The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-04
Our New Tariff Agreement with Ger-
many.

Our New Tariff Agreement With Ger
many.
II some Americans have been sceptical
concerning the sincerity Of Emperor
WILLIAMS professed wish to do away
with every cause Of friction between
Germany and the United States the
doubt should be removed by an inspec-
ton of the details of the new tariff agree
ment set forth in the proclamation issued
on June / by the President. The facts
justify the assertion that the agreement
is greatly TO our advantage and that no
similar proof Of a determination to win
our good will has been given by any
other sovereign or country.
The statement published by the State
Department shows that under the new
compact, which will not terminate by
limitation in twelve months but will last
until it has been denounced by one of the
parties, no less than 98.7 per cent. Of the
total exports Of American products to
the German Empire will continue to enjoy
in that country the treatment Of the most
favored nation, whether such products
are on the free list or enter under the
lowest rates accorded to the like prod
ucts Of any other foreign State. On the
other hand the German goods that will
participate in the benefit of the new ar
rangement constituted in 1906 only Ia
per cent. of Il total importation of Ger
man goods. To put the difference in
another way, the lowering of duties on
American goods under the new agree
ment with Germany will amount to
1864, 900 a year, while the reduction
Of the sum accruing from our customs
duties due to the tariff changes in favor
of imports from Germany will amount to
only sos, 1888 a year. Under the cir
cumstances it should need no argument
to prove that Emperor WILLIAM, the
Bundesrath and the Reichstag went to
the utmost limit of concession in their
desire to propitiate the United States
and have thereby exposed themselves to
well founded remonstrances on the part
Of European States that have entered
into commercial treaties of reciprocity
with the German Empire,
The sole substantial equivalent offered
on our part for the admission of most
American products TO Germany under
the minimum rates of duty has to do not
with tariff reductions but with modiica-
tons Of our customs regulations. The
chief of these notifications are three:
In the first place, our custom houses are
instructed by our Treasury Department
that hereafter market value should be
construed to mean not the price at which
German products exported to this u
try are sold in their home market but
the export price, which is from 10 to 20
per cent. bss. This change is not appli-
cable, ina5od, to all German commodities
but only to those which are produced
wholly for export or sold within the
home market only in limited quanti-
ties, in consequence Of which fact a
wholesale home market value can only be
ascertained with difficulty. In the sec
ond place, evidence by German cham
beers OF and exporters is to be
considered by American customs agents
as competent and, though not neces-
sarily decisive, yet where no well founded
suspicion OF fraud exists as practically
conclusive. Finally, the demand long
made by importers Of German goods is
granted, namely, that in cases OF appeal
from the original findings Of custom house
officials there shall be open hearings
before the Board of General Appraisers
in New York, except where Government
interests might be injured by publicity;
and even when a fear Of such injury is
felt importers shall be furnished with
summaries Of the points brought out.
Il remains to be seen to what extent
this removal of administrative grew
ances long complained Of by importers
Of German goods will c~ounterbalance the
great advantage gained by the German
tariff reductions in favor Of exports from
this country.