The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-06
AGRARIANS VERY AGGRESSIVE.
PROHIBITION DECREE DUE TO
THEIR POLITICAL PULL.

Their Votes for HIS Naval BILL
Entire Liberal Press DisaDproves
of the PoIicy--CommerciaI Jour-
nails Lay stress on the Fact That
Price OF Fruit VIII re Higher
SAN Jose Bug Used as n scarecroyv
to Conceal the Real Motive of the
Government.
Copyright. 1898 by the Associated Press.
Berlin, Feb. THE freedom which tho
Reiohstag and the Prussian diet conceded
this week to the agrarians who formulated
a number Of wishes and complaints Is sig
nincant
The minister OF agricultureS Baron Won
Hammerstein-Loxten, promised the gov
ernment would grant as many Of their
demands as possible. At the moment hs
was making this declaration, measures
were preparing to stop the imports OF
American fruit and decree in that con-
nectIon had already been issued.
The entire liberal press openly dsap-
proves Of the policy and assert # was a
government trick to obtain the vote OF tha
agrarians for the Emperor's naval bill.
The leading commercial journals polnt
ures are bound to produce in America ana
to the futility Of prohibiting the impor-
tations Of an article Germany does noe
produce with suhiclenoy. The newspapers
claim the only result viii be that fruit
win be imported from the South of Eu-
rope at a higher cost than is now being
paid for American fruits.
DR.. Friedrich Won Kueger OF the Agri-
cultural High School, upon whose. report
the authorities here are understood to hava
acted has been making an extensiev series
Of experiments ana examinations Of tho
American plants and fruits supposed to
be infected by the San Jose bug After
many failures he finally discovered ths
bug in three specimens OF peaches and
pears
DR.. Heinrich Dorhru, president Of tho
chronological Society Of Stettin. writes
that the. San Jose bug has long been
known in Germany as the Blut-Laus, and
it has devastated orchards In various
parts OF the country, especially in the
neighborhood OF Frankfort and stettin.
lie adds: "The present scare Is as un-
justified as The late Colorado bug scare"
The United States embassy is continu-
ing its remonstrances as a protest against
the unfounded rumors alleging that 1t was
weakening.
several OF the newspapers express the
opinion that the decree VIII not be perrna-
nent, ana that IL was only intended as :.
temporary act OF retaliation for American
treatment Of German sugar.
Inquiry made at the foreign office ara
at the Prussian agricultural department.
however, shows the steps taken to be only
forerunners Of others of more Importance;
the government Having concluded that
something must be done to crafty the
agrarian demand for retaliation on the
united states. There was an exemplihca-
ton IN the Rechstag on Tuesday, when
Dr.. Hahn, q friend OF Prince Bismarck,
demanded the prohibition of American
horses claiming the imports had lncreas-
ga IN 1897 TO $4,000 marks, and that some
thing must be done TO "show those over
hearing Americans that an energetic Ger
man government exists"
The Reichsanziger this evening publishes
the text OF an imperial decree dated to-
day, and worded as follows:
In order to prevent the introduction OF
the San Jose shield louise the importa-
ton OF living plants and fresh plant re-
fuse from America, also barrels, boxes
and other objects used in the packing or
keeping thereof, Is prohibited until fur
Their notice.
THE same prohibition applies to the
dispatch OF fresh fruit and fresh fruit
Is TO be refused whenever the examination
made at the place of entry may establish
the presence Of the San Jose louise
This prohibition docs not apply IN any
way to goods which enter by ships and
remain on the ships The imperial chan
ceilor Is empowered to grant exceptions
and to take the necessary precautionary
measures"
The views OF the Prusslan cabinet ars
gaugeable by a declaration made yester-
day by the minister Of agriculture, Baron
Won Observation-Disclosures In the diet, who
declared. that American horses developed
influenza after Importation, adding: 'If
tho importatons increase, we shall cer-
tainly be forced to adopt a suitable quar-
antine, in order 10 protect ourselves"
The total exclusion OF all living cattla
ana hogs Is also under consideration
The sugar producers have petitloned the
imperial chancellor, demanding that no
tariff agreement shall be accepted unless
The United States tariff on German sugar
Is reduced 20 per cert from the presenr
scale, and an assurance given that no
other country VIII be more favorabIy
treated
1t is the governments present Intention,
that the quiennlal elections Of 1S98-19o5
should occur IN July, and that
the Prussian Diet election should
take place IN October although
the programme may be changed should
the Reichstag reject the naval bill, which.
however, Is now quite unlikely Election
agitation Is already pronounced, especial
ly in the provinces where the Agrarians
are sweeping the field. The Socialists ana
Conservatives are having a hot prelimiu-
ary campaign and both parties expect TO
make large gains from the National LIB
erals. Fressiniges and other middle parties.
The government Is disagreeably disap-
pointed at the considerable dimnution OF
the import duties and taxes OF the last
six months Of 1897 In December alone
they fell Off 100000 marks, owing to the
enormous decrease In the sugar exports
OF America. This will be cited against
the large appropriations asked for in the
naval bill.