The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-25
Prospect of Tariff War With the
United States.
GREED OF. AGRARIANS
EXCLUSION OF AMERICAN PRO
DUCTS THEIR AIM.
Means Their Own Enrichment at the
Expense of Other Classes-Govern-
ment Desires to Conciliate the
Americans and Protests That No
Hostile Legislation Is Intended.

Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press9
Berlin, Dec. 24.-One of the leading
subjects discussed throughout the
week by the newspapers was the pres
ent and future relations between Ger
many and the United States. particu-
larry the commercial side of the ques-
ton. The correspondent of the Asso-
ciated Press has had an interview with
a high German official, who has eX-
ceptional sources of information. He
said:
The reports current in the press of
both countries on this subject are Ia
mentally ineXact. In washington they
claimed to have jumped at the conclu
sion that Germany is on the point of
legislating specifically against Ameri-
can agricultural products and they
are taking the bull by the horns in or
der to forestall US. The fact is, there
is no such intention here, at least not
in government circles. The meat in
spection bill is only on the point of
reaching the bundesrath, which is the
first legislative stage. Then it goes to
the reichstag. So it probably will not
pass, if at all, until the end of the
session next spring. Even then the bill
may not be framed to hit the Ameri-
cans particularly. On the contrary,
Mr.. White, the United States ambas
sador at Berlin, has received assur-
ances that the integral feature of the
bill will be the abolition of the repeated
local inspections of American meats.
Of which the Americans have COM
planned. The bill provides for a strict
inspection, but it will be perfectly fair
and will be applied as equally to the
domestic trade as 10 imported meats.
The officials of the United States en-
bassy generally express the opinion
that the German government sincerely
desires to improve its relations with the
United States. and sees Indications
pointing to a successful issue of these
efforts, though TIE bills simultaneously
introduced in the house of representa-
tives and in the senate at Washington
fOreShadowing retaliation have been
received with great show of indigna-
ton by the government and govern
ment press, while the liberal. and es-
peciaIy the commercial papers, have
unanimously expressed fears that the
Legislative action on both sides will
eliminate in a regular tariff war.
The VoTwaerts says: The greed of
the agraiians has disturbed our reia-
lions with America for years past. I'm
der pretext OF protecting the health of
the German people the Importation of
American products has been prevented.
in spite of the treaties.
Continuing, the Vorwaerts demon
strates that German exports of sugar,
textiles and wines to the United States
are worth $4,000, 900 marks and says:
CAS- the financially weaker of the two
Germany viii undoubtedly be the loser.
But the agrarians ignore this. Pro
vided the enhanced food prices flow
into their pockets, they snap their fin
gers at the hungry masses.
The Boersen Courier, q leading COM
mercial organ, says: It is evident that
the United States is preparing for q
commercial war with Germany, which
the German agrarians seem to regard
as trifing matter. We hope the
Berlin and Washington governments
are more conscious of their responsible
ity. We fear the German export trade
will have to pay the score the fedora
ton of husbandry has run up.
The agrarianS are jubilant at the
prospect of a tariff war, which has
been their dearest aim for years. A
number of insulting articles have been
published in their newspapers, deriding
the United States in every possible way
| The Kreuze Zeitung even throws mud
at the American people ON account Of
the recent war and it's results calling
the American troops utterly inefficient,
and saying the government is corrupt
to the core. These utterances. how
ever, are exceptional. The majority of
, the press is discussing the question
calmly and fair
The emigration bill introduced in the
! reichstag by Professor Hause and
Count Won Arnim, affects, the interests
of the United States. 1t advances the
idea of "once German, always Ger
man." and refuses to any German the
right to become a naturalized citizen
of any other country. The United
/ States embassy officials, however. say
that if the bill is adopted it cannot
override the standardization treaty
! of 1868, exempting German-Americans
from such legislation.