Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-31
Potash Controversy
BObs Up Again
Government Expected to Soon Take
Defined Position Regarding
the Question.

WASHINGTON. Jan. Especial rele-
gram -Probably within a week or ten
DAYS the government will find itself Obliged
TO assume a definite position in regard to
the potash controversy which has been
raging here for some time AT the end OF
that time Il is now expected. the German
government will return final answer with
reference to the stand Il is prepared TO
take on the question OF potash ana the
American contracts which have been at the
bottom OF the recent controversy. This
! answer may be a refusal to go any further
in the matter. on the ground that the
potash law Is a matter of International
regulation: or Il may be the indication OF
a willingness to take the matter up diplo-
matically. submit It perhaps to a commits
sion Of some kind. or report to some similar
expedient, or, It may be a direct PROPOSE
ton to make certain concessions TO this
| government
without its being realized by the public,
| the potash situation, which started in an
obscure way as a purely technical prob
lem has reached position that may make
lit quite a serious issue.
/ The state department evidently regards
the matter as really worthy Of detailed at
tention, and Il is true that a very sub
Htdnlidl hUloutll VI NlANt heha bSNh NN'NNNN
to II in the recent past. both by Secretary
Knox and by the subordinstes who have
been working on the qualifications of II.
All sorts of potash interests have been
in washington, including the representa-
tives Of the German syndicate, the Ameri-
can Agricultural Chemical company the
independent" fertilizer companies Of the
United States, the packers and others. All
have been to the state department and
many have been to the president. stating
their own position with reference to the
facts in the case and urging that the gov
eminent should or should not interfere, ac-
cording as their fancy or interests die
tated. The facts are now pretty thoroughly
known. and the question is how to dea'
with them On this point there are already
evident some differences OF opinion, and
it is an open question what the final con-
cuson will be.
President Taft has been decidedly con-
sentative from the first When the demand
! for tariff war was made, at the outset hi
pushed it aside and resumed or rather be-
gan new series of diplomatic negotiations
To those who asked him whether II wer,
, true that he had decided on war, the pres
dent said It was very easy for gentlemen
} to be truculent when they had no respon
sibility, but that the situation was entirely
; different when authority rested upon tn,
shoulders of an executive. 1t is a fact tina
some members OF the presidents cabinet
do not believe that the potash case is on,
that would fall within the scope of thu
tariff law, even II the treatment accorded
! to domestic interests were as inconsiderat,
as has been alleged, Other members TAX,
] the view that while the situation woulC
call for the maximum rates, II It could
be shown that there were determinations
= they are not sure that the discrimination
is really there-at least not in the sens,
, in which the trainers Of the law intended
Some others are inclined to favor the an
plication of the maximum rates. Thus tn,
oabipet which has already considered tn,
= question, is apparently broken up int,
e three groups The president can select an,
kind of advice that he prefers.