Dec. 1896.] AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION IN GERMANY. 255 



With reference to the Margarine Law of July 12, 1887, it is 

 stated that repeated complaints had been raised by agricul- 

 turists that its provisions were not sufficiently stringent to 

 prevent unfair competition by substitutes for butter. These 

 complaints were justified by the fact that whereas in 1887 

 there were only 45 margarine factories in Germany with an 

 annual output - of '.about 15,000 tons, worth about 900,000£., 

 there are now 73 such factories with an output of about 

 90,000 tons. The Imperial Government consequently prepared 

 a Bill intended to remedy the defects of existing legislation on 

 the subject, chiefly providing for a more accurate legal definition 

 of margarine, a better supervision of its manufacture, and 

 severer penalties for infractions of the law. The Reichstag, 

 however, amended this Bill in a manner which made it impos- 

 sible for the Federal Council to pass it. Besides other altera- 

 tions, two provisions were added, one prohibiting the colouring 

 of margarine so as to make it resemble butter, the other pro- 

 hibiting the sale of butter and margarine in the same retail 

 establishment. Both these provisions went beyond the original 

 scope of the Bill, and could not be accepted by the Government. 

 Since the rejection of this Bill the Prussian Government have 

 issued instructions to the administrative authorities that the 

 provisions of the existing law of July 12, 1887, should be more 

 strictly enforced. 



With regard to the redistribution of direct taxes the com- 

 munal taxation of real property in this year shows that landed 

 property has, in a large number of cases, experienced a con- 

 siderable alleviation in rates and taxes. 



Further indirect assistance to agriculture is mentioned, con- 

 sisting in increased State contributions towards the maintenance 

 of elementary schools, and in certain reductions of legal fees 

 and inland revenue stamp duties. 



A sum of 650,000£. has been placed at the disposal of the 

 Government for promoting the construction of light railways. 



Great concessions have been made in railway rates on agri- 

 cultural produce, and the rates for manures, potatoes, beet-root, 

 &c. under the " raw materials " tariff have been reduced much 

 below even the cheapest ordinary goods tariff. 



For the construction of co-operative grain depots, which was 

 also recommended by the Council of State, a sum of 150,000£. 

 was voted under the Law of June 3rd, 1896. 



Arrangements have been agreed upon by the various Ministries 

 concerned for the purchase direct from farmers of agricultural 

 produce required for the use of the various administrative 

 departments of the State. In districts where small holdings 

 are the rule this is done through the existing co-operative 

 associations. 



The whole question of inheritance of landed property in 

 Prussia is under consideration. A law was passed in June this 

 year regulating the succession on State-assisted small holdings, 



