The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-02-05
GERMANY'S LAST BLOW.
Places an Embargo on Fruits from
United States
Lame Excuse Given for Her Action
Real Motive Believed 20 Ne
Due to Revenge OF the Ger
man Sugar Growers.

Berlin, Feb. 3.--Thc Prussian min
lister OF finance. DR.. Miguel, issued a
decree Tuesday, which goes into effect
immediately. prohibiting the importa-
ticn OF every kind of American fresh
fruit. The decree has been sent to all
the German ports and frontier stations
excepting Bavaria, Saxony and Wur-
temburg. The United States embassy
was not previously warned and the
United States ambassador, Mr.. Andrew
ID. White, sent n formal letter TO the
foreign Office Wednesday inquiring
upon what authority this inimical step
was takcn.
The United States consul at Ham
burg, DR.. Hugh Pitcairn. telegraphs
that 10000 barrels Of American apples
have been forbidden to be unloaded,
and that two trains full OF American
fruit have also been forbidden TO cross
the frontier at Emmerich, which, aside
from Hamburg, Is the principal place
OF entry for American fruit.
On receipt of this news Mr.. White
sent a second and stronger remon-
STRANGE TO the foreign office, calling at
tention to the evident violation Of the
treaty.
AT the foreign Office il was learned
that the Prussian government prohib
its the entry of American fruit on san
itary grounds, claiming that California
and other vermin threaten German
trees and fruit.
London, Feb. 3.-The Berlin cor
respondents of the morning papers are
all skeptical as TO the alleged reason
for the exclusion of American fresh
fruit. They doubt that the cause is the
discovery of bug in a box of apples in
South Germany The exclusion is at
tributed rather to the Agraran demand
for reprisals against the American
tariff. The decision has caused the
greatest surprise and considerable dis
satisfaction, for American apples had
rapidly taken the German markets by
storm, owing TO their cheapness and
fine quality, and the poor consumers
cannot afford TO buy equally fine French
or Italian fruit. Furthermore, il will
be a severe blow TO commerce and ship
ping. The decree only permits importa-
ton on condition that the fruit is ex-
ported TO England.
Washington, Feb. 3.-The state de-
partment has not yet been informed
by Ambassador White OF the decree
against the importation OF American
fruits into Germany, and the official
statement Of the matter is awaited with
anxiety at the department, which de-
sires to know just how far the the Ger
man government is willing 10 yield TO
the wishes of the agrarian party, which
insists upon the exclusion Of all Amer
lean farm products which enter into
competition with the German farmer.
For two years the state department has
been engaged almost fruitlessly TO Sc
cure from the German government the
reversal Of a decree like the present
one, but applied to our meat products
The attitude of the Germans in ;bis
matter is not encouraging, and the an
ncuncement OF this additional decree
against another great American staple
export has tried the patience OF the de-
partmeut sorely, and there is no tell
ing how far we may go towards retail
iation, II the conditions justify II.
or course nothing will be done in the
absence Of full official information
from Mr.. White as 10 the facts in the
case. and IL may be that the history OF
the meat exclusion negotiations will be
repeated. in that there may be long
correspondence TO permit the German
government to demonstrate, IL IL can.
the great dangers to be looked for In
American fresh fruits. But IL the facts
indicate that there is as little founda-
ton for this exclusion decree as was
the case in the meat products il is said
at the state department that the presi-
dent probably will avail himself of his
statutory power 10 retaliate sharply
under section five OF the act Of August
80. 1890.
To the knowledge OF the state de-
partment no complaint has ever before
been made against the character OF
American fresh fruit. There was some
complaint few years ago from Ham
burg and Cologne against certain inn
portation OF dried fruits, on the ground
that they contained traces Of zinc taken
up from the trays on which they were
dried. but there has never been an at
tack upon the fresh fruit. The report
OF the United States consuls show that
the imports of the latter have found
great favor in German cities, and the
universal testimony OF our consuls is
that our apples are so superior in every
respect that there Is hardly a market
for the German apples.