New-York tribune., 1901-10-30
GERMAN TRADE HOSTILITY.
HER STEP TOWARD A TARIFF WAR
THE NEW INSURANCE LAW.


ers, and which has grown with the development
OF American commerce to be highly desirable TO
country
1t is not to be understood that any expressions
OF hostility have reached the State Department
from the German Gov ernment through diplomatic
channels The usual scrupulous politeness has al
ways been observed and the most high sounding
phrases have always been employed in expressing
the distinguished consideration which the Emperor
of Germany entertains for the United States. To
have spoken or TO have written otherwise would
have violated all the traditions Of diplomacy. ard
would have led doubt, TO dire results. An open
rupture between the two nations is by no means
desired by Germany. nor. indeed. is there the
slightest indication that anything of the sort is at
all likely occur.
Nevertheless. It is that for years there has
existed In Germany fixed design 10 hinder the
growth In that country of American commerce of
all descriptions While she is perfectly willing
even anxious to sell Us all that will buy Of her
products, she is decidedly to buying any
thing from us, the fostering of home industries
being as marked characteristic of the policy OF
Germany as IL ever has been of country
| APPARENT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
This design. while it has never been declared
ceptng in the most diplomatic fashion by the
German officials, has been perfectly apparent 10
the State Department. II has found expression, in
unnumbered Instances. in the adoption Of customs
regulations local restrictions and petty ordinances,
| as well In the PRONUNCIATION of imperial edicts.
all of which have been manifestly intended to pre-
vent the growth Of American trade by imposing
conditions which are in all cases exasperating and
| which in some cases have proved prohibitIve.
1t Will be recalled by everybody that the Ameri-
can canned meats. which We're found TO be a valu-
able food supply by all the rest of the world.
| declared by Germany 10 be unfit for the consump-
| tion Of her citizens. And the edict against this
| particular product so stringent that there is
| even 10 this day practically sale whatever for
| American canned preserved meats
a similar prohibition was attempted time
| against American fruits II was based on the
alleged ravages of certain fly or other insect in
one OF the fruit districts of California the pre-
text being that there danger of importing this
| fly its larva with the fruit There sbso-
lutely no basis Of Of fact for the edict,
| but it took considerable work the part Of the
| State Department. aided by the Department OF
Agriculture, 10 the revocation of it and open
the German ports more for the admission Of
| the fruits that We're bought all over Europe.
A similar complication arose a while afterward IN
regard to the transportation Of certain lumber which
was exported to Germany from this country. and
| which. IL alleged. practically similar 10
kind Of wood which grew in one small German
forest. II did not appear that the German wood
| had ever been sold. cut in the forest but
| the similarity used place a
prohibitive price the railroad transportation Of
the American wood, and so bar q am the Ger
man market. And this only settled after
some months Of effort by State Department
and vast deal of diplomatic correspondence.
EXAsPERATING RESTRICTIONS.
In addition TO these things the local restrictions
Of trade encountsred by American merchants and
manufacturers who have undertaken 20 establish
agencies in Germany for the sale of their goods
have been for years OF the most exasperatng char
acter. And while they have not assumed the shape
which justified the State Department in interfer-
ing. their existence has been well known to our Of
hcias. and they have been well understood as
being expressions OF the trade hostility existing
against
Not the least significant Of all the manifestations
Of this hostility. well the most recent OF them
ALL was the speech Of the general secretary Of the
Bund der Industriellen at Il meeting OF that body
In Berlin on October u. This gentleman DR.
Wendlandt, described the American danger" as
exceedingly grave, and complained bitterly of the
influence OF American competition German
trade. He declared that a common agreement
should be made among nations to treat American
goods differently from all others, excluding them
from all markets II possible or II that should not
be possible enacting q special customs tariff
against them The bund did indOrse what he
said unqual:fedly. but it passed resolutions
mending the consideration of the plan of q Euro
pean customs union against the United States.
Possibly the most important Of all the different
kinds OF American business which have been thus
hampered is the insurance business. In this case
while the German Government has not gone 10 the
length OF saying in so many words that no Ameri-
can company shall do business in Germany, il has
been at no pains whatever disguise its bitter
hostility 10 the American companies And this hos
tity always open 10 be almost contemptu-
Gus. has now assumed form that Is even more ag-
gressive than before.
II is true that Germany offers a favorable field
Of operations for any first class enterprsing and
honorable company, and the American companies
leading the world they do in their own field
long ago undertook TO establish their branches in
the dlHerent German cities. Some Of them
pended large sums of money in these establish
ments under government concessions which
understood and which at first undoubtedly
intended to be OF the nature OF contracts.
A SERIES OF ANNoYANCEs
The German officials. however, though they had
not had the foresight perceive that these Ameri
can companies likely to prove dangerous
rivals TO their home institutions. had their
eyes opened. and promptly began series of an
noyances that speedily became persecution so that
for some half a dozen years the Americans were
unable TO carry on their business in such a fashion
as would yield any satisfactory return on the
necessary outlay.
These difficulties in time became intoerable. the
local Prussian Government going so far after
while 10 dictate what the funds of
the American companies doing business in Prussia
should be invested in in America and refusing TO
continue the concessions for work in Prussia
less these prepOsterous conditions observed.
In consequence, the American companies with only
one exception compelled to withdraw from
Prussia, and made an appeal 10 the general gov
ernment here for its intervention on their behalf
During the last session of Congress petition
was addressed TO that body setting forth the facts
or the case and praying for action the part
OF our authorities which would induce the Prus-
sian Government TO recognize the comfy that
should exist between civilized nations The matter
came up, however. so late in the session that 1t
failed 10 be acted upon though the Committee on
Foreign Relations reported a resolution calling on
the Secretary Of State take appropriate steps
II is not 10 be supposed that the State Depart