The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-10

terrible indictment may be drawn
against the American people for ihclr
failure to call Il halt In this matter.
MAY LEAD TO COMMERCIAL WAN,
the Republican party and the country
generally more trouble than is now be-
licved by those who are endeavoring to
force 1t upon us. The Heralds CORE
spondent, writing from WASHINGTON.
says that there Is grave danger Of COM
mcrcial warfare between the United
States and several Of the most import
ant commercial nations OF Europe in
the event of the enactment Of the Ding
ley bl!l into law In substantially the
same form in which is passed the House,
and it is not difficult to understand what
u commercial war may lead to.
The German Ambassador, the Italian
Ambassador and the Minister from the
Netherlands TO the United States. act
ing under instructions from their Gov
ernnents. have filed protests against The
proposed legislation with the Secretary
OF State, and these protests have been
forwarded by Secretary Sherman to the
protests. while couched in diplomatic
language, plainly call attention to the
effect which the proposed bill would
have on the countries concerned in the
event Of its passage. That of Baron
Won Thielmann, the German Ambassa-
dor. is particularly forcible. amounting
almost to direct threat OF retaliation
by the German Government against the
United States. The Senate Committee.
having been put in possession of the in
formation contained in these commune
cations, must decide whether or not a
policy should be pursued which prom
ises to lead to grave foreign complica-
lions.
The correspondent asserts that the Ger
man protest is particularly significant.
not only for the reason that it is more
lorclbly Worded than the others that
have been received. but also because Of
the existing friction between that Gov
eminent and the United States growing
out Of the restrictions which have been
placed by Germany OH the importation
Of American meat products and the re-
cent action Of the United States in i'm
posing tonnage ana port duties on Ger
man ships entering ports of the United
States. Should the pending tariff bill
which proposes to tax almost 10 the pro-
hlbitory point many articles of German
production, becomes a law il is not
improbable, thinks the writer, that the
imposing still greater restrictions upon
American products, and in view of the
friction already existing, it would en-
danger grave diplomatic complications
between the two countries.
The increases in duties proposed in the
Dnglcy bill affect German products in
almost every schedule, particularly in
textile fabrics, gloves, wines ana sugar
the discriminating duty on sugars i'm
ported from countries paying an export
bounty having been framed as ii is ex-
pfessiE Tor the purpose Of reaching Ger
man sugars. Increased duties are also
imposed on large number Of articles
Imported from Italy. including marbles
fruits. nuts and olive oils. On MANY
of these articles. such rs fruits ana olive
OIL the duties are made higher than
under the Mckinley law. The Neither
lands are affected by increases on q
large number OF articles, the rrincipoI
one being Snmatra tobacco. which is be-
ing imported for cigar wrappers. The
Mckinley rate Of 81 per pound. or lG5 per
cent, has been res tOred on this tobacco
According to this correspondent white
protests have not yet been received from
any other countries than the three
named, the action Of the Senate IS be-
ing awaited with much interest BIZ the
| representatives Of nearly every nation
| maintaining diplomatic relations Win
the United States
| Many special duties have been ilnroscd
for the express purpose Of shutting o,i
| Canadian products. and as the Cana
| dian Parliament has complete iu:.isuir
| ton over the tariff laws q: The Dnno;n-
ion. Ii is not improbable that some ~
taliatory legislation may BE- expected
! from that quarter.
The Herald sounds a note Of warnin {,
| which should not so UNDECIDED. MOI that
this country should frame n tariff Simply
| TO please forciGn nations, b,i, If we ur..
| 20 nave n2W tariff, lei !; be based
upon fairness. The country l.. .atisti.gI
| with the prescn; tariff anu it is, h,d
| enough Tor II 10 be compelled to sub
; init 10 such Il measure, a