The herald., 1897-05-10
GERMAN OBJECTION TO THE
DINGLEY BILL

nrONlDlllNS tdTlll CulltS SSClll lihSis ~ ~
illustrated in the event of the Dingley
bills becoming law more pungently
than ever before. Notes of warning that
we cannot play a one-sided game in our
protective policy are reaching us from
all the commercial nations of the world.
Germany leads in this movement, and
gives unmistakable signs OF retaliatory
measures if we pass tariff law the pro-
visions of which are manifestly intended
to put restrictions on the importation of
German products into the United States.
Is the trade of Germany Of a magnitude
sufficient to make this an important
matter to US? Let us see.
For several years that empire has been
putting forth every effort carefully
directed towards increasing her foreign
commerce, and these efforts are succeed
ing. Reduced to the standard of our
coinage, in 1895 the total imports into
the German empire were worth S1,010,
574,41S and the exports sS14, ,930,0SS. AS
compared with the previous year the i'm
~
about 100000 900, while the exports in
creased by sSS,OOo,OO In both years
Great Britain got more of the trade both
ways than any other nation. In imports
Russia sent the next largest amount and
then Austria Hungary, but in exports
the latter nation took more than Russia.
The United States stands fourth in the
list as to both imports and exports, being
but little behind Russia or Austria Hun
gary in imports and ahead of Russia in
exports. We sold Germany 1921 ,7S5, ,S14
worth of our products and bought $751;
1906 worth of hers.
Russia and Germany have a COM
mercial treaty which is rapidly in
creasing the trade between the two
empires. In three years the export trade
Of Germany to Russia increased nearly
100000, while to the United States the
increase in exports was only about s3, ,O00.-
900. To Great Britain it was but little
more than $1,000 900 increase. The in
crease in Germany's export trade noted
above was very largely with the United
States, amounting to 5000 900, or 25 per
cent Of the whole increase for the year.
The things we sell to Germany in large
quantity are: Cotton. SAC, ,412, 900 worth,
out Of total imported into that country
of So, 527 900; wheat, So, 3O7, 900, about one
sixth of the total imports of this cereal;
raw tobacco, 1899, 900, or not quite one
tenth of the total of that commodity i'm
ported; hides, S1,571, 900; rye, s71 900;
horses, 100000; petroleum, S13, 542, 900;
nearly all the empire imports; lumber,
I,19o,00o; lard, s11, ,662 900; copper, Sc, ,s54,-
900; oats, $4,000; corn. $3.50, 900; meats.
s., 2,999,000; meat extracts, s259, 900; cotton
seed oil, ST. $780, 900; oil cake, s., ,142 600: tur-
pentine, resin and balsam, s1,261, 900;
lubrcating oils. $1,2S5,OOO; other oils,
ST. 404 900.
The possibility of extending our trade
with Germany is practically without
limit. The consular report, from which
these facts are cleaned, says:
1t is interesting to note the difference
in price and quality between American and
German made furniture. For example, l
am writing this article on a desk that cost
almost double what a good rolling-top
solid oak desk would cost in America. and
yet, every particle of it. except the thin
veneer OF walnut, is made of pine some
thing like the sap pine that grows in some
parts of the United States and is considered
good for nothing.
a dining-room set cost me over $50, and
before it had been in use six weeks. ii
cracked and split so badly that 1t was nee
essary to return it TO the shop for repairs.
1t was, of course, made of the poor quality
OF pine referred to and very thinly veneered
with oak, and the oak here is so coarse in
gram that 1t has no beauty Sixty dollars
III the United States would have bought a
much finer and more durable set.
Three pieces of parlor furniture-tvo
chairs and a sofa-upholstere upon pine
frames, cost $50 marks (over 5000. and ac-
cording TO furniture advertisements which
appear in the New York and Philadelphia
papers, $40 would buy better and more
sty!lsh set in either of those cities And
these high prices run through all grades
OF furniture, even down 10 the plainest
klhd Tor Kitchen use; indeed, every piece of
furniture manufactured here is from two
10 three times as high in price as that made
III the United States. This being true. why
! Is IT, then, that with the right efforts on
the part of our manufacturers and dealers
good quantity OF the well-made. solid oak
ana walnut furniture of the United States.
which sells so cheaply there cannot be put
upon the market of this country?
| Ihen there are the American farmin o.
implements and machinery. 1t is only nee
essary TO visit the Bavarian industrial ex-
hlbition. now being held in the city Of Nu-