Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-10
GERMANY RESORTS TO OFTEN
SIyE DISCRIMINATION.
SHUTS OUT AMERICAN FRUIT
Startling and Arbitrary Action That
Causes a Great Sensation in Wash
ington--Retaliatory Action on the
Part Of This Government Probable
-Congressmen Stirred up.

Berlin, Feb 3.-The Prussian min
lister of finance, DR.. Miguel, has issued
a decree which goes into effect imme-
diately, prohibiting the importation of
every kind of American fresh fruit.
The United States ambassador, An
drew S. White, sent formal letter to
the foreign office, inquiring upon what
authority this step was taken. The
United States consul at Hamburg Dr.
Hugh Pitcarian, telegraphs that 10000
barrels OF American apples have been
forbidden to cross the frontier at En-
nerich, which, aside from Hamburg,
is the principal place OF entry On
receipt of this news Mr.. White sent a
second and stronger IemonstraDce to
the foreign office, 1t was learned that
the Prussian government prohibits the
entry, claiming that California end
other vermin threaten Gel man trees
and fruits.
I partment has not yet been informed
! by Ambassador White of the decree
and an official statement is awaited
with anxiety at the department which
desires TO know just how far the Ger.
man government is wi!lir G to yield to
the agrarian patty which insists upon
the exclusion OF all American farm
products which enter into competition
with the German farmer. For two
years the state department has been
engaged almost fruitlessly to secure
| from the German government a re-
yersal of the decree like the present
| one, but applied to meat products OF
course nothing will be done III the
absence OF ful. official information
] from Mr.. White as to the facts in the
case and it may be that the history of
the meat exclusion negotiations will
be repeated in that there may be a long
corr spondence to permit the German
| government to demonstrate if it can
the great dangers to be looked for in
American fresh fruits But if the
| facts indicate that there is as little
foundation for this exclusion, as was
the case with the meat products, it is
said at the state department that the
president will probably avail himself
of the statutory power to retaliate
sharply under section of the act of
Aug. Goth, 1890. To the knowledge OF
the department no complaint has ever
before been made against the charac-
ter of the American fresh fruit. The
officials Of the agricultural department
believe that Germany, having in mind
recent legislation of the American gov
eminent imposing discriminating
duty on bounty-paid sugar, has taken
this action as sCrt of retaliation. The
growth of the shipn mt of apples
broad has been enormous in the last
sixteen years. In 1891 the shipment
amounted to l,32S,S0 barrels, while in
1867 the aggregate was 2,9l9,S46 bar
! ,els, OF this aggregate, III ,090 barrels
valued at S2l3,4S2, we've shipped to
/ Hamburg, the remaining number,
with the exception approximately of
100000 barrels, going to English ports.
| The Berlin News attracted much at
1 tention among members of the house
\ Mr.. Hit, chairman of the committee
/ on foreign affairs, expressed surprise
/ at the step taken particularly that il
! was not preceded with a notice to our
representative in Berlin. He said il
was evident that Germany based her
| course on sanitary grounds, which
would exclude the idea that the move
was of political and prospective char
acter Mr. Hit felt that our authori
I ; 4.ty tn ioD hon,
any sanitary evils could be attributed
to the condition OF fruit crop of Cali
/ fornia, and. II this Is established in the
/ egative, no doubt n courteous firm
! representation will be made to the Ger
man government, Mr.. Hit expressed
! the hope that this is not a step in Ger
many's retaliatory policy which has
i been referred to in the eceut utterances
/ by distinguished German officials
! Other members of the house committee
/ expressed the view that this was part
/ of Germany's retaliatory attitude to-
ward the United States.
! Chairman Dingley said; This evil
/ GENTLY is advice to prohibit the impor-
/ tation of American fruits on alleged
| sanitary grounds in line with the SINH
/ lar prohibition of American pork, The
I importation seems to be prohibited on
Sc nltary grounds in order to evade the
( provisions of our commercial treaties
with Germany which give imports
/ from the United States equal privileges
with the imports Of other countries.
| There is not the slightest ground for
/ the allegation that California fruits are
affected as charged Indeed the evil
| dence Is conclusive that they are es-
pecially free from parasites The
! United States would have much more
ground for prohibiting the Importation
or German wines on alleged sanitary
grounds than Germany has to prohibit
( the Importation Of American fruit or
/ American pork on such grounds We
have no objection 20 Germanys putting