Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-02-04
MUCH SURPRISED.
Government Officials Say Ger
many's Action Shows Dis
courtesy.
Ambassador White Should Have Been
Notified Before Degree Against
Fruits Was Put in Effect.

Washington, Feb. ga brief cable
gram from Ambassador White at Ber-
lin, that came to the department of
state last evening, conveyed the first
official information so far received as to
the decree of exclusion of American
fruit from Prussia. This cablegram
was so meagre that request Vas
sent toNMr. White for further details.
During the afternoon further advices
were received from Ambassador White
as to the nature of the decree. 1t would
seem that the full details are not yet
obtainable in Berlin, but 1T is expected
that the ambassador will cable the en-
tire decree as soon as he can obtain pos
session of it.
The important fact established by the
last adViceS was that the decree of ex-
clusion uses the word American" as
descriptive OF the place of origin of the
fruit, and includes in the prohibition all
dried fruits from America
The state department officials have
not yet recovered from their surprise
at the method adopted by the German
government of accomplishing its object
IN this matter, and undoubtedly the cor
respondence to follow will set this out
very clearly. The objection to the course
pursued is threshold.
In the first place it is said to be entire
ly without precedent, and discourteous
towards the American ambassador at
Berlin to make the decree and put 1t in
to effect without the slightest warning
to HIM
In the second place. by making the de-
cree take effect at once, and stopping all
fruit in transit, a great injustice is done
to shippers who thus without warming
are made to lose heavy on their capital
invested igl the fruit
Third, the decree is condemned in that
it makes no provision for the admission
of fruit of absolute purity; permits no
demonstration Of original healthfLl
condition, and in fact condemns all fruit
good and bad alike. These constdera-
tons are to be strongly urged upon the
German government as reasons why it
should either revoke or modify the de-
cree on the lines indicated before any
more radical action is taken,
The German ambassador was a visit
or at the state department early today
and spent some time with the officials.
The ambassador had no news direct from
Berlin as to the last decree which
threatens to kill all hope of the nego-
| tiation of any kind of reciprocity treaty
or agreement within the terms of pres
ent tariff act so far as Germany is con-
/ cerned. 1t is gathered that the basis OF
| the decree, or rather the reason official
| ny to be set out by the Prussian gov
| eminent for the exclusion is that some
! shipments of American apples coming
| from California have been discovered to
be affected with the disease known as
San Jose scale, but Just how the Ger
man apples are endangered, even if this
fact should be established, is not made
plain.
One of the standing complaints against
American dried fruit, the trade in which
with Germany has assumed enormous
proportions, is again brought to official
notice by a report that comes to the
state department from United States
Consul Ozmun, at Stuttgart, and is to-
day made public in the daily consular
reports. He transmits a notice issued
by the chief of police of Stuttgart, to
the effect that most of the samples of
American apples or dried apples TAX
en- from the local retailers show the
addition of metallic zinc in quantities of
03 grams to the kilogram (2.2046
pounds and warning all dealers thar
they will be punished and their goods
confiscated IL further sales of such
goods are made. This complaint was
made to the. department about two
years ago, the German chief of police in
Cologne asserting in his notice that the
zinc was present in the apple because
''the Americans dry the fruit on zinc
trays instead of wooden bars, as we
do" Immediately one of the most en-
terprising of our consuls in Germany
visited an agricultural exposition then
going on in Germany, and reported that
all of the fruit evaporatorS exhibited.
about IA in number, were fitted with
the alleged harmful zinc trays, which
were freely used in Germany.
TO PROHIBIT LIVE PLANTS.
Berlin, Feb. Sit is announced that
the federal council in plenary sitting.
today approved it's committees proposal
that a decree should be issued prohibit
ing the importation from America of live
plants and shrubs and packages con-
tanning the same
The decree will also, in certain
measure, affect American fruits These
are 10 be examined by experts on their
arrival at German ports and packages
found to be infected with the fruit louise
will be excluded. Instructions to this
effect will be issued to the customs au-
thorities. This announcement, which is
made by an official agency, appears to
Indicate a measure distinct from the de-
cree issued on Tuesday by DR.. MIGUEL
the Prussian minister of finance, pro-
hibiting the importation Of every kind
of American fresh fruit, but 1t is difficult
to ascertain the exact details. The
bundesrath's measure, it is pointed out.
is far less stringent than similar meas
ures at present enforced in individual
states of the American union"
The Associated Press learns that the
Hamburg authorities permitted the
the unloading of apples from the United
States owing to instructions received
from Berlin as the result of the protests
of United States Ambassador White
against Dr.. Miquels decree