New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-09
RUSSIAN Characteristics.
THE NATIONS TRADE REPUTATION.
MMExTs FROM RUSSIAN OFFICIAL REPORTS
AND RUSSIAN JOURNALS.
E. b. Lanin in The Fortnightly Review

AND RUSSIAN JOURNALS
E. b. Lanin in The Fortnishtly Review
From the days of the IIansa down to the
present Russas commercial and political rcpu-
lation among foreigners has lost nothing only be-
cause il had nothing 10 lose. \ certain limited
working confidence based upon obvious mutual
interests. without which all social intercourse
would be Impossible. has necessarily been cX-
hhtcd by foreign merchants and Governments
from time to time But even this shadow of
good name has been repeatedly realized 10 the
last farthlng, until the word Russian Is become
Synonymous with qualities subvcrsve of every
thing implied by relations of trade commerce
and friendship Examples abound Russian
kerosene. for instance. is looked upon by English
purchasers with "misgvings." as we learn from
the Russian Consul AT Hull whose conniVmcn
found no better way 70 retrieve Their lost rcpnla-
ton than by damaging that OF competitor
making thousands of tin cans in all respects
Identical with those used by American firms. MI
ing them with wrctchrd stun and flooding there
with the markets of Central am Southern Europe:
where they were bought. sold, ana conucmr'u
as firSt-class American kerosene, In Brazil Rus
the French and English material is eagerly pur.
chased, because consclentOusy' prepared IN
Belgium. Russian timber has 40 chance IN the
competition with Norwegian, Swedish. Hun
garian. for the reason. As to flax, any
quantity of II would, we are officially assured,
be accepted gladly, if only honestly sorted and
sold. AZ present; however, adds the russian
representative. In his latest report 10 his ,,"N-
eminent, " in the cases containing haN from kns-
STA You can almost always lind stones. Old ropes
etc. which add greatly to the weight and spoil
the quality of the merchandise. II is owing 10
this fraud that Russian flax leichcS Only hall ~"
price of the inferior qualities Of the Belgian a'ii-
Gle. Official complaints on this head have been
received by the Russian authorities from Lille
Leeds. Dundee. and other European cities. mnch
as they used 20 be received from the llanseaflc
cities OF the fourteenth century. Even Russian
eggs in England fetch forty per cent less than
eggs from other countries Of the Cont ncnt. merely
because. being Russian. they are believed 10 De
everything else which this fatal word implies
But the staple export of Russia; as an asri-
cultural country, Is corn. of which Great iritain
is purchaser 10 the extent of about t",uV"'-
600. Yet the mauipulall0ns 10 which mat
corn. excellent by nature. Is SUBJECTED before IT.
reaches this country would seem Incredible, were
they not vouched for 10y the most Trustworthy
authorizes in Russia. and evident 10 all corn
dealers of the world. II is no easy thing - ne
cve and Yet we have il on The undlspnicd au-
thority of all parties concerned that the corn-cN-
pYriers of the city of lihan had the GOODNESS 10
request the authorities of the Public Corn Marc
house of NcctS To sell them the sWccplug> that
remained over after the sorting of the oats. winch
consisted Of earth, huSks, nnripc grantees cars,
fine tarcS. and pi-wccd in order. IS they hon
exported 20 England. The Warehouse AUTHORITIES
refused 10 be a party To this fraud, bIt the cN-
porers. who insisted and based their request
on the obst mate refusal Of British importers -
purchase oats without the admiNturc OF compost.
obtained elsewhere about 100000 pools about
. 800 bushels. Of what the official corn broker
and representative OF the Government Terms Wi-
adulteratcd manure with which they hlmor"d
the fabulous caprices Of their English customers
According 10 a Russian expert who has l'iflN
published his views on the matter, Inc nc' gam
10 the cornplasant exporters on this commercial
operation was 100 per cent lie assures his
countrymen that this practice goes ON al all tunes
and places in the Empire. "ofhcrWse. he cN-
plains our corn export offices would not be FOUND
everywhere in such prospcror, condition.
Tie official agent Of the Russian Ministry -
Finance in London fimidlY informs MS chlc that
file ouallfV 81 Russian oats iui"rlHr 10 re
samples that tie importers ar" COMPEL - cii
down The covcnantcd price as much a, 3D.
quarter. and that this deduction is often m
creased 10 is. sd. quarter In ] $50 some 81 ir"
largest importing firms Of England cOnsnliei IT,
gcthcr and rcsol we'd 10 avoid as much as possible
purchasing barley from Russia on the ground
that in the cOnsignmcn'S of barley sent from
Odessa to England. large quantity OF earth was
added
This is the highway Of Russian commercial
practice of which the driest Of official documents
are the miicstoncS. Whittier II leads seem, 7"
interest least III" persons whom il most ncfrlN
concerns Lack Of faith in Russian honesty.
lack Of trust ia gaseous promises. explains why So
many foreigners have Themselves Soir u his,Ii
10 develop he resources of the country: why 10"
linen and cotton Of Poland driving those Of The
Moscow factories even from the home markets;
why the timber trade is managed bN Ing lshn'fi,
and the kerosene trade hos fallen into the h-uf,
Of Swedc and a foreign Jew. l;ui even In l. s-
STA the shrcwdcst foreigner, as Sled by native
talent is not always able 10 aN"!N iailn- ihi" lHr
innumcIabie snaTes spread on all sides 81 hun.
The laws are usually rs pOwcilfss 10 help Llm
rs if they were written i'm dl-t or on Tn" sand
OF the cbbng seq. Tie following tYplcl instance
VI what traccrs-natiyc and lorci.r-A1Nc 10 ch-
pcct viii asion.sh only those who have pfac'l-
caily 10 knowledge Of Ru.sia or the RtsslNns.
Last year the Berlin Timber company ii"aicd
down the Duiepcr Ierg anal an Immense guam
tify 81 timber, purchased for t5VVVp. ~ Nt.
o.crtalcn lv the froslS OF winter. and remained
( Undecided in the ice Tie company were com
pcllcd 10 wait till spring, and me- nNhlc ih'lr
agent, Herr kpn'ze; came up penorictiN 10 ~.
spcct IT, The first timc be an" il be-
found everything IN order; me second
visit was equally satisfactory. but the sight th1i
met his eyes when be arrived the third time
made his hair stand Oh end; the timber, ne loHnd.
few obscure and utterly INDECENT Russian jews.
Herr KunLe appealed 10 the authorize, con
suited with the ldW' crs. but oil OF them de
clarcd, having been made acquainted with an
! the circumstances Of the case. that the timber
! had slipped from the hands Of the Berlin ON
| rauy and would never legally return - them.
! What happened was this: The logs being marked
| b. famishcd creature named l"eoon prohie,i
| by the accident Of his name also beginning WIN
| that letter. He simulated quarrel WIN "A neg
car friend TO whom he pretended hc owed l"N.
! 600 roublcs They referred the matter 10
mock arbitcr and then asked fine Disrict Court
to enforce h,s decison-namcly, that - , prop
crtv bc sold and the proceeds gwen 10 hi, cred
itor. The order made with unusual prompt ,
tnde by the court. and the creditor having polhlrI
ONT the frozen timber a. a portion OF the jewish
bcggars property il was forthwith sold for triling
sums 10 some friends Of the two siaryclings.
Herr KnntZc was pale as u sheet, says
the svmpaihizng publicist, his advisers rN-
/ cited and the Crown lawyer sympathetic bat 49,,
according 10 our law, there was neither crime nor
: crninol no earthly power could avail 10 have
| Tie timber restored one issue there is and
onlv one: Herr Kuntzc might take - civil acton
and after endless delays might obiHin Judgment
! o,,airst thc paupers for c3O 900 and costs; hut
! thcn he himself found guilty Of injurng the
renutation Of Pcgoon and his friends. who are
| legally innocent Of any crime, would have 10 90
| 10 prison in consequence
Fraudulent bankruptcy is as much recos-
n;zed Institution in Russian trade as credit, lne
| p''..i.n. heonoing 10 that class OF persons whom
| Sir Philip Sidney described ~ "dciishlmg more
IN gIyine OF presents than in paying their debts.
| Most traders look upon II as u4c maven u 9"i''S
~. ,yi,tch they may run from stress of haid
| limos and even creditors, whose point vi view
! is naturally quite different, regard 1t rs he'cS
| sarv owl and treat dciauiting debtors accord
iuolv. Thus il happens thai man VINO mas