The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-05
WHITES QUICK ACTION.
A Qualification of The Decree That Takes
the Sting Out.

A Modification of The Decree That Takes
the sting Out.
Washington, Feb. 4.-Secretary Wilson
has taken steps for the collection of all
information obtainable in the depart
ment of agriculture bearing on the ship
ment of fresh fruit To the German en-
pire. This is preliminary to any action
which may be found necessary after all
! official information as to the scope of
the decree OF prohibition is obtained. In
the absence of such information. the
secretary manifests an inclination not 10
talk about the matter for publication.
When all information is at hand he VIII
probably direct an Investigation into the
matter of the shipment of fruit and the
danger if any, of them being infested
with pests
In connection with the current discus
sion of Prussia's action. some reference
has been made To what is called the
San Jose scale, the pest said To have
been imported into California from
abroad There is, it is said, perhaps no
insect capable of causing greater damage
to fruit interests in the United States or
in the world than this insect. Outside
of the United States the insect is known
to occur in Australia, Chill and Hawaii,
and the Inference is that il was intro
duced here from one of those countries.
| The spread of the scale from the point
of original infestation in the San Jose
valley was somewhat It's areas III
creasing in every direction but more
rapidly towards the West and North.
Afterwards it spread throughout Cali
fornia and Oregon to Washington.
Idaho. Nevada, Arizona and Mexico and
later il manifested itself in Virginia.
| Maryland. Indiana and Pennsylvania
and other places i'm the East. The pest
is said to spread relentlessly and
/ steadily over all deCiduous fruit trees.
/ trunks limbs. foliage and fruit IT IS
| only question of two OF three years be-
fore the death of the plant attacked is
! brought about, and the possibility of in
/ jury, which from experience with other
| scale enemies of deciduous plants, might
be easily ignored or thought insigniti-
! cant. is soon startlingly demonstrated.
The state department has been noti-
fled by Ambassador White SIT Berlin of
a modification of the original decree
issued by the pruSsian minister of
finance. sDr. MIGUEL. prohibiting the i'm
I portation of American fruit. According
to the ambassadors cable to-day the de-
! cree does not as he advised yesterday
| apply to dried fruits, While fresh fruit
will be admitted TO entry If an exami-
nation shows its condition To be salts
/ factory If this modification has been
made I'm the decree IL would appear that
I the prompt representations made by the
/ United States have received an equally
prompt consideration on the other side.
i 1T is certain that if the decree, as orig
| inally promulgated had been applied to
shipments OF fruit in transit, as its terms
indicated. the shippers would have been
in the right to claim indemnity from
/ the Prnssian government for the dam
ages sustained by them, and it would
be regarded by the United States gov
| eminent as "a matter of duty To sustain
this demand for indemnity.
The state department is now Obliged
to await the receipt Of full adNices of
| the exact nature of the modified decree
and watch its workings.
Mr.. White last evening lodged am
/ other formal protest With Baron Von
Bulow. as in spite of the bundesrath 5
resolution. American fresh fruit is every
where excluded. The United States con-
sui at Dusseldorf telegraphed to-day
that only dried fruits had been released
and that there Were about / 900 barrels
of apples in the bonded warehouse
there.
The United States embassy during the
week has been Hooded with appeals
from fruit merchants. dealers on ship
pers who have been injured by the de-
cree, and all of them have thanked Mr.
White for the vigorous measures he has
adopted. 1t appears that DIR. MIGUEL
and Baron Won Hammerstem Loxten is
sued the decree without the authority of
the Prnssan cabinet or the bundesrath
Berlin, Feb. 4.-The reichsanzeiger
s. TINS dfltillppn DHbllSueS the 1O110NlnS
The American agricultural depart
ment's report on the San Jose seal,
louise led to an official inquiry here a.
10 the circumstances under which
American fruits are imported Profes
sor Frank. on Jan. -. found on Cali
fornia pears arriving at Hamburg. nu
merous living. breeding shield lice. ali
solutely identical with the San Jos,
+ shield lice. He consequently expressed
the opinion that the home fruit cult
walton was exposed 10 a grave materia
danger thereby. \ copference Of thu
specialists and the report Of the i'm
periai office of health confirmed th
view in every particular. Thus IN,
necessity for prompt measures for pro
lection was fully demonstrated.
Berlin, Feb. 4.-Under the heading
order. Counter order. Disorder" tn
Tageblatt described the hungling q
/ Prussia With American fruits ant
I asks. Are we really drifting into
fierce tariff war with the United state
because we have petted the agrarial
2 Desires" The Norwaerts publishes al
. article headed "Agrarian Attack Of
: America detailing the stupidity III
: / different revenue stations display in in
: terpreting the prohibitory decree. Othe
liberal newspapers make similar com
menr
The official statement of the Reichs
anzeieer on the subject OF the mea
sures taken 10 prevent the importation
OF affected" American fruit was com
municated tonight 10 the officials o
the United States embassy Tn,
agrarian newspapers thank the govern
ment for the prohibition. The Tage
blatt asks Why the importation o
healthy living plants is prohibited an,
says such extreme measures viii
doubtless provoke retaliation