Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1905-08-28
EIGHT YEARS WORK
The New German Tariff as
it Stands
It is Framed TO Meet Commercial Con.
tigencies Which may Arise Before
the Year 1917.


new commercial treaties with Russia,
Austria Hungary, Italy, Switzerland,
Belgium, Roumania and Servia com
pletes the work of preparation of a
new German tariff, on which the gov
ernment OF the empire has been en-
gagged since 1897. The new tariff law
will go into effect March l, 1906. and
will remain in force at least until the
close of the year 1917.
The German tariff consists of a dou-
BILE set of duties; the general rates,
which received the sanction of law
December 25, 1902 Cthough they have
not been put into force as yeD, and
the conventional" or those arrived at
by means of bargaining with foreign
countries and embodied in treaties or
| conventions mentioned above. Not
all the rates of the general tariff are
reduced in the conventional; the re-
ductions which occur are made in
consideration of equivalent concessions
by other countries While the differ
ent countries are each trying to Sc
cure, through negotiations, lower rates
of import duties on those articles
which constitute important items in
their export trade with Germany the
combined lowest conventional rates
agreed upon with the different parties
alike to all the countries enjoying the
benefit of the most favored nation"
treatment. By that is meant in Eu-
rope that the nation enjoying such
privilege can not be subjected to high
er import duties on it's products than
those levied on similar products COM
ing from other countries.
There is no treaty containing
most favored nation" clause in ex-
istence between the United States and
the German empire. The most fav-
ored nation" treaty of 1928 was con-
cluded between the United States and
Prussia Treaties containing a similar
clause were concluded with the Han
seattle republics of Lubbock. Bremen
End Hamburg in 1927 and the king
dom of Hanover In 1916.
Under the present German tariff /
imports from the United States have
been subject to the lower or con
ventionaf' set of duties, at first under
the sO-called Saratoga convention" of
1892. and later by virtue of the com
mercial agreement between the Unit
ed States and Germany OF July 10, ]
1900. By the terms of the latter agree
ment this country was granted the
conventional rates of duties fixed by
the commercial treaties of IS91-1S94
tries mentioned above, in consideration
of the reduction of duties. authorized
by section of the Dngley act of
1897, on argOls, brandies. wines. paint
ings and statuary imported from Ger
many into the United States. This
agreement may be terminated by eth |
er country al any time upon giving |
three months notice; and as the trea-
ties of 1S91-1S94, with the above !
named countries which govern the /
tariff rsites now accorded to us will |
all expire on March l, 1906, our agree /
ment Of 1900 will necessarily expire on /
that date, unless sooner terminated.
The Importance of the United States /
to German foreign commerce is seen |
from the fact that this country holds /
first rank among the nations from |
which Germany receives it's imports !
and third rank among countries of |
destination of German exports. while /
III the foreign commerce of the Unit |
ed States is second only to Great /
Britain both in the export and the /
import trade.
The total exports of Germany to /
foreign countries increased from $685. |
100000 in 1891, the year of the adop- /
tion of commercial treaties, to $1,243,- |
100000 in the year 1904, showing an /
L
the same period the imports from
Germany into the United States in
creased from $97, 100000 in the fiscal /
year to s1O9OOO,OOO in 1904. or about !
IL per cent. The imports from this |
country into Germany increased in the |
same years from $50, 900 900 to nearly
$225, 100000, or more than 1874 per
cent.
Cotton and copper, the two most /
important articles in our export trade
with Germany, nearly one-half in val
ue of the total imports into Germany,
from this country, will continue to be
admitted free of duty. The same is
true of fertilizers, furs and fur skins.
rOsin and turpentine, and oil cake and
oil-cake meal-all of which Germany
will continue to admit free under this
as we'll as under the con-
ventional tariffs, because these pro-
ducts are required in her industries
and can not be produced at home in
sufficient quantities.
In the case of a number of products J.
each constituting an important item .
in the import trade of Germany with |.
the United States. the conventions
with the above named countries do not
affect the autonomous rates. Among
these are leather, the increases of
duty on which, as compared with the
existing rates. range from 40 to 81 per
cent, according to quality; cotton
seed oil, with the duty raised 25 per
cent for oil made unfit for cOnsump-
ton (denatured), and PA per cent for
OIL fit for human consumption; bacon,
with AN increase of duty of so per
cent; tallow, % per cent; sewing ma
chimes, 45 per cent; typewriters, $50
per cent; lumber, from 81 per cent
to 100 per cent, according to kind.
etc. The commercial treaties of Ger
many with the seven countries men
toned above have not affected these
rates, partly for the reason that those
countries are not so much interested
IN the trade in these products as in
the United States.
The increases of rates of duty on
beef amount to 252 per cent