The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-18

drawn
Immediately thereafter the United
mercla1 treaty. which gave Germany
the benefit of tho American minimum
tariff. In May following the Retchstag
passed potash law more drnstic and
moro damaging in its effects on Amer;
Bundesrath bill, which had boon with
drawn at the protest of this govern
ment. Bit at the Same time Ambas-
sador Hill received assurances from
the German Foreign Office that tho
law, as finally amended. would not
invalltate, impair or affect the Amer
lean contracts
Notwithstanding this assurance all
shipments of potash after tho law went
tho contract price. This made thu
price of muriate OF potash s4a ton
instead OF $50. After an exhaustive
Interchange Of kilograms between Ber-
ment decided to postpone further ct.
forts to settle the controversy unit;
September. as the German government
stated that Its ministers would not
be back from their vacations until
that time.
Uncle sam Acts.
M III. Davis commercial adviser tc
the Department of State, was sent to
Berlin last September to investigate
the reasons for the passage OF the
potash law and its disastrous effects
upon American contracts. The law.
by the way, imposes duty In tho
form of q penalty tax for production
over the allotted quota of a mine. and
lean contracts are the only ones which
overproduce, the tax affects only Amer
lean contracts. and In this Is there
fore absolutely discriminatory against
American citizens.
Negotiations were opened In. Berlin
and continued for eight weeks be-
tween Ambassador Hill and the min
listers OF the German government. but
neither the imperial government nor
the potash syndicate made any pro.
posal whatsoever, either to Mr.. Davis
or to the American committee for
settlement OF the controversy. Finally
the American committee, In order to
prevent rupture of commercial rela-
lions between the two countries for
the second time, made voluntary pro.
posal to the Germans to divide the
difference and meet them hallway
thus giving. IN over s12.oOo,ooo- The
proposal and made no counter-proposi-
ton. Therefore, the American com.
mittee left Berlin.
The Last Analysis.
THE interests of the American con-
tractors are now In the hands OF the
United states government. which must
decide whether 1t Will allow the coun-
tcrvailing and practical -epudlation OF
contracts made by Its citizens by means
of law passed by foreign govern
ment ten months after such contracts
were entered into in good faith be-
tween American citizens and German
subjects.
IF Germany assumes the right to
repudtate commercial contracts by re-
troactive laws 1t Is expedient that the
commercial world should be advised Of
IT, II Is also important for all Amer
ican business interests to learn wheth.
er their own government purposes to
protect contract rights against such
Kind of foreign legislation"
There is not aiittle repetition In
some of the above statements. but
sometimes repetition Is very necessary
for In the accumulation OF evidence Is
the strength of the case. And now
final analysis What is our great gov
ernment that is so fond of protecting
things and industries going to do for
the farmers of Virginia and the South,
who 1t now seems, need some real nro,
lection? Well. what?