The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-03
VIEWS OF coNGREssMEN.
Germany's Explanation Regarded as
Thinly Disguised Subterfuge.

a ThinIy Disguised Subterfuge.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-When congress-
men from fruit it-growing States read the
| Associated Press cablegram from Berlin this
afternoon they at once denounced the ac-
ton of the German government as a VIOLA
| ton of our treaty rights, and it is probable
that unless the State Department acts
| promptly the matter will be placed before
| Congress. Senator Perkins, of California,
said that the prevention of importation on
sanitary grounds was mere pretext, and
that it was simply to keep out fruits which
competed with German products. and the
order was no doubt issued as a retaliation
| against the United States because of the
differential tariff on sugar from bounty
paying countries. Senator Perkins said he
had no doubt that the United States could
| meet this order by retaliation, and that If
Germany did not want to be market for
| our fruits and meats, measures could be
taken which would also limit the markets
in the United States for German products
Senator McEnery, of Louisiana, was much
| interested. IF this country" said he
would only prohibit the importation of
Germany's cutlery and woolens there would
soon be an end Of any discrimination against
American products and according to my
way of thinking that is what should be
| DONE
Senator Lodge. of the committee on for
eign relations declined to say more than
that Germany's action was in clear violation
of the treaty
Senator Burrows, of the committee on
finance thought the matter should be
| thoroughly investigated as he said he had
no doubt it would be by the executive
branch of the government.
A FREE TRADERS OPINION.
Senator Mills, member of the foreign
relations committee, expressed the opinion
that Germany's action was the logical Sc
quence of our high tariff system. Il should
not Ike to see American interests suffer"
he said, "but we can't expect anything else
under the circumstances
Senator Bacon, of Georgia also thought
tine prohibition one of the results of our
tariff system. "They have the power he
said. 'and | see nothing we could do to
| prevent their exercising it,
Senator Elkins said I'VE may just as
we'll have it out with Germany now as at
any other time. There is no denying that
we are in a commercial war and we should
fight it out on the lines they have laid
down. l should go back at them their
own terms. l should prohibit the importa-
ton of their sugar"
Senator Hawley pronounced the news
very surprising and disagreeable, but he
was opposed to harsh measures on the part
of this country. 1--WE could retaliate by
prohibiting the importation of German cut
lery" Senator Hansbrough also opposed
retaliation, saying Germany would think
better of its course hereafter.
Senator Gear expressed the opinion that
Germany's action due to fear of the
San Jose scale. which is he said, coming to
be considered very dangerous.
Senator Mcbride, OF Oregon says he is
| confident that the discrimination Of Ger
| many is not occasioned by the condition of
| Oregon fruit, for it has always held high
place. He says that methods of retaliation
can easily be found if desired by the United
States.
HOW MIR. HITT REGARDS 1T.
The news from Boston attracted much at
| tention among members of the House of
Representatives. Mr.. Hit, chairman of the
committee on foreign relations. expressed
surprise at the step taken, particularly that
| it should not be preceded with notice to our
representative at Berlin. Without discuss
ing the motives of the movement, Mr.. Hit
| said that it was evident Germany based her
course on sanitary grounds. which would
! exclude the idea that the move was of
political and proscriptive character. Mr..
| Hit felt that our authorities would take
steps to learn whether any sanitary evil
could be attributed to the condition of the
fruit crop in California, and if this es-
| tablished in the negative he had no doubt
a courteous but firm representation would
| be made to the German government show
ing that their action had been taken with
out a. sufficient inquiry into the facts Mr..
Hit expressed the hope that this was not
a step in Germany's retaliatory policy
which had been referred to in recent ut
teranees by distinguished German officials.
Other members of the House foreign
committee expressed the view that this was
a part Of Germany's retaliatory attitude
toward the United States. Representative
w. Alden Smith, of Michigan. q member of
the committee, said: "The attempted ex-
clusion of American fruit from the German
markets at Emmerich is not the first act OF
| hostility displayed by Germany. Under the
| Cleveland administration, when our mar
kets were omen to German exports, they
dealt very unfairly with this country,
cluding our beef from the markets of Ger
many on the false pretext that it was un-
wholesome, when they knew our inspection
! laws were rigid and that Great Britains
laws We're equally so, and yet we exported
large quantities of beef to England without
| the slightest objection upon the part of
that government. Their present Is
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