The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-07
The President silent About Reel
procity with Germany.

The Presidents message has been
scanned in vain for any reference to the
expediency of averting a tariff war with
Germany by means of tariff concessions
equivalent to those made temporarily
in u favor by the Berlin Government.
We learn by a telegram from Berlin that
Mr.. R~oosEvELT's reticence on the sub
iect ia regarded there As a proof that
Germany will have TO content herself
with such administrative changes in our
customs regulations as can be made by
the authority of the Secretary of the
Treasury. Will such changes be deemed
an adequate return for the permanent
application to American products of the
minimum rates imposed by the German
tariff upon imports from countries which
have entered into commercial treaties
with Germany?
The impression is apparently current
in Berlin that Emperor WILLIAM is
determined to prevent a tariff war with
the United States and that he will en-
deavor, through Chancellor Won BUELow,
to convince the Reichstag that certain
administrative changes, which there is
hope of securing. would be found in prac-
dee as beneficial to German exporters
as would a reduction in the American
tariff. 1t is doubtful, however, whether
the Reichstag will approve Of the pro-
posed transaction, in view Of the oppo-
sition to be expected from the Agrarians,
who desire to see the maximum duties
imposed on American products, and in
view also of the protests which are GER
tain to be made on behalf of the coun-
tries which have had to purchase by
large reciprocal concessions the enjoy
ment of the minimum rates.
There is no doubt that the German
tariff law, unless again suspended by
imperial authority, would require i'm
ports from the United States 10 pay
the maximum duties after the present
provisional arrangement shall have
expired next spring. This is known, Of
course, to Mr.. ROOSEVELT, and if he
omitted to mention the matter in his mes
sage it was because he recognized the
hopelessness of procuring the Senate's
sanction Of the desired reciprocal con-
cessions during the present short session
of Congress. He could not have fore
seer the Interpretation which would be
put upon his silence by a member of the
British Parliament, who has since asked
the Bannerman Government whether it
knew of an agreement between the
United States and Germany whereby in
the event of a war between the German
Empire and another European Power
the German merchant navy would be
placed under the American flag. Such
an agreement would scarcely be con-
sidered at Berlin an equivalent for the
concession Of minimum tariff rates to
American products, unless such a war
were believed to be imminent. But
wal against what Power? Not against
France, for Premier C~LEMENCEAU has
Just given the strongest possible assur-
ances of pacific intentions. The only
other European country with which it
is conceivable that Germany should
become embroiled is Great Britain. In
the event Of a contest, however, between
the British and German empires the
attempt to safeguard the German mer-
camille marine by placing it under the
American flag would be looked upon in
London as an unfriendly act on our
part, and our relations with Great Britain
might be seriously affected.
We attach no credit to the suggestion
that President ROOSEVELT may have
entered into such an agreement with the
German Emperor. The former knows
that orr commerce with Great Britain
Is OF far more Importance than IL u
trade with Germany, and that it would
he an act Of folly TO imperil the former
for the sake Of preserving intact the
latter. Our WI belief is that the will
ingness evinced by Emperor WILLIAM
to strain TO the utmost his executive
authority by suspending the German
tariff in our favor is due to no definite
bargain, but TO his general desire, which
of late has been exempliicd in many
ways, 30 win the good will and ron
fdencc of the American peop.c. He has
certainly succeeded in bringing about
a notable change Of sentiment on this
side of the Atlantic. IL cannot, indeed,
be said that even yet we regard Germany
with as much sympathy as We do Eng
land, but we now exhibit scarcely a trace
of the apprehension and suspicion with
which we used to watch the foreign and
colonial policy of the Berlin Govern
ment. We have become pretty well
convinced that the German Emperor has
renounce@ if he ever entertained, the