The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-03-06
.GERMIHl'S DEFENSE
AMBASSADOR In Washington Out
lines Her Position In Re-
gard to Morocco.
CALLS INTERESTS IMPORTANT

l<aiser's Envoy Declares That His Gov
eminent Contends For the "open
Door"-Says German Commercial and
Other Rights Support Her stand on
Police and Bank Questions.
/ Washington, March g. Criticism of
4 Germany's course at Algeciras ana
charges that the German emperor is
seeking there an excuse for trouble
with France rather than an agreement
about Morocco, which have been cur
rent in Washington for some time, re
ceiyed an emphatic reply from Baron
speck Won sternburg. the German am
| Dassador
4rhe time has come for plain
speech the ambassador said Enough
has poured into America from Euro
pean sources about Germany's inten-
\ tons"
/ The ambassador then proceeded to
deny in the most emphatic terms the
charge that Germany wanted war. 1T
was for the specific object Of reaching
peaceabe arrangement that my gov
eminent urged the conference at Alge-
ciras,v he said
Stands For "open Door," He Says.
The ambassador said that in the
light "of malicious reports from Euro
pean sources he felt it is his duty to
give the facts about Germany's con-
| tentions at Algeciras on the main point
at issue, that of the policing of Moroc-
co. THAT Germany stands for the
open door liz Morocco is clearly shown
he continued, "by the proposals she has
made regarding the international po
lice system and the international bank.
Germany believes that if the control of
the bank is placed in the hands of
France the equality of economic rights
will be forfeited and the open door
will soon be closed. The position of
Germany and the other signatory pow
ers is on the defensive. Germany has
already recognized that France has a
preferential position in her frontier re
gions in spite of the specific provision
of the treaty of Madrid STIMULATING
that all the powers shall have equal
rights in Morocco Should Germany
now recede further she would appear
in the eyes of the world as weak; but,
what is Of paramount Importance, she
would be buying peace at the cost of
great international principle, which the
future would prove to be poor econo-
my.
ut is not true, as / have frequently
seen it stated, that Germany's com
mercial interests in Morocco amount
to little. Germanys commerce, while
not so large as that of France, is rap
idly increasing, while that of France,
according to the statistics, is apparent
ly at standstill. The statistics for
1904 value the German trade with Mo-
rocco at 1OO00000l marks. They are,
however, misleading, as large part Of
the German exports to Morocco reach
that country via England, Belgium or
France and are, therefore counted in
the trade of those countries. 1t is esti-
mated that what might be termed the
indirect commerce between Germany
and Morocco amounts to 100000
marks. Then we must take into con-
sideration the German coasting trade
of about 100000 marks, German
funds invested in Morocco amounting
to 100000 marks, real estate owned
by German firms amounting to 1,O00.-
600 marks and finally the value of
German shipping interests. About for
ty German commercial houses of some
Importance are scattered over the
country at important places.
French Trade Decreasing.
"The official French statistics for
1908 show value of 24,000000 francs
of French trade with Morocco The
latter has constantly diminished dur
ing the last four years and is now only
about two-thirds of what it once was.
Germany proposes that the sultan
shall organize the police in Morocco,
that the money for this purpose shall
be furnished him by the Bank of Mo-
rocco and that force Of international
police composed of officers chosen
from the minor powers, such as Swift
zerland, Sweden, Norway and Den
mark, shall be intrusted the organiza-
ton and drill Of the entire police force.
France, on the other hand, declares
that she does not object to the organi-
zation Of the police by the sultan in the
port towns of Morocco nor to the cost
of the force being paid out Of the Bank
OF Morocco she insists, however, that
the foreign officers of the force shall
be chosen from the armies of France
and Spain.
"Germany's proposals with regard to
the organization of the bank follow the
lines of those suggested for the police
in that they have for their object the
preservation of the international char
acter of the bank by placing it under
She control Of representatives of the
powers. The adoption Of the French
plan regarding this question would in
Germany's opinion turn the bank into
French institution In brief, the ac-
ceptance Of the French proposals with
regard to the Bank of Morocco and the
police system, 1t is Germany's firm be-
lief. would give to France the control
of Morocco in all economic, financial
and military matters, thereby closing
the door to the rest of the world and
destroying rights acquired by treaty"
Democrats Min In Maine.
Portland, Me, March Democratic
mayors We're elected In six of the elev-
en- Maine cities which held their annu-