The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-21
Empire Plans Tariff to Hit the
United States.
JEALOUS OF PROGRESS
CONSUL GENERAI. MASON TELLS
OF IRRITATION.
Official Says That There is Growing
Feeling OF Enemity as This Coun-
try outstrips the Fatherland in
the Realm Of Trade-Annpal Re
port On Trade Relations.

Washington, May sO.-Under cover Of
an annual report on the trade relations
Of Germany, Consul General Mason at
Berlin has published in the volume of
Commercial Relations, issued from the
bureau Of foreign commerce, state de-
partment, some exceedingly important
statements relative TO the present con-
ditions governing trade between Ger
many and the United States. Still
more important are the predictions
made by Mr.. Mason as to the treat
ment Germany has in store for United
states trade at competitive points here
after, and his warnings to Americans
OF the German purpose to demand far
higher duties on imports, especially
against the United States products.
Mr.. Mason says that Germany has
been paralyZed at the enormous up
ward bound of the foreign trade of the
United States, and as German mer-
chants have come to the conclusion
that this prosperity is attributable en-
tirely to the United States tariff laws,
and arguing tina a similar policy could
not fail to benefit Germany, they pro
pose a revision of their tariff on the
line or a general and heavy increase of
duties, especially upon imports from
the United States.
Press is Irritated.
Mr.. Mason has much to say about
the steadily growing irritation exhibit
ed by the German press against the
United States, and the criticisms of
the trade papers Of cur customs off,
GERS, who are charged with practicing
chlcanery in their efforts to prevent
undervaluations Of German exports to
the United States. Complaints are
made against Germans acting as
agents for the sale of American or
English goods, and conditions are be-
ing imposed to discourage the taking
Of foreign pupils in German technical
schools.
He treats also of the great growth in
the German trade in the east, result
ing in the new policy of the govern
ment and its determination to obtain a
share of what the far-sighted states
men recognize as the chief commercial
prize Of the twentieth century--the
trade Of China. German trade with
China has increased 20 per cent in the
last four years and German capital
is being invested with an audacity
which should stand as an example 20
Americans seeking foreign trade.
Enmity is Undeniable.
In conclusion, and recurring to the
subject of relations between the United
states and Germany IN the future, Mr..
Mason has this to say:
There is, therefore, every POSSIBLE
ity that the new tariff and such
amended special treaties as Germany
may consent to enact viii modify the
commercial relations of the empire
with other nations. particularly with
the United States. 1t is not to be de-
MED or overlooked that while the atti-
tude Of the imperial government to-
ward our country has been uniformly
correct, there is in certain business
circles here feeling OF enmity and re-
sentiment which did not exist prior TO
1898. The heavy balance of trade
which the United states now holds
against the fatheTland, the decline IN
textile exports and the sharpened Gus
toms regulations against undervalua-
tons, the concessions recently granted
to France, and above all, the enormous
growth of American manufactured ex-
ports, the aggressive competition of
American metal and other products
in South American and eastern mar
kets-aH these weigh heavily on the
hearts Of the people here, and viii be
hard fought when the new tariff and
treaties come to open debate in the
GelCnSLa&.
Hopes For Broad Treaties.
what most enlightened thinkers ex-
pect, or at least hope for, is that out
of all these mutations will come a
broad, liberal, Complementary framed
treaty or series Of treaties, between
the United States and Germany, in
which all the vexed and irritating
questions relating to naturaliZed citi-
zenship, countervailing duties and port
charges on vessels shall be regulated
and liberal justice to imports of food
products secured by reciprocal conces-
siOns and embodied in permanent con-
ventiOns between the two countries
rivals and competitors in foreign
fields-South America, Africa and Asia
the Union and the German empire
viii always be, but this is no reason
why the two nations should not be in
their direct relations with each other
harmonious and mutually considerate,
and this result can in no way so ef-
fectively be promoted as by an inteIli-
gent revision Of obsolete treaties and
their adjustment to modern require
.