The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-28
EUROPE WILL PROTEST.
The New Tariff Law May Soon Start "a
Commercial War.


WASHINGTON, July 27.--A commercial
war between the United States and Europe
may result from the operations of the Ding
ley law. While three nations of Europe
separately filed protests against provisions
of the law which they declared were in
imical TO their interests when the act was
under consideration at the capital, all Eu-
rope practically, is expected commercially
to combine against this country as a re-
suit of the proposed enforcement of the
bounty section of the statute.
Instructions have been sent by the State
Department to the consular representatives
of the United States throughout the world
and by the Treasury Department to it's spe-
cial agents in Europe directing them to re-
port the amount of bounties paid by the
governments to which they are accredited
on any products raised for export to the
United States. Just as soon as this in
formation is at hand the Treasury Depart
ment will take steps to assess all such
products at a duty equal to the rate i'm
posed by the law in addition to the bounty
paid by the foreign government The
course of the Treasury Department in this
matter will be guided by Section Of the
new tariff law. This section provides that
whenever any country shall pay any boun-
such article is dutiable under the provisions
of the United States, upon the importa-
ton of such article into the United States
there shall be levied, in addition to the
duties otherwise imposed an additional
duty equal to the net amount of such boun-
ty or grant.
According to the information on file at
the State Department, nearly every nation
Of Europe and two countries of South
America pay export bounties on some of
hgI LGVF oY1xy JnII rraH
Belgium, Denmark, France and Austria
Hungary pay export bounties on sugar.
Russia, under a special system, consumes
much or her own supply. Germany, under
a law passed on May 26 1896, increased the
export bounties in these proportions: For
raw sugar from 80 cents to 6U cents per z20
pounds, white sugar from Al cents to u
cents per 220 pounds, refined sugars from
As cents to 50 cents per 22O pounds.
Immediately afterward Austria, by the
law of July T. 1896, took corresponding pro-
tective and defensive measures, especially
increasing from about 81, 900 to S3, 600 900
the amount of public funds destined for ex-
port bountieS Export bounties paid by
France are: Raw sugar, IS cents per 22O
pounds; white sugar, T. cents per 220
pounds; refined sugar, 81 cents per 20
pounds.
Holland, in turn, has just revised her
system, giving from the beginning to it's
producers a bounty of Sl0612 per 220 pounds
on raw sugar.
Three colonies of Great Britain-Canada,
Nova Scotia and New South Wales-pay eX-
port bounties on agricultural provisions.
Brazil pays an export bounty on sugar. and
Argentina pays an export bounty on fresh
meat. State Department othcials say there
are other countries and additional products
to those named upon which export bountes
are paid.
When it is understood that besides re-
quiring foreigners to pay the export boun-
ties above stated, in addition to other ad-
vantages given to exporting producers
which are practically bounties and which
will be so considered, the United States will
collect the duties imposed by the Dingley
law the far-reaching character of the
bounty provision of the statute will be APP
preciated.
There is no question that the provision.
If there should be no retaliation by foreign
governments will greatly increase the Gus
toms revenues of this country. But the
authorities apprehend that the enforcement
of this provision we'll as the imposition
of duties on foreign products already OBJ
jected to by European countries and Japan,
will result in the adoption of a retalatory
policy by those governments against the
United States. There is some hope that the
bounty provision of the law will make for
eign governments desirous Of entering into
reciprocity treaties with the United States,
but it is not believed that conventions of
this character will be negotiated TO any
great extent with any nations other than
those OF South America.
There need be no fear that this threat