New-York tribune., 1907-06-02
GERMAN RECIPROCITY.
AGREEMENT IN EFFECT.
Proclamation Issued by President
AdUGniGge in FaU0r Of u. S.

WASHINGTON June 1.-The President to-day
issued a proclamation announcing the CONCLUSION
OF a commercial arrangement between the
United states and Germany under the third sec
ton of the DingIey act. The proclamation Is
brief simply announcing the list or artlcIes Oh
which the United States grants reduced. duueS
to Germany and the undertaking OF the German
government TO make reciprocal concessions.
A letter from Secretary Cortelyou dated April
9 is made public in which the Secretary says
that the negotiation of the proposed commercial
agreement would promote friendly relations and
would otherwise be Of benefit to this country.
The State Department also has made public
an analytical statement of the points OF the new
arrangement from which it appears that about
forty articles Of American production, embrac-
ing most Of the articles Of trade in the last year.
are TO be subject to the minimum tariff rates on
admission 10 Germany. Regret is expressed
that it has not been possible, owing TO the
attitude Of the German government 10 obtain
the minimum tariff rates for all American prod
ucts, and it is said that this concession can only
be obtained by substantial tariff concessions by
the United States in the form of a reciprocity
treaty subject TO the approval Of Congress
The Presidents proclamation in It's preamble
recites the fact that the German government has
entered into a commercial agreement with the
United States under Section of the Dlngley act
which the President regards as obtaining re
ciprocal and equivalent concessions" in favor OF
the products of the United States. Therefore
he prescribes reduced duties the following
articles Of German production entering the
United States:
Argols 8 per cent 'ad valorem: brandiess 81 10
q gallon mpagnes-quarts Sc q d0zen'
pints So; half pints, 81 so; magnums 50 dozen
end add 81 90 a gallon; still wines and Vermeuth
25 cents gallon; IN bottles, 81 20 case OF one
dozen; paintings drawings and statuary, 10 per
cent ad valorem.
The explanatory statement issued from the
department is in effect a demonstration of the
benefits obtained by the United States under the
new arrangement IT is said that this obtains for
American export trade the benefit of most of the
present German conventional rates In evidence
of this the statement enumerates these articles
Of American origin upon which the minimum
tariff rate is conceded by Germany by the new
agreement:
Rye, wheat barley, oats, maize. sorghum
beans linseed and herpseed, -four Except oats).
walnuts and hazelnuts, fresh apples, pears ana
ounces, fresh peaches and oranges, DRIED apples
pears apricots and peaches, sheep, hogs fresh,
chilled or frozen or prepared meat lard ana
greases, wine timed foods. preserved tomatoes
and olives, lubricating oils benZine, glue and
gelatine. boots and shoes. wallpaper, abrasive
stones, monographs small arms watches ana
cases, organs and music boxes
It is said that for the following articles special
reductions OF from % TO 50 per cent have been
obtained below even the minimum tariff:
Timber, wood-paving and for casks; leather.
saddIers' and trunl1rn kers' wares miscellaneous
leather goods and harness. rubber tubes, wares
and coated textiles; many kinds Of paper goods,
glass, plate hollow and sheet; engines, water.
steam and miscellaneous machines: freight and
motor cars and motor cycles and carriages
The statement shows that 98.I per cent OF the
total lmportations of American products will
continue to ENJOY in Germany the treatment Of
the most favored raticn. It is admitted that
considerahs number Of commodities are not in
Cl0ded n the list Gf reductions. but IT is said that
fortunately In these the United States has little
or no export trade with Germany. on the other
hard, It Is said:
The totaI value Of German goods that would
participate in the benefit Of this new agreement
amounted in 1905 10 only $1S61,2S5, or only IA
per cent Of our total importations from Germany.
Considering the respective concessions from the
viewpoint Of the amount Of duties TO be RENTED
by either government the advantage is decided
" in favor of the United States. According to
German statistics the reduction Of duties
American goods under the new agreement would
amount TO s6664.000 a year, while according to
our statistics the remission of federal revenue
IN consequence Of the confessional reductions in
favor of German goods would amount TO only
s20S,168 a year.
Suitable regulations We're issued at the Treas
ury Department to-day TO carry out the agree
rnent for the amendment Of the customs regula-
tions provided for in the convention with Ger
many on which to-day's proclamation is based.
In brief these provide for the definition Of mar
ket value Of export goods, for open hearings in
reappraisement cases, for considerable relaxa-
ton Of the conditions under which German ex-
porters shall make their declarations before
American consuls for the aCcrediting to the
German government Of United States Treas
ury special agents in Germany. and their