The accounts from Germany of commercial depression and its results
increase in seriousness. Whenever a, commercial or manufacturing company there fails the rigid official inquiry reveals a worse state of things than even creditors suspected, and too often dishonest, because unauthorised, speculation by the managers. In one immense company, which we do not name because we can hardly- credit the figures, it is said that four millions sterling have disappeared, and the dividend will be barely one per cent. The thousands of men out of work are besieging the officials for help, and in West Prussia the President of the province, Dr. von Gossler, formerly a Minister of State, has issued a circular proposing public works to keep the necessitous alive. Yet it is while the population is thus pressed that the Agrarians propose to "denounce the commercial treaties," and establish the high Tariff upon im. ported food. It reads like madness, but there seems no doubt of the facts, or that the Upper Chamber has accepted the Tariff, or that the Government will propose the Bill, though it has refused to be dictated to as to its instant operation. It claims the right to choose its own time for denouncing the c,ominercial treaties, which is an Executive matter, but it has obviously no hope of convincing the majority in the Cham- ber. the situation, which may have serious consequences, furnishes a very curious instance of a Government being wiser than its people, even about their food.
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