New-York tribune., 1903-01-17
NEW AUSTRIAN DUTIES HEAVY.
Offset to Germany's Tariff Propositions
Gold Standard, Too.

Berlin. Jan. 16.-The Commercial Treaty So
ciety. has information to the effect that the
new Austro- Hungarian tariff bill will be sent
to the Dual Parliaments in a few days. The
bill has been confdentially shown to the Ger
man Government. 1t provides for enormously
higher duties than the existing tariff IL is un-
derstood that the increases are aimed to offset
the German tariff law in the forthcoming neSo
tiations for a commercial treaty.
Budapest Hungary. Jan. 16.-In the lower
house Of the Hungarian Parliament to-day
Premier Coleman de Sell informed the Depu-
ties that under the recent Ausgleich agree
ment customs alliance between Austria and
Hungary had been concluded for ten years The
esential points of the agreement were identical
with similar previous arrangements. The most
important change is the establishment of
customs tariff common to the two countries and
giving the products Of each half of the mon
archy equality of treatment in the other.
Our object said the Premier. lis to prevent
by higher agricultural duties the raw products
which are kept out of other States by a pro-
tectionist policy being forced this country in
competition with products. In view of
Germany's considerable increase of Industrial
duties, it has become necessary to afford Aus
tro-Hungarian industry similar protection"
The Premier then enumerated the increases.
The duties on wheat are raised from 81 to ~
kroner, with a minimum duty of $50 kroner;
rye. from 2.T5 to kroner. with minimum
duty of $50 kroner; barley. from 1-75 to
kroner, with minimum duty of $50 kroner;
oats, from 1.lO to kroner. with a minimum
duty of 4S0 kroner: and maize. from LIZ to
t kroner, with minimum duty of $50 kroner
The duty on oxen is increased from 81 to 80
kroner: steers, from to 30 kroner; on COWS,
from TO 80 kroner. and on calves, from TO
Is kroner. The duty on pigs is also increased.
The Premier also announced that bill would
be introduced on February 2S. authorizing the
resumption of specie payments The date of
the resumption will be subsequently decreed.
Vienna. JAM 16-The extraordinary high
tariffs contained in the Ausgleich pro-
visions announced to-day in the Austrian and
Hungarian parliaments have astonished even
the strongest Agrarian protectionists. The du-
ties In some cases exceed those of the German
tariff which the Austrian measure is designed
10 meet The few definite rates mentioned to-
day refer to agricultural products. 1t is said
that the duties on woollen. cotton. iron and
other manufactured products will only be mod
erately increased Full information of the 1900
classffications contained in the bill will be pub
lished on January %. Altogether. the Ausgleich
represents mutual concessions. and both coun-
tries profess to be satisfied. although independ-
ent observers are of the opinion that Hungary
has got the better of the bargain.
Great interest has been aroused in financial
circles here by the statement made by Premier
Won Koerber that both governments of the
monarchy intend to complete measure in con-
nection with the introduction early as posi-
BILE of the gold standard DR.. Won koerber said
that the State notes formerly issued silver
basis will be withdrawn by the end of February.
and replaced by notes issued against the gold
reserve The Premier added that he hoped the
Austro- Hungarian monarchy then would Join
the ranks of the gold countries and participate
in the benefits of a consolidated. metallic. uni
yersal currency.