The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-18
interest OF n syndicate in which sew
erai German states are interested as

interest OF n syndicate In which sew
eral German states are Interested as
mine owners.
MIR. Bradley's interview, with which
] perhaps took too many llborties
makes tho present potash situation SO
interesting to Virginia and Carolina
farmers, even palmer for 1t was he
who first dared to beard tbs Gcrman
animal In his den. Mr.. Bradley writes.
FOR months before the attempt
had been made to form O new syndicate
I had been lin Berlin for some time in
yestlgating and preparing to buy pot
ash In cnsc any opportunity was OF
fered. BY midnight OF the day men
toned, the delegates, representing
about sixty mines, who had been III
session, had failed to come to an agree
ment. This caused an open market At
the moment. and I immediately made
contracts running two years, together
with option to run ono year on a
future contract period OF five years
This covered the entire requirements
OF the American Agricultural Company
for seven years.
eat half past I o'clock that same
morning the president issued an ediet
calling meeting OF the delegates tor
Q o'clock, when new syndicate was
formed. This. of course, closed ths
opportunity to buy potash at less than
syndicate prices.
THE contracts / had made were
reported OF course, TO the new syndi-
sternatIon among the delegates, be-
cause the prices were about SO per
cent, below the prices that had been
ruling. For instance, the syndicate
New York was ssa a ton, while, ac-
cordng to my contract, 1t would be
about $40
Later Developments.
within week was waited on
in Berlin by Geheimrath Kempner,
director OF tho syndicate and u priyy
councillor of the government He
of my contracts By government action
if / refused to surrender them or to
make some compromise that would be
satisfactory to the syndicate and
mcnt would put on potash an export
duty which should countervail what
ever advantage l had gained by the
contracts made.
tho statement / asked the Geheim
rath
n BY that of Herr syoow. the Min
\ lister OF Trade and Commerce OF Prus-
sia.' he replied.
TT Is fact that the Prussian gov
eminent owns three potash mines
which are members of the syndicate
II told the Geheimrath that l would
never surrender my contracts on any
such threat and tina, l didn't believe
that my government would Wow with
favor an action of the kind suggested
on the part of Germany, and the In
terview closed.
Called Back.
"a few days later in Dresden l re-
ceived telegram from oberburgrath
Paxmann, the president Of tho potash
syndicate, requesting me to return TO
Berlin the next day for conference
with Geheimrath Kempner and him
self in relation to the export duty and
other government regulations regard
ing potash which were being planned
He desired that l reach Berlin before
noon, as the potash syndicate was to
meet in the afternoon. 1 declined to
on my way home.
"In August they sent representatives
over here TO negotiate for compro-
mise Of my contracts, but without
representing about sixty American
manufacturers went to Berlin and OBJ
tanned duplication OF my contracts
In consequence of their holding con-
, mann mines, whereby the latter guar
! anteed to these American manufac-
turers the same prices that my com
paay might obtain. Schntttman was
therefore legally Dound 10 give tleSc
manufacturers the same terms / had
obtained. So that instead Of a
matter of $6,000.000 being involved,
here was now s25,O0Oo00.
"Geheimrath Kempner and Herr
Bielman, another director of the potas h
syndicate. came over here the fol-
lowing December. and we had long
conference. We volunteered to meet
them half way and divide the differ
ence between the syndicate prices and
the contract prices, because they pre-
scented a draft of an imperial potash
law which had been introduced into
the Bundesrath. This bill imposed an
export duty on potash that would
countervail the prices mentioned in our
contracts.
.'They accepted our offer on principle.
but In figuring out the prices they
raised them sufficiently to countervail
all the advantages left on a half
way compromise basis. We then broke
off negotiations.
Laid Matter Before Uncle San.
81 went to Washington and laid the
whole matter before Secretary Knox.
asking him If there was anything our
government could do to protect it's cit
liens against the reputation or coun-
tervailing BY foreign government of
contracts between American citizens
! and subjects of that government Sec
rotary Knox made a strong, emphatic
protest to the imperial German gov
eminent through Ambassador Hill, and
the potash bill was subsequently with