Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-02-03
FRUITS BARRED
Germany Finds Pretext to Prohibit Their
Importation.

Berlin, Feb. 1.-The Prussian minister
of finance, Dr. Miguel, issued decree
yesterday, which goes into effect imme-
diately, prohibiting the Importation o.
American fresh fruit. United States
Ambassador Andrew D. White sent a
! formal letter to the foreign office today
| inquiring upon what authority this in
| imIcal step was taken.
The United States consul at Ham
burg, DR.. Hugh Pitcairn, telegraphs
that 5000 barrels of American apples
have been forbidden to be unboaded, 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 the 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 it was learned
that the Prussian government prohibits
the entry of American fruit on sanitary
pretexts, claiming that yermin from
California and other fruit threaten to
infest German trees and fruit.
Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Per
kins Of California, when shown the
above Dispatch said that the proven
ton Of Importation on sanitary grounds
was a mere preteXt, and that 1T was
simply to keep out fruits which COM
peted with German production, and the
order was no doubt issued as retalia-
ton against the United States because
of differential tariff on sugar from
Mountaineering countries. Senator Per
kins said he had no doubt that the
United States could meet this new or
der by retaliation.
Senator McEnery of Louisiana said
eff this country would only prohibit the
Importation of Gernlany's cutlery and
woolens, there would be soon an end OF
any discrimination against American
products, and that is what should be
done"
Senator Lodge, of the committee on
than that Germanys action was in
clear violation OF the treaty.
Senator Burrows, of the committee on
finance, thought the matter should be
thoroughly investigated by the execu-
tive branch of the government.
Mr.. Hit, chairman Of the house COM
mittee on foreign affairs, expressed sur
prise at the step taken, particularly that
it should not be preceded with notice to
our representative at Berlin. he
thought the present case looked much
ike the exclusion of American hogs. In
that case, the right of government to
adopt sanitary restrictions was not
questioned, but the United States made
a dignifed showing that the facts did
not warrant the restrictions, and they
were modified. In the present case MI.
Hit felt that our authorities would take
steps to learn whether any sanitary eVl
could be attributed to the CONDITION OF
the fruit crop in California, and II TINS
was established in the negative, ne mao
no doubt a courteous but firm represen-
tation would be made to the German
government, with a view to showing
that its action had been taken Wlthoul
sufficient inquiry into the facts. MI,
Hit expressed hope that this was MOI
q, stem in Germany's retaliatory policy
which had been referred to in recent Ut
terances by distinguished German ON
Gals.
Other members of the house foreign
affairs committee expressed the view
that this was part of Germany's retail
atory attitude toward the United
States. c.,,eo,.
Representative Barlow from Califor-
mia. who represents the sixth district OF
that state in which is located the san
JOAQUIN valley, one Of the greatest fruit
districts of the state, said:
"California fruits are singularly free
from vermin or disase,Qf any KIND. 80
Jealous are our people in their desire TO
keep our fruits free from disease, that
the delegation from the state is now adj
vocating the passage of a bill provid-
ing for an inspection Of all fruits, plants,
cuttings, shrubs etc, imported into this
country. The cold storage system en-
abled us, however, to ship fresh fruits
TO England and the continent, and the
trade has been growing rapidly. l look
upon the ground given for DR.. MiguePs
decree as mere subterfuga. No doubt
exists in my mind that it is purely re-
taliatory measure.
The officials of the agricultural de-
partment have as vet received no in
formation en- the subject. They are dis
posed to believe that the explanation
that importations Of fresh fruit will be
prohibited because of danger from YER
min, is not a sincere one, but that Ger
many, having in mind the recent legis-
lation of the American government inn
posing q discriminating duty on bounty
paid on sugar has taken this action as
a sort of retaliation. Mr.. G.. B. Brack-
EFT, the chief of the genealogical divis-
ion of the department, said:
There is little or no ground for the
ASSERTION llIdl hAilleIlCdll iluilS SulpDeu
abroad is unsanitary The possibility of
any harm from pests in American APP
pies shipped abroad, is very remote.
THE growth of the shipment of apples
abroad has been enormous in the last
sixteen years. In 1SS0-S1, the shipments
amounted to 1,32S. S06 barrels, while in
1S96-97 they aggregated 1913, SAG barrels.
OF this aggregate, Ill 900 barrels, val
ued at $213, 4s3, were shipped to Ham
burg, most of the remaining number
going to English ports. On the basis
of the above Indicated shipments to
Hamburg, it is evident that the loss to
American trade by the prohibition of
the importation, would not be as great
as if this prohibition should apply to
all Europe. The fact is that we are the
ones that should be protected, for near
ly all the insects in our, fruits have been
imported from foreign countries"
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