New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-04

to the present time. More than one-hali OF lne
members are reported to be farmers VINO pay
less than SIS taxes, that IS for germany i"'u-
dle-class proprietors. This has the effect u
giving the league tho appearance OF Dehs "
popular movement. Bat, as we shall see' 'Hc
leaders have looked chiefly to their own Io'e'
csts whi.h do not always coincide with 'hose
Of the small farmer.
THE AGRAEIANS IN THE REICHSTAG
The representatives OF the league in the
Rcichstag 90 not form n party group by theih-
selves. but are scattered among six olGcr groups
the Conservatives. the Imperialists, the Na"oha'
Liberals. the Centre or Catholic party, the Anu-
Semitic party and the Poles In the iaS'
Keichstag they commanded from 80 10 100 votes
out OF 391
The chief legislative measures demanded by
the Acrarians are; Very high protective duti2'.
amounting practically to prohibive Duties, On
agricultural imports. such as cereals meat
fruit. lumber live stock etc, and correspond
ingly increased bountes on the chief aSr'e"I'-
ural exports. va. sugar and distilled spirits;
a reduced tariff or imported artificial fceih/-
crs and other products consumed by agricult-
urc; Il reduction Of railroad uAnspor;at'r
rates; the maintenance 10y the Government Of
men: the providing Of country banks with capi-
tai free 81 interest. the Introduction OF IL
metallism. and the regulation Of speculation
upcn the Stock Exchange.
Ry far the most important OF these demands
are: First the high protective duties, "h.th
would involve he abrosation OF the valuable
reciprocity treaties with Russia Austria and
Hungary. and in .r.a. measure cut of the agri-
cultural impor.s from o.her countries Second
tho return Of bimetallism. The chief efforts OF
the Agrariaus have. in fact, been concentra ed
upon The first Of these objects. In 1s9i-ot
Count Won Nanitz introduced into the Reichstas
a bill which shows more plainly thar anything
else the tendency and char lctor OF me whole
movement. u provided that the purchase and
sale ~ al imported grain and -four should be
assumed by the Government. ard that mini
mum selling price should be- fixed by statute
AT 10 marks ,lbout So .W a ton OF 2.2ol
pounds FOR wheat 10 marks about $40 - for
rye and LOO marks (abcut S31 500 for both
barley and oats. ana that imported -four should
he sold At corresponding rates. The bil IN this
form was defeated by 100 woes to ij. II was
rciutroduccd in the following s"sa!or in modi-
fed form bat it failed 20 come to u yote Again
introduced in 1896. it was aSaa def ated By
30 votes go %
Germany is forced 10 import immense guam
titles II r.rcdls as she produces bu; from three
quarter 10 four-nfths thc quantity consumed
The kaniiz hin represents device FOR making
tho necessary mportations. while excluding tho
effect OF foreign competition upon dom"s nc prices
BUT it represents something stiil more eXtraor-
binary II requires the Government to Guaran
tee IA" grain growers a fixed minimum price FOR
their produce at the cost Of the rest OF the pop
ulafion Fer the excess Of domestic price over
the price in the free markets Of The world, both
Of the imported and homo grown grain. must
De borne 10y the consumers. II is. IN short
proposltion to increase the income Of ono eco
nornic class 10y articially increasing the cost OF
a necessary Of life 10 all the Others There per-
haps has not been in modern times serious at
tempt at more fragrant piece Of class legisla-
ton than This And it is worthy Of note that
this bin vas framed. not in the interests OF the
agricultural class as whole but only in the in
tcrcsts Of the large landlords; since the small
farmers throughout Germany have too small!
holdings prohtably TO grow grain. But they, no
less than the industrial and commercial classes
would have had to pay a higher price for their
bread.
Nor has the STATE socialism involved in the
bill escaped its critics. Both the Minister OF
Foreign Affairs and the Minister Of Agriculture
in opposing the measure. laid emphasis upon the
socialistic use OF the Government which lurked
in the proposition. and TO the great danger
which lay in establishing such a precedent
At that rate the former argued, 'it
would bc necessary to guarantee a fixed wage
to laborcrs." And one writer pointed out that
to guarantee a minimum of value to the reve-
ulI.s Of the soil was to guarantee "A minimum