Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-19
of the German merchants and manufao-
GERMANS MORE INTERESTED.

Of the German merchants and manufac-
turers.
GERMANS MORE INTERESTED.
In December. 1903, Germany's CONNER
cial treaties with most OF the world we're
about to expire. The tariff had not been
revised since 1879, when Bismarck had
turned protectionist, and the revision OF
that year was merely marking UP of
rates and did not involve many changes
in classification and technical construc-
ton In 1888, more than Ave years before
the treatieswere toexpire. Germany began
preparations for a new tariff revision. The
preliminary work was divided between
treasury and the department OF the In
terror, the former drawing up the sched-
ules and tho latter assuming the task OF
interesting the business world In tariff
revision. commission of 30 members
was appointed, one-half by the chancellor
or the empire on tho recommendation OF
the German Industrial and trade orpani-
cation, and Is others directly by the chan
celor When the commission assembled
1t was found to consist Of II agrarians Of
employing farmers, L. manufacturers and
six men engaged in commerce. or the
ernment was charged with packing the
commission. but 1t replied that the work
Of the commission required men Of prac-
teal experience. and the Reichstag could
use its Judgment in accepting the re-
port.
The first work OF the commission was
to collect data. This It did by sending
list of questions 70 and requesting sug-
turers, OF whom more than 90 per cent
replied.
The treasury department meantime
drafted a new tariff. of which copies were
sent for criticism and suggestion, to the
various State governments. and the draft
was discussed by tariff experts and Gus
| toms officers in all the States and by the
officials of the ministry OF the interior. A
new draft embodying the criticisms thus
obtained was then sent to the tariff com
mission. This draft the work Of three
! years, was submitted by the commission
| in turn to recognized leaders in the bust
ness world, technical and economic ex-
perts, chambers of commerce and national
associations OF manufacturers organized
by industries. In fact. more than 1900 ex-
perts examined the work hearings were
given by the commission and the replies
to inquiries sent out by the commission
were analysed by experts. The net results
were not made public, but were turned
over to the treasury department.
The commission now took up the treas
rry tariff bill in the light Of its own in
formation. and rewrote It. This third bill
was then sent out again by the treasury
to the various departments OF the imperial
government and again recast. This fourth
version was finally submitted to the
Bundesrath and passed with few unim-
portant changes.
| The bin then went to the Reichstag,
where. after a debate lasting nine days, 1t
| was turned over to a committee Of 2S
members representing every faction from
! high protectionsts to the most radical
| socialist This committee worked 10
months and then submitted bin mate
| rally increasing the rates recommended
! by the tariff commission The bin suited
nobody and finally was passed under an
| agreement to accept the increases II tne
! government would cut off debate. The
! bill became a law December %, 1902. Some
| two years longer was employed in nego-
| tiating treaties and the new tariff, after
u year Of notice 20 foreign governments,
| became law March I. 1906
| 1t thus will be seen that notwithstand-
ing the tariff recommended by the Inn
perial commission represented the most
| painstaking thought and skill OF indus
| trial Germany, 1t was the politicians final
| " who wrote the draft which became the
law of the land, Nevertheless the high
protectionists denounced IT az inadequate
! and the socialists swore II was robbery
so 1t must have been a pretty good bill
The argument always has been advanc-
| ed that n tariff commission in the States
would be a waste of time and money DC
cause Congress would pay no attention
| to its report However. that argument
| has lost much OF its force through the
fact that the people OF the country al
last are aroused on the tariff question and
will hold somebody responsible II tht
duties are not revised in reasonable ac-
| cordance with the facts as the tarlti
! board dscloses them When Congress
was hopelesslv in the grip of the high
protectionists and the people as a whole
thought high duties better than low ones
| the politicians could afford TO ignore
recommendations for reductions and still
be safe in their seats. That Il not the
! situation to-day.