Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-25

Berlin, Sept. 23.-The customs tariff
committee of the reichstag began the
second reading of the tariff bill yester-
day. The section relating to agricuI-
tural and garden products was taken
up first. Baron Won Wangenhe1m
moved increasing to s1,871a per double
hundred weight the duties on a num-
Der Of imports, including wheat, rye,
barley and oats
In the resumption of the discussion
OF the tariff bill by the committee it
was evident that the outlook for posi-
tive results had grown more dismal
since the adjournment August II.
Within the last few days the three
most important political parties. the
centrIsts, German conservatives and
Tree conservatives, have held a caucus
on the situation and adopted a resolu-
ton to abide by the agrarian increases
adopted at the first reading in the
tariff committee and which the gov
eminent repeatedly pronounced mac
ceptable. Some politicians outside OF
these parties interpret this as intend
ed to bring pressure upon the govern
ment and compel it to accept a com
promise. Altogether, therefore, the
tariff bllIs prospects are completely
uncertain and many experts in reich
stag politics regard it's failure as high
ly probable. The SOCIALISTS indicated
in the Munich congress their plain in
To al che
tactics to prolOng the discussion until
the end OF the session so as to get the
expression Of the country on the tariff
at next June's general election. 1t is
evident that the existing high prices
OF meats will play a considerable role
in the bye-elections, in the newspapers
and in further debates as we'll as in
the general election. The butchers
guild OF Berlin has just added 2h
cents per pound to the price of pork,
making it 261a cents. A good flIlet
costs 4S cents. Replying to the mo-
ton made by Baron Won Wangenheim |
proposing increases in the duties on |
wheat, rye, barley and oats, Count |
osadoWsky-Wehner pointed out that. !
owing to the constant growth of the |
industrial element of the population in |
The agricultural districts it has be- |
come increasingly difficult from the
polite point Of view to secure the pas
sage OF increased duties favoring agri-
culture. II, in accordance with Baron |
Won Wangenheim's wish, said the i'm
per1al secretary of state, the agricul- |
tural duties are raised and the indus
trial duties lowered there would be |
risk of raising the cost of living ana |
SO lessening the Industrial productions |
and capacity OF the population and the !
government would never countenance |
this. AS the customs tariff is intend |
ed to lead to commercial treaties it |
should contain no clauses the ultimate |
aim OF which was anything other than |
balancing the difference in the cost of |
production at home and abroad
With reference to the suggestion |
that negotiations for commercial |
treaties might be commenced on the |
basis of draft of the tariff bill. Count |
Won Posadowsky-Weh entered into |
detailed explanations Of the reasons |
why Germany could only negotiate
treaties on the basis of a i
bill that hat become a law. Owing to |
the enormous development of industry,
he said, the existing tariff was thor
oughly out of date and the important |
thing in the present case was the Gre
alton OF basis OF negotiations with |
foreign countries and especially the |
of minimum duties |
therefore,, said the count, rates should |
be fixed which were presumably prac-
ticable i'll regard to the countries with
which Germany had treated and the
was in the best position
to judge what, in this respect, was
most practicable.