The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-03-01
Old Schedule Between The United
States and Germany Expires.
RECIPROCITY TREATY MAY FOLLOW
FEARED TREATY ARRANGEMENT
is ONLY POsTPONEMENT OF
COMING STRUGGLE.

ment between Germany and the United
States Of July 10, 1900, expired today.
Although the threatened tariff war be-
tween the two countries has been tenn
porarily averted by mutual agreement,
placing the United States on the basis
of the most favored nations" until
reciprocity treaty between the two
countries can be negotiated, it is feared
that this arrangement merely means a
tween the two countries.
The situation is very peculiar and,
in this country clearly understand the
difficulties and obstacles which threat
en- to precipitate a tariff war which
would be equally disastrous to both
countries If one of the countries were
purely an agricultural, the other purely
an industrial country, there would be
little difficulty in arranging reciproc-
ity treaty between them. AS it is,
however both countries not only have
powerful agricultural but also great
industrial interests. The only differ
ence is this: While in Germany the
industrial interests preponderate and
the exports of agricultural products
are comparatively small, the reverse
condition exists in the United States.
The German agriculturists are opposed
to the importation of American meats
and cereals and want to make the tariff
on these exports practically proh1bl-
tive. The German manufacturers are
bv no means opposed to low duties on
American agricultural products. SO
long as thew can obtain low duties on
their own products exported to the
United States. On the other hand, the
American farmers are anxious to bring
their products to Germany at the low
est possible duty and would be willing
to grant the most liberal concessions
does not suit the American manufac-
turers, who fear German competition
under favorable tariff conditions.
Agrarians Are Powerful.
Unfortunately the agrarians are as
noverful as the reichstag, as the man
ufacturing interests are in the Amerl-
can congress, and it is difficult to i'm
agine how the various factions can be
reconciled in such way as to make
the amicable settlement Of the tariff
question between the two countries
possible. The German agrarians have
struck the keynote of their sentiments
in the matter by forcing a provisional
bill exorbitantly increasing the duties
on American cereals through the reich
stag If these increases should become
effective, in case no settlement of the
reciprocity question should be reached,
it would practically put stop to the
importation of American cereals, meat
and other agricultural products to Ger
many.
The following list gives the percent
age of the proposed increase over the
duties charged under the tariff agree
ment which terminated today: Wheat
los per cent, corn 210 per cent, rye 10C
per cent, flour $50 per cent, lard and
oleomargarine, each 25 per cent; fresh
beef zoe per cent, prepared beef, 250
per cent, dried apples $50 per cent,
dried prunes $50 per cent, oranges 200
125 per cent, Shoes according to quail
ity, 70 to ESQ per cent
Germany has reciprocity treaties
with Belgium, Italy, Austro-Hungary,
Russia, Roumania, Switzerland and
Servia and it would be of great ad-
vantage to the United States as we'll
as to Germany should a reciprocity
treaty between Germany and the Unit.
ed States be arranged The more con
sentative members Of the reichstag
thoroughly appreciate the seriousness
of the results of tariff war between
the two countries and are anxious to
have peace preserved even at a mod !
crate sacrifice. The agrarians, how.
ever, are extremely difficult to deal
with and their extreme views are like |
ly to prevent an amicable, settlement |
of the difference, even if the American |
congress should be inclined to CON- |
nrOpjSo