The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-01

The State Department has received
from United States Consul General
Frank H Mason. at Berlin, Germany.
report on the new German tariff, which
/ became a law last December. He says
that the date when the law viii actually
/ become operative had not been an
nounced when the report was made. but
would depend mainly upon the time that
would be occupied in negotiating new
commercial treaties with the several ma
lions with which Germany has had such
treaties during the last ten years. which
conventions must now be revised.
Nj Mason says the most important
schedules. as far as this country IS con-
cerned. are those which relate to agri-
cultural products, namely, cercaIs, meats
and domestic animals Under the new
tariff raw cotton, fax fiber, and many
other raw materials. including copper,
lead, and aluminium, remain free Of duty.
Among the few reductions made are the
two sections which cover such articles
as spades shoveIs, and other agTicul-
tuTaI Implements Consul General Ma
son thinks these sections are worthy or
note as Illustrations Of the scrupulous
care with which the new tariff act, from
first to last. favors and supports the in
terests of the agricultural as against the
Industrial and mercantile classes
4 Duty on Wheat
Assuming" Consul General Mason
says, that the tariff of December, 1902,
may be put in force before the new treaty
OF reciprocity may have been concluded
between the United States and Germany.
the duties on several leading articles
Of import from our country will be mod
flied as follows. Wheat, which now IN
der the treaty notifications pays 50
cents. will then pay $1.7S per 100 kllo-
grams t22O.4 pounds. or about $50 cents
per bushel. which in some years would
have been a fair average price for the
grain itself In the American market.
Flour will carry a practically prohib-
tive duty OF 1886 per double centneT.
equal to about $406 per barrel Of 19j
pounds. The milling facilities of the
United States have now reached Q point
at which they are able to manufacture
into -four all he wheat grown IN our
I
lions there Is a vigorous search for for
eign markets for American -four. It is
rot probable that any such market Will
be found in Germany Both the existing
tariff, the new one now under consid-
Grafton, and any future schedule likely
to be adopted are and viii be so con-
structed as TO enable the German miller,
even when grinding imported wheat, to
underselI -four from the same country IN
which the foreign wheat was grown. The
milling interest Of this country includes
a vast number of small mills, located
in every part Of the empire, and owned
by so large a number Of persons that
their interests ara certain TO be per
manently and securely protected
Fresh Fruits.
Another significant and effective sec
ton of the new tariff is the one which
relates to fresh apples, pears. and
ounces Hitherto these fruits have been
free Of duty, and a large import trade
has been built up during the last five or
six years During the eleven months
ended November 90, 1902. 10. 227 tons Of
fresh apples were imported into Ger
many, Of which 1901 tons came from
the Netherlands, 1924 tons from Aus
tria-Hungary. IS, 745 tons from SwitzeT-
land, and the remainder from France,
Italy. Russia, and the United States,
which last contributed 1.071 tons II -
proper to say, however. that December
IS the principal month for the import Of
American apples. and the figures for
that month are not known or included N
the above totals Such a rapidly grow
ing influx Of foreign fruit inspired the
trainers Of the new German tariff TO prS
vide that apples. pears, and ounces 'un-
packed shall be admitted free from Sep
TENDER % to November 25- ThencefOr-
ward until September 25 Of the next year
they will be dutiabIe. at 60 cents per dou-
bic centneT-
Packed Apples Higher.