The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-12
HALF BILLION IS
AT STAKE IN GAME
Question of Tariff Duties Be-
tween United States and
Germany Serious One.
RECIPROCITY ARRANGEMENT
EXPIRES IN FEBRUARY
Struggle Between Two Countries
Likely to Be Long and
Bitter.

WASHINGTON. Jan. I1.-Nearly half
a billion dollars worth of trade is the
stake in the game OF diplomacy now in
erogress between America and Germany,
and I'm issue will be known within a
month
On February 7. in accordance with
the notice given TO Germany last April
by the state department. the reciprocity
arrangement made during the Dingley
act with Germany Will expire. and stimuli
taneoUsly the general tariff rates of that
country win apply TO all imports from
America, unless Ia the short period OF
time intervening Secretary Knox and The
German ambassador reach a mutually
satisfactory understanding
Costly Struggle Probable.
~ this moment the indica lions are that
TINS understanding Is beyond the attain
rlent and that II viii be only under the
stress OF n bitter and costly struggle
that the two nations can compose their
differences and restore theiY trade 10
normal conditions
from this rupture, for on April : next
the full rigors OF the maximum tariff
rates carried hy the Payne Aldrich taff
act will he automatically applied TO the
vast German Import trade, which III 1908
aggregation more than one hundred and
sixty million dollars and every article
must pay 25 per cent increase in the
duty.
Prolonged Negotiations.
Negotiations have been In progress for
months between the two governments 10
avoid this issue. but an obstacle has
department for the relaxation OF the
German prohibition against American
cattle.
The German government takes the po-
sition that these restrictions. founded on
veterinary and sanitary grounds, en-
bodied in laws Of general apGieattl0n
natory against the United States, and
that II would be reasonable TO expect
food law as TO require the German gov,
ernment 10 disregard the provisions OF
the animal Importation act
Ennghtening Statistics,
Just what this fight Will mean is re-
Vcaled by the statistics OF GremsD-
American trade for 1905, Germany sent
TO America Ill that year goods valued at
more than one hundred and sixty million
dollars. two-thirds or which were duti-
able. and ON these there would apply an
incress scd tariff rate OF - per cent.
On"tbc other hand, America shipped 90
GerrnanN. our. second best customer
dred million dollars worth Of products;
Many OF these VIII have TO pay increased
rates after February .. But in 1909
,wcnty-nine million dollars worth Of
this must pay } penalty Of two marks
for each hundred Kilograms this year.
which would proba bly, result in the
transfer OF all this trade TO Argentina.
Canada and Russia.
Com and Cotton.
Corn was shipped TO Germany 10 the
value OF five million dollars in 1908 and
the increased duty that would he exact
ed on this staple will be three marks per
hundred kilograms, practically n prohib-
tive rate. Ninety million dollars worth
of cotton formed pai~e> of the exports TO
Germany in The same Sear and whsle
this is at present on the German free
list it might be subjected 10 heavy
duty II the German government should
have recourse 10 its 'fghtinC tariff.
Half a million dollars worth Of -tmeri
can apples and four times that amount
Of dried fruits will have 10 pay an eN-
cess OF between four and ter marks
duty. falling an smiclble arrangement
between the two governments, six mil.
lion dollars worth OF sawed lumber VIII
pay double duty and a great number OF
other American products VIII sutter IN
like proportion.
can export trade Will he far greater than
I'm tho case of the abrogaton OF the
French reciprocity agreement. Only a
small number ot American products
were concerned I'm that. while the Ger
man tariff covers the whole range OF
imports.