The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-11-09

ut the lowest price yet paid by any
American consumer. Rather than see
the control Of the American murray
pass to Z. few dealers the kalisynoikal
rnarobers effected a Reorganization, but
baked at the low contract prices III
ready granted the Americans ana ee'
about to undermine them.
The German Government now look
hand in the international trade ILL.,
Negotiations between German potash
nroducers and American fertilizer
companies were still going on wh'le
tho American tariff law was hclnE
passed In 1909. Germany wanted t"o
minimum or Observation-Disclosures
schedule, and America wante" III IT,
turn reasonably priced potash. JUS
as she guaranteed the neuSraiity u
Belgium, so Germany at that 'l'ne
assured the United States that unoe'
M circumstances would tho NallullS
OF existing potash contracts oe LII,
naired should our Government Sue Nv
70 place Germany on the l''''''',.N'
.,r,r schedules OF 1909. Uncle sam
oo,nd !, GOOD faith and acQuiesced IN
the request -. .bo
The next move was mace oS NV
German potash syndicate. 1heE "ei'S
n the Government. crying against ','e
low contract charges graLle" w.
Americans by Schmidtmann ana MS
associates and telling the s'orE u
"borjeman" from America WIN
Gaining access to Germany pre'!'"',
srores Of potash. the only such ''''"'
in tho world" To top II "l'' '"0
Re,chs,ae in 1910 passed law a''o"'
ing a syndicate committe" TO in a'o ".
+rarily the amount Of potash all if'''''
should produce and sell free oi '"N.
u vas stimulated that on ally eAc'S'
ovcr the limited production TAX WIS
70 be levied.
More Scraps of Paper
In a short time tho American ie'
lizer companies awoke II III" C.'''N
,ho,. bod bcnn "huncocd" by the Ger
man Government. acting tor '"' r''
osb syndicate. and that their contracts
vcre lust 40 many scraps oil paper
For Germany saw to 1t that the H''''
i,od production" went to her own peo'
ple and that O heavy tax was P'"ee'
unon all tho potash srnt to Ame''c"'
This tax made the cost OF the po'"S"
n tho Americans 100 per cont moro
than the original price quoted IN INC
contract. Tho tax alone amounted "
moro than the entire cost OF Proo"c'
ton at the mines.
The controversy reached the stage
Of diplomatic intercourse between 'ho
two Governments. President Tatt was
urged TO avail himself Of the author
i,v under tho. Payne-Aldrich tariff hll1
~ onnlv the maximum tariff of % per
cent against Gcrmany's act or TRACE
aggression against this country. Eut
examination OF the 'madeinNer'
many" contracts revealed they had
been cleverly drawn by 4 smart little
German lawyer posing as the friend
of the American potash buyers in that
they contained a clause TO. tho effect
that any export or import duties or
other governmental charges which
NAV hereafter become effective during
the life of the contact shall also be
paid by the buyer"
When the smoke cleared away 1t
Was found that the Americans had
. been cleaned" American buyers sur
rendered their contracts under which
they were to have received potash Il.
p low rate and signed new contracts
. with the German syndicate. with n
, loss to American interests estimated
6 nj $4,000. 900. Germany yenkea IT,
q jrdcncl. dent nsurgent" miners or &c
: The syndicate and mado them yet II
u again." The Americans not only !os