Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-08
Maximum Rates if No Treaty.

Maximum Rates if No Treaty.
This concession expires July l, 1907. when,
if reciprocity treaty is not concluded in
the meantime, the maximum duties will be
imposed upon all imports into Germany
from this country. These maximum duties
are very much higher than those now being
paid; in some cases double; in other cases
so and 60 and Is per cent higher
Some people think that these maximum
rates Were imposed especially to prevent
the importation of American goods into
Germany, but, as matter of fact, they are
only a part of the general commercial
policy of the German government to extend
it's foreign commerce; to find markets for
the products of Its own people through such,
reciprocity arrangements as. President Ar
thur endeavored to establish in 1884 be-
tween the United States and the other
American republics, such as Mr. Blaine In
augurated and Mr.. Foster concluded after
the first international American conference
in 1889. Indeed the German government
has been carrying into practical effect the
policy which President Arthur and Mr..
Blaine urged so strongly and persistently
upon the Congress of the United States,
and which President Mckinley recon-
speeches and in private conversation. These
efforts were defeated and Mr.. Blaine's work
was destroyed by President Cleveland and
the last democratic Congress in 1s94-5.
President McKinley's plans were defeated
by Speaker Reed, Mr.. Dingley, chairman of
the ways and means committee; Senator
Aldrich Of Rhode Island. Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts and other republicans. who
made eloquent speeches and wrote ringing
resolutions in favor Of reciprocity in order
to secure votes for the republican ticket,
and then knocked it In the head. stabbed
l. in the back and did everything in their
power to prevent the adoption of any prac-
teal measures toward the improvement of
our foreign trade. Representatives Payne,
DalZell and Grosvenor are equally cuIpa-
BILE. They won't even let us have reciproc-
ity with the Philippine Islands
Senator Aldrich Is more to blame than
any one else for the perilous situation In
which our trade with Germany now stands.
Senator Lodge is his chief conspirator, for
those men will not permit any reciprocity
treaty to be ratified by the United States
Senate for fear some petty interest In their
states may have its profits reduced by for
eign competition.
Senator Hopkins has no such excuse.
Neither has Senator Doliver. Their con-
stituency are in favor of reciprocity and the
largest interests in their states will be ad-
vanced by 1t. Those two have talked
louder and longer about reciprocity than
any other men in the republican party, and
next to Aldrich and Lodge have done more
to prevent the policy from being carried
into effect They will probably continue
their obstruction as in the past, and may
Germany and provoke a tariff war which
will cause inestimable damage to our for
eign trade.
Prompt Action Necessary.
1t is absolutely necessary for the govern
ment of the United States to act promptly
in this matter, because the present tempo
rary arrangement with Germany expires on
the Both of June next. Some departmental
regulations may be modified for the con-
venience of German exporters but nothing
effective or permanent can be done with
out the action of Congress. and there Is very
little prospect of accomplishing anything at
the regular short session of Congress, be-
in hllcr vxyiU
Quire the entire time.
The tariff experts who are going to Ber-
lin do not expect to negotiate a treaty.
They have no authority or power to do so.
The object of their mission, however. Is to
lay the foundations for one and to secure
information upon which a treaty may be
re;got;a,ed They go In spirit 81 absolute
dent regards the mission Of special import
ance as showing the good will of the people
OF this country and their desire to con-
tinue commercial relations which are SO
valuable to US as we'll as to Germany.
Expectation Of the Commission.
DR.. North, who is the chairman of the
commission. told me that they expect to
have a commission appointed by the Ger
man government to meet them and discuss
the tariffs of both countries with all their
bearings upon the situation.
I'VE expect to invite delegations from
chambers of commerce. from the farmers.
the business men who are importing from
or exporting to the United States" he
said, Ito tell us what they want and to
explain their specific grievSHees against our
customs regulations. This is not an agrees
stye movement, but commission of in
quiry: to seek information in the first place
and to communicate information in the
next We are instructed to find out how
far Germany is wiling to go in reciprocity
treaty with the United States,' continued
Mr.. North; Ito ascertain what her pro-
ducers and exporters and importers are will
ing to concede and how far the government
is willing to relax it's customs regulations
if We will relax ours. The new pure food
regulations will hit the Germans pretty
hard, and they are exceedingly sensitive on
that subject. but we hope to convince them
that they are not intended as retaliations
for these which they have been enforcing
against American irnnnrts FOR a long time