The herald., 1897-05-04
GERMANY
= ANXIOUS
AS to Effect Of the Dingley
Tariff
THE MAKERS OF BEET SUGAR
ARE PARTICULARLY FEARFUL
OF INJURY
THE MAKERS OF BEET SUGAR
Hog Products, Cotton and Corn Are
Suggested as Convenient Bases
for Retaliatory Legislation

Associated Press Special Wire.
BERLIN, May BIN the reichstag to-
day Count Won Kanitz. the Agrarian
leader, interpellated the government on
the subject of the proposed United
States tariff. He asked IL the govern
ment wished to continue the agreement
of 1891. and said the Dingley bill implied
less increase of American customs and
revenue than the successive expulsion
of European imports from American
markets. Continuing, he remarked:
1.-THE industry most prejudiced is the
German sugar trade. We exaggerate
the consequences to ourselves of abro-
eating the treaty, but we would give
preference to Russian against American
trade, place obstacles IL the way Of i'm
portation of maize, bacon, hams. sau-
sages and cotton from the United States.
and the government, 1t is hoped, will
take such measures as will tend to the
advantage of our industry, commerce
and agriculture and Of the whole coun-
try" (Cheers from the Rightly
Baron Marschal Won Bieberstein, min
lister for foreign affairs, replying, said
that as the new United States tariff was
still in suspense, he would confine his
remarks to the measure of the imperial
chancellor, Prince Hohenlohe, to coun-
teract the danger which threatened the
German trade, adding: But cannot
unroll a picture and show how matters
will shape themselves If the decision of
the United States house of representa-
tives becomes law"
After historical review Of the devel-
opment Of Germany's politico- CONNER
cial relations with the United States, he
continued: 'It is true that no treaty
exists between the United States and
the German empire. There are, however.
treaties of former times with individual
i German states, especially those OF lS3s
with Prussia The latter has repeatedly
appealed to both sides in the question of
its validity and scope, but the matter has
never been thoroughly discussed be-
tween the two countries. The federal
governments have always acted on the
legal principle Of the right and duties OF
such treaties passed by the German en-
pire. After the foundation Of the empire
the validity Of the treaty of 1928 was ex-
pressly recognized by both parties, mas
much as Hereunder rights had been
claimed and obligations fulfilled.
The minister for foreign affairs then
cited instances in support of his obser-
vations. He further said that when in
1866 the imperial council issued a'notifi-
cation concerning the Spanish CONNER
cial treaty with the United States, Swe-
den and Denmark were included in the
list as most favored nations. When
= f0 vuhafhar tho
United States was one of those nations,
Prince Bismarck declared the question
must be answered in the affirmative. be-
cause Of the existence of the special
treaties with the individual states,
which could not be separated from the
empire. Germany, he continued, had
subsequently obtained recognition OF
her rights in the United States by virtue
Of the Prusslan treaty; for instance, In
1884 in connection with the Dingley ship
ping act.
He also recalled the fact that when the.
United States was upon the point OF con-
cluding treaty with Spain granting ex-
emptions from duty on sugar from Porto
Rico, Prince Bismarck demanded that
the exemption be extended without de-
| lay to Germany.
The minister of foreign affairs then
explained there were precedents on the
side of the United States. The latter at
the time of the negotiations relative to
the Dingley shipping act. did not raise
the objection that the Pruesian treaty
was not still in force. The United States
had also made representations in 1884 on
account of alleged injury done by Ger
man railroad tariffs to American petro-
|leum for the benefit of Russian petro-
leum. Upon that occasion the United
States minister, in note to the foreign
office, referred to the existence Of the
most favored relationship by virtue Of
the treaty Of 1928 and added that the
treaty was particularly applicable
against any kind of differential treat
ment in the way of taxation or impost
by one government to the detriment Of
the other.
The minister Of foreign affairs did not
think Count Won Kanitz was right in
ascribing all the fluctuations Of German
American trade to the tariff legislation
In the speakers opinion the "fretful
changes which have peculiarly charac-
Iterized American economic life, have a
greater effect on trade"
| LII. odIlus RdQiCaA~ OLlOulets BdlQ the
differential treatment of sugar was GER
tainly blow to the favored nation
treaty but he claimed 1t did not call for
diplomatic negotiations. "A firm export
ing sugar to the United States can con-
test the imposition legally.
| Baron Heyl urged reprisals on petro-
leum and fruit. Herr Marschal Won
Biebersetin asked what 1t was proposed
to substitute, If the treaty wae de-
nounced. A country like Germany, he
added, could not pursue commercial
policy, Independent OF customs tariffs
alone.
| Herr Richter, Peoples parry. favored
tarif conventions and deprecated dis
| play of passion in dealing with these
| questions.
| Count Kardoff eaid the Radicals could
/ have implicit confidelice IN economic
tpropqgtt tiopss e. s
Count Khnits's queetions. hs.aassrtsd.
u