the Measure Amended Tenor of the Protests is That the Law Will Cripple Established Industries.
 Washington, Aug. 1.-In the late number of the Congressional Record, containing speeches on the tariff con- ference report, is speech by M. N. Johnson Of North Dakota, in which he makes compilation of the protests re- ceived by the state department from the representatives of foreign govern ments against certain duties imposed in the Dingley tariff bill while that meas ure was pending. Some of these pro- tests have been made public. others have been referred to the committee of congress having the tariff bill in charge and little or no attention has been paid to them.
 Nearly all these communications re- vert to the commerce between the sev- eral countries and the United States. They insist that the new tariff will re- tard the commerce and some of them intimate that it will result in decreas- ing the demand for American goods. Some of the ministers disclaim any in- tention to interfere in the internal af- fairs of the United States, but make the representations for the benefit of the commerce between the countries. Some signs are made that the injury to be done the treasury of the United States on account of the imposition of the proposed duties will be considera- ble
 Minister Brun of Denmark calls at tention to the fact that the tariff on American goods going into Denmark is very favorable and that his govern { ment views with a great deal of appre- { hension the pending tariff bill and the rates especially. He says that the ad- mission of Danish products on a favor able tariff would only be a fair return for the rates granted American prod ucts. The Danish products which, he said, would be greatly affected by the new bill were:
 Beer, cement, white cabbages, hemp seed, porcelain, hides and skins, wool, rags. pebbles. lime, chalk, gloves, leather, condensed milk, granite, mon uments, dairy machinery and doecker tents.
 There were three communications from Baron Fava, the Italian ambassa- dor. The first protests against the duty on Italian oranges and lemons, which, he says, would prove very dis astrous to the Italian trade in these fruits. A second communication from Baron Fava,, is against the present duty on candied fruits, which the manufac- turers of Leghorn say would destroy their market in the United States. In third communication Baron Fava speaks of a letter of the secretary of agriculture in which he refers to a min- isterial decree of Italy relating to meats from the United States. This decree required consulate visit for certifi- cates of origin, issued by American au thorities and accompanying shipments of meats. Baron Fava informs the state department that the question has been submitted for examination of the Soothnic and Epizootic board. The ambassador adds:
 "His majesty's government, however. desires to perform friendly act to- ward that of the United States by frankly forewarning it that it could in no case be induced to modify the pro- visions contained in the aforesaid de- cree, in accordance with the desire ex- pressed by the department of agricul- ture, if the United States should per- sist in retaining i'll the new customs tariff the exorbitant duties to which have had the honor to call your excel lencys attention ir my preceding writ ten and verbal communication.
 T"The same warning has been com- municated, with the same amicable in- tent, by my government to the repre- sentatives of the United States at Rome"
 Count Lichtervelde minister of Bel gium, sent three communications con- cerning the tariff. One referred to the retroactive clause adopted by the house and pointed out that it works great hardship upon those who were shipping articles which could not be safely transported in the winter, such as plants and bulbs.
 The other communications refer to the rates on cement and sprats and sardines. He says that the discontin- uance of exportation of Belgian cement would result disastrously to grain eX- ported from the United States on ac- count of the higher rates that would be charged because vessels would have to sst!l enc way In ballast.
 The Turkish government protests against the duty of S1 per pound on crude opium, and says that the tariff cannot be for the purpose of protecting home industry or secure increased revenue. He thinks the revenue of the government would suffer, but says that in case it did not the cost of the drugs used for medicinal purposes would be greatly increased to the consumers
 J. D. Pieda, minister of Switzerland. says that the new tariff will be disas- trous to three principal industries of Switzerland-Swiss embroidered goods. silks watches and clocks.
 He says his government has not ap- pealed to the sentiment of friendship of a sister republic. He submitted what the Swiss government desired, as follows: ''That bolting cloth remain on the free list and that there be no in crease in the rates on silk piece goods, silk ribbons, embroideries, Swiss watches and watch movements, and tar coIors."