New-York tribune., 1905-04-10
N THE GERMAN EMPIRE.
Nc,C Commercial Treaties-TnteriOr
WateTsUay System Enlarged.
Berlin. April 1.

Berlin. April l.
The bunch of new commercial treaties with
sussia, Austria-Hungary. italy. Switzerland.
Rurnania, Holland. Argentina and Belgium has
h.sn approved by the Reichstag by the over
vrhelning majority OF 239 against IS. and sew
,.-sl other countries are now negotiating 70 be
.sm,tted 70 slTaiiar arrangements among them
sugaEia, Brazil. servia- II must not, however,
~ concluded that these new treaties realize
--syious expectations. Indeed, probably the
fs-rer number OF Reichstag delegates voted in
ne affirmative as the lesser OF two evils. It
ssa-ns certain that under the terms OF these new
bargains German industry and German export
.-sse Win seriously suffer in many branches.
gfis niI be particularly true in the trade with
.rsrria-I5ungary. Russia. Switzerland and Ru-
mania. on The other hand. German agriculture
rs-s pressed for many years by competition
18th the cheaper field products from those coun-
.,ies as wen as those from Argentina. Australia
and the United States. has secured a new lease
=. ne Hereafter the duties on cereals. cattle.
neat products lumber. hemp. tar, fax. dairy
,-osurfs etc. are considerably higher.
-bsse ner duties wiz so into effect on March 1.
1ers. They average fully 30 per cent higher.
There are several interesting points growing
or+ n these new commercial treaties however.
H1rrTl 7.
P-+sir and her colonies. France and the United
e.s-ee ln various ways. Commercial relations
,,.b France have been treated for a number OF
.sa-s back as rather negligible quantity. There
e NJ course ia force the old most favored
-stton7 e-reeueut Of the Peace Of Frankfort OF
~ BUT products Of the French soil Ger
mans have with a few not very important eX-
,.--ions learned TO dispense with Even for
r-ench charnpognes and brandies they have ac-
-retrlreI themselves 10 use the German sub
r-.-u-es and the fine vegetable" industries Of
Frfu-t. Brunswick and Frankfort not only sup
-rv dainty early lettuce sweetpeas, asparagus.
-aulifouer etc. bat actually compete success
.,lrv abroad with those of'Ihe Loire country in
r-.rre French wines are a drug in the Ger
MIR market. the national taste having largely
discarded them. and placed the home grape juice
from Rhine Moselle. Main and the wines OF
Austria. Hungary Italy and Spain IN lieu OF
-ren IL is the same way with French indus
trial products Germany now makes largely
re- ogn silks ana laces and dressgoods. her
own ve've1s and cloths and ribbons, her own
me glass and table ware porcelains. carpets and
rugs furniture and bronzes; the St. Louis E1-
rosi-iou has shown 10 what extent thS5e patient
and systematic efforts have proved successful.
n word Germany has almost completely
enaucipateG herself economically from France.
The trade between France and Germany has
gone On dHiudllng since $50
With Great Britain and the British colonies
he case Is different Trade with them. in both
directions. has steadily and enormously in
creased since 1850 and this even at an undimin-
Ishea ratio since mutual commercial and polit-
caI 5eal0usi=s have played figure. Moreover,
This trade has been unbrokenly profitable for
both sides studying the official statistics since
$50 the mind wonders why either party. the
British or the German should Willingly or un-
willingly wish 70 disturb such mutually advan-
tageous trade relations for the interchange OF
commodities "a both sides has been surprisingly
even generally indeed. with q small balance IN
favor OF the British and their colonies. The
present status IS q most favored nation agree
rlert taking temporarily the place Of a regular
treaty. and under 1t neither side has had just
cause for complaint.
AS Gar as volume Of sales IS concerned. Ger
many IS at present and has been for I've years
past Great Britain's best customer. There IS
ne such thing as a balance against Great Britain
oe from 30 10 800 per cent as is the case with
British dealings with the United States. IN
dee5. ia her trade with Germany. Great Britain
has usually some 20 10 % Per cent on the right
side ~ the ledger. and when her colonies are
added 70 this showing il becomes still more ad-
vartaeeous 70 her.
Turning lastly 10 the commercial account OBJ
tanning between Germany and the United States
this peculiar condition OF affairs is found: BY
RE terms Of the latest agreement between the
two countries that Of July II, l900-which
agreement. practically, was in the nature Of
reciprocity treatv-the United States assured TO
Germany The same terms shortly before granted
10 France ol large number Of articles partly
agricultural. partly Industrial; and Germany on
her part bound herself 10 accord 10 the United
States tEe same duty rates agreed upon with
Belgium. Italy, Austria Hungary Rurnania
Russia. Ser.ia and Switzerland between 1891
and 1898. This agreement between the United
States ana Germany is stiu ia force. A number
y efforts made on the part Of Germany to effect
TfE-.af commercial treaty with the United
States have ore and an proved abortive The
most recent ~ these Efforts within the last two
months. mas demonstrated 20 Germany that az
ms tne ~ least. and probably for years 10
cone ID Vll s= futile 10 attempt any new com
ifeaeus.re regulation % the international trade
4e-alors 1ith fhc United States, the temper Of
Inc -u.ted states Senate being altogether averse
10
N9". Germany is iu a predicament To de-
A'laee her present tariff agreement with The
1h'e3 States win probably be popularity mis-
Understood as a hostile measure. as the preltr,