The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08
MAY BENEFIT OUR PACKERS
If 1T Is ENFORCED IMPARTIALLY
THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE.
Fear of Retaliation Likely to Compel
the Government to Deal Fairly
with American Products.
Copyright. 1899. by the Associated press.)

I
finally passed by the Prussan Cabinet and
has gone to the Bundezrath which, it is I'M
| derstood, will make short work Of it, as each
| of the federal governments has already con-
| sidered it, and the present shape of the bill
! is virtually the result of mutual concessions
made by the several governments.
From an authoritative source it is learned
that the task of agreeing to its final form
| proved very difficult to the south German
governments, especially Wurtemburg and
| Bavaria, which originally opposed any such
| legislation. since they, thus far, have not
| been saddled with trichinosis inspection, and
| saw no reason why the whole empire should
| be saddled with an expensive meat inspec-
| ton merely because Prussia wished it. 1t
was in Difference to these south German
! states that the Prussian Cabinet gradually
! cut down the demands, and a number Of the
agrarian features of the original draft OF
| the bill were eliminated. Two important
notifications are the dropping of the clause
providing for state remuneration for all cat
! tie and meat declared unfit for sale, and the
insertion of a clause enforcing the inspection
| of all cattle and swine slaughtered for pri-
| vate consumption.
| The correspondent here of the Associated
| Press has interviewed a high Prussian Off
| cial concerning the measure, who said: For
| America the most vital and interesting fea-
lures are that it srplif1es and unifies the
method of inspection and that there will
only be one inspection. There will be no
prohibition against any class of American
meat, although very strong pressure was
| brought to bear on the government to ex-
| clude certain kinds, especially sausage, can
ned meats. and lard. The BUndezrath, how
ever, is given full powers, under the bill, to
issue, in case of necessity, a decree exclud-
ing any or all kinds of foreign meats. But
such action will not be taken unless there
| is the strongest reason for it. A difficult
problem is the treatment of American sau-
| sage, which is left to the Bundezrath and
Reichstag. Nothing in the whole bill is de-
vised with the view of impeding or prevent
ing American imports. The whole bill is
fair and it's methods cannot be impugned
even in America
The foregoing statements were substan-
TALLY corroborated by an American expert
now in Berlin, to whom they were COM
| inundated. He said: THE tenor of the bill
shows that the imperial government means
to treat American meats fairly and on their
merits The option was given to the Bun
dezrath to treat American meats with
| greater severity, which corresponds with
agriculture on our side regarding certain
| German imports. But the enforcement of
the option viii require specific proof that
| American meats are injurious, and that is
| out of the question. The bill will not be
| an unmitigated evil for American interests
| Hitherto ia Germany there has been no
| confidence in our meat inspection; but there
| is almost sacred confidence in German i'm
perlal Inspection. Hehce1orth any American
| meats exposed for sale will be known to
| have been officially approved, and the re-
| suit will be an increase in business, prob
| ably doubling our sales The only paragraph
| in the bill which is capable of mischief if
| unfairly applied is the one which sets forth
| tam cuts sand parts. We cut our meat diff
| ferently from the Germans, so mischief may
| Turk in that paragraph. However, 1 feel
| confident that the German government will
| not apply the bill unfairly, as it fully real
| izes shat there would be no wisdom in such
| a .courSe seeing that we hold trump cards
| in retaliation
An interesting fact is that the Prussian
| veterinary experts, to whom all samples of
American meats, sausages, etc. suspected
| of bell G affected with tricEinosis or other
| diseases have been sent have thus far been
unable in any case to confirm the suspicious.
The government announces that several
loads of American fruits inspected for the
| San Jose scale were recently seized at Ham
burg and at Stettin. In each case, however,
the scales were dead.
The German chambers Of commerce and
industrial associations in their annual 1e-
ports this week have referred more or less
freely to Germany's trade with the United
States. A majority of them express the
hope that commercial relations will become
closer and more friendly. The Lepsic
Chamber OF Commerce, one of the most inn
portant in Germany, deplores the present
uncertainty of the commercial relations with
both the United States and Great Britain.
/ -
70 the utmost TO re-estabHsh permanently
the best relations with both countries. The
Rhenish Manufacturers Association, how
ever, urges the government to adopt
prompt and energetic retaliatory measures
against the United States, in view of the
palpable violations. Of the treaty"
The Bundezrath is now discussing a gov
eminent BILL the so-called LEX Heinze,"
framed to suppress certain features of pub
| lie and private immortality. 1t also affects
literature and art. This bill is a weakened
copy of a measure repeatedly introduced in
the Reichstag by CentriSts and defeated.
The Center. which is the dominant faction
of the Reichstag, publishes through its main
organ, the Cologne Volks Zeitung, its in
tention of fighting the two leading govern
ment measures, the anti-strike and military
bills. AT the same time, it condemns the
constant increase in lese majesty trials.
and impugns the motives underlying most
of these cases, saying it deplores the grow
ing espionage which is bred thereby.
The explosions from northern Schleswig
continue undated and an overwhelming
majority of the papers continue to complain
of this policy and deny its political wisdom
The Cologne Gazette is an exception to the
rule. 1t urges all Germans to approve the
measures which, it asserts, are necessary
for patriotic reasons. The central commit
tee. representing all the commercial clubs
and associations of Berlin, met this week
and formally condemned the explosions
which, the committee collected statistics to
show, have already done vast amount of
damage to Germany's commerce.
Influenza, which seized the Emperor last
Sunday, kept him indoors until Friday. 1t
was o. rather serious type and a high
fever weakened the patient considerably
The disease complicated his Majesty's old
ear trouble. which caused him severe pain.
The Emperor was able TO walk out of doors
on Friday with the Empress, and his physi-
clan, Prof. Leuthold. expects his Majesty
viii have completely recovered in a few
days. sss
A case in which the ministers of war of
Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony figured as
prosecutors has just been concluded in the
Imperial Court at Leipsic. The defendant
was physician, DR.. Bittinghoff. who was
charged with ILLUMINATING officers AZ the
Germany army. The offense was committed
in June last. on the eve Of the general cleo
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