The record-union., 1897-02-14
Creates a :nsation in Commercial and
Financial Circles,
Will be Used as a Weapon Against
Countries Who Come Into COmpe-
tition With German Industries,
and Particularly Against the
United States.

BERL1N, FGD. Io--NCOpyIlSultu,
1897, by the Associated Press.)-The
declaration in the Reichstag by Count
Posadowsky, Secretary Of the Imperial
Treasury, that the so-called automatic
tariff will be adopted by Germany, has
created a sensation in commercial and
financial curcles. That such a tariff,
at the expiration of the existing COM
mercial treaties, will be used as wea-
pom against countries whose competi-
tion the agrarianS dread the most and
against the United States, even before
then, an official of the Foreign Office,
who enjoys the full confidence of the
Minister for Foreign Affairs, has in
formed the correspondent of the ASSo-
ciated Press.
The new tariff will be prepared joint
ly by the Foreign Office and Finance
Department. The first stage of the
work is just begun. Expert statements
are being obtained from every point of
the Empire in order to get an accurate
picture of the condition of the various
industries and trades, and especially
husbandry, 50 as to fix precisely the
degree of protection needed in each
case. The new tariff, based on this in
Quiry, will be passed by the Reichstag g
in time to be used as a means of pres
sure TO conclude favorable commercial
treaties dating from 1903.
The scheme provides for general and
special tariff The latter Will be grant
ed to treaty nations, and the former
will be used against nations with which
Germany has no treaty. All the present
treaties VIII be terminated, and there
is no doubt that Germany's present re-
lations with the United States and Rus
sia will be considerably modified.
The competition is yearly becoming
keener and more dangerous, but the
Government believes with the suitable
measures proposed Germany can pro-
tect herself by increasing the speciali-
cation of her products and raising the
quality of her goods.
Emperor Williams remarks at The
Parliamentary dinner given by DR.. Mi
quel, Minister of Finance, strongly urg-
ing the strengthening of the German
navy, and advocating coalition of the
Conservatives, Imperialists and Ma
tional Liberals. in order to carry out
his patriotic work, have been comment
ed upon throughout the Empire, and
the newspapers point out that il is evi-
IDENTIFY still his majesty's Hfe's dream
TO make Germany as powerful a sea
as she is on land. But nearly all the
papers, even the Conservative organs,
maintain that his dream is unrealiZa-
BILE, and the Centrists, as the strongest
party in the Reichstag, are deeply Of
tended at being omitted by the En-
peror from his list of national parties
The leading Centrist organ, the
.'Vokeszeitung," says defiantly that the
Centrists Will not support such inflated
naval plans, adding: And if the
Reichstag is dissolved for rejecting
them. the elections viii only put the
Government in a worse condition. The
election cry Of new vessels and new
taxes means a sure defeat for the
Government Let the Conservatives
and National Liberals consolidate.
They still will be powerless."
The agrarian mouthpiece, the
.'Deutsche Zeitung," also fatty de-
nounces the naval scheme. II claims
that the national parties VIII only unite
under the banner of agrarianism.
Articles published in the French press
as to the advisability of a Franco-Ger-
man entente against Great Britain are
followed with much interest here.
Prince Bismarck's organ, the Ham
burger Nachrichten." says: Much as
we like to welcome in the interests Of
peace any choice Of France in favor Of
Germany against England, yet we do
not believe French politics VIII yet
make such a choice. France is ready
temporarily to cooperate with Ger
many in the instance Of the Far East
or in the African colonies when direct
ed against England and especially if
Russia sanctions it, but we do not be-
,ieve for a moment that France. under
any circumstances. would relinquish
her hope OF recovering AIsace-Lorraine.
and regaining military and political
r,reuonderance in Europe"
Roth Count Won Mirback and Baron
Won Manteuffel. the two ablest of the
Conservative leaders. intend 10 resign
tbeir seats in the Reiehstag.
The Prussian Minister of the Interior,
Won Der Recke. is preparing bill to
reorpan.se the Prussian Parliament
municipal electoral system, to deprive
them of their present plutocrauc char