Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1905-08-28
The German Trade Menace.


There is printed elsewhere in The
Republican this morning an outline of
the new German tariff which will go
into effect next March l. Before that
time this country will have to enter
into new reciprocal trade relations
with Germany in order to avail itself
of the favorable conditions for which
the new tariff provides. or else suffer
a discrimination which will seriously
affect the trade of this country with
Germany. We have seen how difficult,
in view OF the divided state of this
country on tariff matters. it is to make
these reciprocal arrangements
France has for about fifteen years
constituted the leader of a group of
half a dozen European nations that
enforce the maximum-and-m minimum
tariff in their trade relations with
other nations. Germany stands at the
head of another group. including Aus
tria, Italy. Switzerland and Belgium.
that has constituted a sort of Gus
toms union" their foreign CONNER
cial policy has been fixed chiefly on Il
treaty basis; and under that system
the United States has been shut out
by Germany from the enjoyment of
any most favored provisions
that it did not itself grant. One treaty
of 1900 with Germany embodied sew
eraI tariff concessions on both sides.
but this treaty will become inopera-
tive when the new German tariff law
goes into effect in March Of next year;
and meantime Germany has already
concluded seven special trade treaties
with European nations. most of which
are competitors Of the United States.
Briefly, within the next seven
months we must either conclude a
new reciprOcaI-tra treaty with Ger
many or face and meet as best we
can the tariff determinations against
us in her new law. Our exports Of
merchandise to Germany-which have
more than doubled in the past decade,
reaching an aggregate of S215,0O0,000
in value in 19O4-wilI be put seriously
into jeopardy Germany now imports
more from us than any other nation;
next to the United Kingdom she is
our best foreign customer. President
Roosevelt is on record as having said
recently that he favors "a reciprocal
arrangement with countries that are
disposed to be commercially friendly !
and retaliation for such countries "a
show a disposition to treat the Unit |
ed States with unfairness." In other |
words, if no new treaty is to be ne |
gotiated with Germany, our only ra-
tionaI policy will be to enact a maxi |
mum and-minimum tariff and put the |
screws on the kaiser's country through |
the maximum schedules on its exports |
retaliation"
Which shall it be? For the year |
ended June 30, 1904. Germany shipped /
goods valued at s1O9, 129,O47 into this !
country. This shows that while |
American products are thoroughly ap- |
preciated by the Germans, they feel
that they should get more concessions
from US. Our raw-cotton exports
alone to Germany last year amounted |
to more in value than the aggregate
Of her exports to US. The Stats
Zeitung of New York argues
that Germany would be the loser
should a tariff war ensue, as fully IS
per cent of the goods now exported to
Germany from the United States are
necessaries that Germany must buy in
the United States, while the United
States can produce nearly all the
things that she imports from Ger
many or secure them as cheaply In
England or France. That is approx
mately the fact. But a tariff war
would operate to check the growth of
our trade with Germany, and such
contests are wholly out of harmony
with the spirit of latter-day CONNER
cial relations between the nations.
Before congress seriously considers
A maximum land minimum tariff bill
the administration should bestir itself
for the making of a new trade treaty
with Germany A late bulletin of the
American Association of Business and
Trade, in Berlin, declares that senti-
nent for such a convention is edmost
throughout the empire
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