Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-04
TRADE WITH GERMANY
Agreement to Go Before the
Reichstag.
OUTLINE OF CONCESSIONS
Some American Customs Practices to
Be Abolished.
FOREIGN SPIES GIVEN UP
Advantageous Rates Accorded to Over
80 Per Cent of Dutiable Value
of Our Exports.
FOREIGN SPIES GIVEN UP
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BIZ WILLIAM T.. CUhllS
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The new tariff arrangement between Ger
many and the United States had to be sub
mitted to the reichstag for it's approval
because the minister Of commerce at Ber-
lin promised that body a year ago last
February, when he asked it to ratify the
existing treaty, that he would never again
request the ratification of a proposition
covering the entire German t:rif without
equivalent concessions from the United
States. The existing arrangement Is much
more favorable to the United States
than to Germany and there has been
great deal of complaint and criticism
against the minister of commerce, partic-
ularly from members of the agrarian or
farmers party, on that account.
The agreement criticised was temporary.
In the fall of 1905 the German government
entered into a series of reciprocity treaties
with Russia. Austria, Italy and other
neighbors. giving them the beneht OF the
minimum rates of its tariff schedules in re-
turn for equai concessions, and agreeing
to exclude all other nations which did
not make similar treaties. When notice to
this effect was given to the United States
we were utterly helpless because the Sem
ate would not ratify a general reciprocity
treaty with Germany or any other nation
and we were on the verge of a tariff war
when Secretary Root persuaded the Ger
man government to give us another chance
by extending the old reciprocity treaty for
eighteen months. That period expires on
the Goth of June next. when we must con-
clude a new arrangement with Germany
or the highest rates in her tariff schedules
will be imposed upon ~all dutiable imports
from the United States. and many of them
are prohibitory
To avoid such a lamentable situation our
government sent to Berlin last November
l,f,,,, cfn Sno nr
North. superintendent of the census. who Is
tariff expert; j. L. Gerry, chief of the
customs division of the Treasury Depart
ment. and N. 1. Stone of the Department of
Commerce and Labor. Capt. Frank II. Ma
son. consul general at Paris was detailed
as an adviser to the commission because of
his thorough knowledge of German COM
mercial affairs and laws and regulations
and particularly because Of his rare judg
ment which has been tested In complicated
and delicate International relations for more
than a quarter of century.
The commission went to Berlin on the LIST
of November last to see what could be done
to prevent tariff war by negotiating a
temporary agreement, and to, study the
commercial and industrial situation for the
purpose of finding possible bass for a
broad permanent reciprocity treaty. They
met a similar commission representing the
foreign office, the treasury, interior, agricul-
tural and commerce departments of the
German government, and spent two months
in a discussion of all the questions and
controversies relating to the trade between
the two countries.
Germany Firm as to Meat.
The most serious question affects the i'm
portation of meat products into Germany.
That is prevented by prohibitory duties and
inspection regulations which make it i'm
possible to ship meats from the United
States. The German commissioners would
not yield an inch on that because the gov
eminent is dependent upon the support of
the agrarian or farmers party in the diet
and the agrarians will not permit American
competition with their live stock interests.
Notwithstanding the fact that. one-half the
people of Germany cannot afford to eat
meat.
The prohibitory regulations are based
upon the pretext that American cattle are
diseased. and the American commission, be-
ing unable to convince the German COM
mission to the contrary, have recommended
that our government invite a veterinary and
technical commission to come over here
from Germany and see for themselves The
German ambassador at Washington has
been furnished with a copy of this recon-
mendation, and has been requested to sound
his government on the proposition, but it is
not probable that 1t will be accepted. The
regulations will not be modified; the pro-
hibitions will not be removed. simply be-
cause the agrarian party will not permit 1t,
and the government cannot afford to break
with that party. The Germans deny that
tHey DISCRIMINATE against the Dnlte0 States.
They insist that the same regulations are
applied to meat products imported from
Russia, Austro-H Hungary, the Argentine Re-
public and other countries.
ing else. They succeeded in securing the
minimum rates of the German tariff for all
other agricultural products.
The Double Tariff Plan.
1t should be said in explanation that
Germany. like France and several other
European nations, has two rates of duty
upon all articles. one rate being very high
and the other being reasonable The latter
is imposed upon merchandise imported from
countries that are willing to make similar
concessions in favor of German products.
The maximum rates are imposed upon the
imports from countries which will not make
concessions in favor of German manufac-
lures. A similar tariff is advocated by
many political economists in the United
States with authority to the President to
apply the maximum or the minimum rates.
in his discretion. according to the DISPOSE
ton of other nations toward our products.
The American commissioners were COM
PEELED to enter the negotiations with their
bands tied and with the knowledge that
their opponents were aware of that fact.
Section III of the Dingley tariff law, which
is satirically called the reciprocity Sec
ton, authorizes the President to extend our
foreign trade by Offering a 20 per cent re-
dies. champagne, still-wineS Yarmouth, oil
paintings and the sediment found in the
watts after the wine has been drawn of,
which is used in the manufacture of starch
That is all our Congress permits the diplo-
matte branch of the government to offer In
exchange for advantages for our flour and
other breadstuffs our meat products and
other provisions. lumber. cotton, petroleum.
coal. agricultural implements machinery
and the thousand and one articles that are
now produced by our farmers and manu-
facturers for the foreign trade. That Is all
the law permitted DR.. North and his asso-
ciates to offer the German government. and
it is simply ridiculous because no European
nation is particularly interested in the ex-
ports of wine or paintings.
Nevertheless. in exchange for those tri-
fling concessions the German government
In the winter of 1905 gave us their minimum
duties on all articles imported into Ger
many from the United States until June 30
next. Then everything advances unIess
some new arrangement Is made. All Amer
lean merchandise except cotton and copper
which are on the free list. and kerosene oil,
which the Germans cannot do without viii
have to pay the maximum rates, which are
%. Is and even 100 per cent higher than
those in the minimum column which our
exporters are now paying. This would
practically abolish our exports to Germany