Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-02-04

Ecsides That Recently Put on Fruits. Green
and Dried-statc Department Preparing
TO Make Some Sharp Protests-Court De-
ci,ion That Uncle Sam Can Make No APP
preparations fur sectar.an Uses-An That
Was Interesting in Congress Noted.
Washington. FEB. 4.-Advices have
been received from Ambassador White
es TO the nature Of the decree in Ger
many shutting out American fruit. 1t
would seem that the full details are not
obtainable In Berlin. but it is expected
that the ambassador will cable the en-
tire decree as soon as he can obtain
possession OF 1t. The important facts
that were established by the adyices
we're: First, that the decree of expulsion
uses the word American as descrip-
tive Of the place OF origin Of the fruit.
which would seem to include Canadian
fruit without question: second, that the
decree. instead of applying only to fresh
fruit. as was at first supposed, includes
Ia the prohibition all dried fruits from
America. State department officials
have not ye; recovered from their sur
prise al the method adopted by the Ger
man government Of accomplishing its
object In this matter. and undoubtedly
the correspondence to follow will Set
this out very clearly.
Three Objection. To the Method.
The objection TO the course pursued is
II threefold. In the first place 1T is said
TO lie entirely without precedent, ard
discour;.ous towards TIE American am
bassadOr at Berlin. 20 make the decree
and put IL into effect without the slight
est warning to him. In the second place,
by making the decree take effect at
once and 81 piping all fruit in transit. a
grca: injustice II done TO shippers, who
without warning are made 10 lose heav-
lily On their capital invested in the fruit.
Third. the decree Is condemned in that
IL makes no provision fer the admission
Of fruit OF absolute purity; permits no
| demonstration of origin or healthful
condition. and in fact condemns ell
fruit. good and bad. alike. These con-
alterations ere 10 be strongly urged up
| on the German government as reasons
| why Il she uld either revoke or modify
the decree on the lines indicated, before
! any more radical action Is taken.
A New Cause of Complaint.
But while the state department is
preparing to tackle the Germans on this
question 81 seems that the Germans are
1 trying to give US some more Of the
| game" a l:eilin telegram says: 1T is
| announced that the bundesrath federal
counciD in p.crary sitting yesterday
approved its comittee's proposal that q
| decree should he issued prohibiting the
| importation from America Of live plants
and shrubs and packages containing the
same. The decree will also. in a certain
measure. affect American fruits. These
a-e to be examined by experts on thei:
| arrival at German ports and packages
fourd TO lie injected with the fruit louise
| will he excluded. Instructions to this
effect VIII be issued to the customs au-
thorit.es. This announcement. which is
made by an official agency, appears to
indicate a measure distinct from the
decree issued On Tuesday BY DIR. MIGUEL
the rrussian minister Of finance. pro-
hibitiry the importation Of every kind
cf American fresh fruit. but IL is diff.
\ cult to- ascertain the exact details. Tie
bundesrGth's measure. il is pointed out
is far less stringent than similar meas.
ures at present enforced in individual
states Of the American rnion.'"
4 Germans Are Somewhat Inconsistent.
Ore Understanding complaints against
American dried fruit. the trade in
which with Germany has assumed cnor.
nous proportions, is brought to officia
notice by a report that comes to th'
state department from United
States Consul ozmun. at Stuttgart. II,
transmits n notice issued by the chic
Of police n; Stuttgart to the effect tina
most Of the samples OF American ap
p,einrs. or dried apples, taken from tn,
local retailers show the addition Of me
tallic zinc. This complaint was mad
e. the department first about two year
ago, the assertion being made that tn
zinc was present in the apples becaus
the Americans dry the fruit on Yin
/. trays instead Of wooden bars as we dc.
Immediately one Of our consuls In Ger
many visited an agricultural exposition
then going on in Germany and repor,e-
; that all ofthe fruit evaporaters exhib
I tied. about fourteen in number, wer
fitted with the alleged harmful gin
trays. which were freely used in Ger