The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-21
GERMAN FARMER oPrPosES
The Discrimin alton Against Beot Sugar .
Thorn in IFS Side.

Thorn in Ifs Side.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20.-Freiherr Beno Won
Herman. the expert ot the German Embassy on
Forestry and Agriculture. has Just returned
from trip to Germany While there. Baron
Herman devoted considerable time TO discus
sing with the German farmers. the condition
OF agriculture In that country and the relations
between Germany ana tho United States re-
Rarding agriculture. At the great annual
AGRICULTURAL exhibition he met the foremost
German farmers men who own great estates
and who rake the subject OF scientific farming
o special study. Through conversations with
such men he obtained . comprehensive view
Of the attitude and feelings OF the German far
mer toward the United States and It's tariff
policy.
In an interview with o Sun reporter. Baron
Herman made q number OF observations on
this subject Tho greatest objection" he
said. which the German farmers havo to the
commercial policy Of the United States. so far
as Germany Is affected. Is 10 the additional
duty impo I'd on German sugar. Germany re-
funds to tho producers OF beet sugar that 10 ex-
ported q part OF the tax levied on II when II was
manufactured. Tho United States assesses a
tariff on this sugar equal to tho regular tariff
plus tho amount refunded by the German Gov,
eminent. In other words. what the German
Government refunds to exporters who send
beet sugar to America. the American Govern
mont takes from them.
This refund OF part OF tho tax 10 regarded
here as bounty. This is an error A bounty
10 something given to the producer to stimu-
late his production for export purposes In
the case OF beet sugar the Government holds
that while It has right to levy tax on the sugar
for home consumption. 1t IL not right for 1t to
tax AZ high sugar sent abroad. 30 while 10
levies heavy tax on all sugar factories AM
their product, IL refunds part OF this tax when
the sugar is exported. Just as the tax levied on
mixed -four" in the United States 10 refun-
ded. when the -four Is exported. We have less
complaint to make against tho tariff by itself.
but the farmers do object to having to pay the
tariff with the additional duty imposed.
The United States discriminate against Ger
many In this matter. Sugars from Java. Cuba.
Irazil and other sugar producing countries.
are admitted undor one rate. and the sugar
from Germany is compelled to pay a higher
rate This not only operates against the Ger
man farmer. but against the American manu-
facturer and farmer as we'll You spend o
hundred million dollars every year for sugar.
buying 10 from countries that take very little II
anything Of manufactures or food products
In exchange. You pay for your sugar In gold.
II you bought your sugar from Germany. on
the other hand. you would pay for 1t In your
own products.
"The bala' &c OF trade is constantly growing
against Germany. Ten years ago II was about
equal. while last year the United States export
cd to Germany about 1920. 100000 worth Of
products.w while they imported from Germany
only about $50 900 900. only about one third az
much as the exports. German farmers do not
wish to trade with country where they do not
have the Same privileges as farmers Of other
countries. That Ia why there ia prejudice
against our goods. especially meats.
What makes the sugar industry Of 30 much
Importance to the farmers. is that sugar is the
only food product which they can export Land
is very high In Germany and II Is hard for
tho farmers to make fair living. The beet
sugar industry has been built up during
period OF over fifty years until the sugar can be
exported In competition with that Of Cuba.
Hawaii and other tropical countries. The fac
tories whore the sugar is produced are COOPER
alive. most Of the stock being owned by the
farmers who raise the beets. There are about
800 Of these factories. In which thousands Of
the farm ers are directly and indirectly inter-
ested. So you see that as they raise the beets
and manufacture the sugar themselves. they
are greatly injured by any discriminating duty
against their product"