The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-06
TEXT OF THE ODloUS DECREE
OTHER RANK DISCRIMINATING Or
DERs UNDER CONSIDERATION.
DIR. Hahn, One of Bismarclk's Friends,
Anxious to Punish "Those Over
bearing Americans"


Reiehstag and the Prussian Diet conceded
this week to the Agrarians who formulated
numerous wishes and complaints is sig
niticant The minister of agriculture, Baron
Won Hammerstein-Loxte promised the
government would grant as many of their
demands as possible. At the moment he
was making this declaration measures were
preparing to stop the imports of American
fruit and the decree in that connection had
already been issued. The entire Liberal
press openly disapproves of the policy, and
asserts it a government trick to OBJ
tain the vote of the Agrarians for Emperor
Williams naval BILL The leading COM
mercial journals point to the i'll will and in
dignation such measures are bound to pro-
duce in America, and to the futility of pro-
hibiting the Importation of an article Ger
many does not produce with sufficiency.
ThS newspapers claim the only result will
Jbe that fruit will be imported from the
south Of Europe at higher cost than is
now being paid for American fruits.
The Reichsanzeiger this afternoon pub
fishes the text of an imperial ordinance
dated to-day and worded as follows: I'm
order TO prevent the Introduction of the San
Jose shield louise, the importation of living
plants and fresh plant refuse from America,
also barrels and boxes and other objects
used in the packing or keeping thereof, is
prohibited until further notice. The same
prohibition applies to the dispatch of fresh
fruit and fresh fruit refuse whenever the
examination made at the place of entry may
establish the presence of the San Jose louise.
This prohibition does not apply in any way
to goods which enter by ships and remain
on the ships, The imperial chancellor is
empowered to grant exceptions and to take
necessary precautionary measures"
Friedrich Won Kueger, of the agricultural
high school, on whose report the authorities
here are understood to have acted, has been
making an extensive series of experiments
and examinations of the American plants
and fruits supposed to be infected by the
San Jose insect After many failures he
finally discovered the bug in three speci-
mems of peaches and pears DR.. Heinrich
Dorhru, president Of the chronological So
ciety of Stettin, writes that the San Jose
bug has long been known in Germany as
the blut-laus and has devastated orchards
in various parts of the country, especially
in the neighborhood of Frankfort and Stet-
tin. He adds: 1.-THE present scare is as un-
jutsified as the late Colorado bug scare
Several of the newspapers express the
opinion that the decree will not be perma-
nent and that 1t was only intended as
temporary act of retaliation for American
treatment of German sugar. Inquiry made
at the Foreign Office and 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 exemp1ification in the Reichstag on
Tuesday, when DR.. Hahn, a friend of
Prince Bismarck, demanded the prohibition
of American horses claiming the imports
had increased in 1897 to 4,279,0O0 marks, and
that something must be done ito show
these overbearing Americans that an ener-
getic German government exists"
The views of the Prussian Cabinet are
gaugeable by declaration made yesterday
by the Minister of Agriculture, Baron Won
Hammerstein-Lo -Loxten, in the Diet, who de-
clared that American horses developed in
fiuenza after importation, adding: IF the
importations increase we shall certainly be
forced to adopt a suitable quarantine in
order to protect ourselves" The total ex-
clusion of all living cattle and hogs is also
under consideration.
The sugar producers have petitioned the
imperial chancellor, demanding that no
tariff agreement shall be accepted unless
the United States tariff on German sugar
is reduced 20 per cent. from the present
scale and an assurance given that no other
country will be more favorably treated.
1t is the governments present intention
that the quinquennial elections Of 1S9S-1903
should occur in July, and that the Prus-
sian Diet elections should take place in
October, although the programme may be
changed should the Reichstag reject the
naval bill, which, however, is now quite un-
likely. Election agitation is already pro-
ncunced especially in the provinces. where
the agrarians are sweeping the field. The
Socialists and Conservatives are having a
hot preliminary campaign, and both par
ties expect to make large gains from the
National Liberals, Freisinnige and other
middle parties.