The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-02-25
R USSIAN SUGAR REGIME.
A semi-OficiaI Explanation.

i St. Petersburg, Feb. 24-The semi-
 official Financial Messenger, in the
 course of an article denying that sugar l exports enjoy either an open or secret
 premium from the Russian treasury, | points out that the character of the
 sugar regime of Russia, which fixes the | selling price for the home market at | regularly reduced rate from year to year is intended to protect the Russian consumer against the encouragement
 of exportation at his expense, and that l if secret export premiums exist at all they are due to growing power of trusts and syndicates in getting various branches of production into their power, with no other aim than to maintain high prices abroad at the expense of the home market.
 The Journal de St. Petersburg says: Twill not dangerous precedent be cre-
 ated by the desire to prove at any price
 that alleged secret premiums are con-
 cealed by the Russian sugar regime?
 If Russia employed the same logic, she
 would with even greater Justification,
 be driven to impose countervailing du-
 ties upon cast iron, steel, copper and
 other American products to which the
 principle not being established could be
 applied with equal justice.
 Russia would also be perfectly jus
 tified in applying this new procedure not only against the United States but also against Western Europe, inasmuch as this singular idea of the concealment
 ,;,r;,, ;., way with the United States. It was first proclaimed by Europe at the Brussels conference in 1898 and it is only such an idea for which Europe is responsible, that Russia has to thank for an iniquitious act on the part of the friendly United.
 Tt must above all not be forgotten that this is a slippery path and that, if it is pursued further, we too shall in- evitably proceed, without even await ing the expiration of commercial treat ies, to similar measures not only with regard to America but also with regard to Europe in the case of such products as are controlled by syndicates or other organizations and sold cheaper abroad than at home
 ITO such incredible consequences one comes even at first glance when one starts upon the solution of internation- al questions from unsound principles questions which require above all the most absolute justice and consideration of mutual interests, If an understand ing between parties is to be maintain ed"
 These articles which appear in the .z;z zf4 4l%1 ,;,,;, undoubtedly represent the views of the Russian government in the application of the theory of concealed export pre- lniums to trust-made products. Both papers significantly hold western Flu rope responsible for the theory, thus tacitly admitting that the United States acted under pressure. They threaten | trust-made European and American | made products which are sold cheaper | abroad than at home. They ignore as | irrelevant the distinction between legis- lative and voluntary regulation of in dustries.
 The announcement of this doctrine opens up wide field of speculation, ap- parently presaging a transformation of the discriminating duties against Amer ica into general increase of duties on all articles which enter largely into the worlds commerce and are the objects of the keenest competition.
 Russian industries would certainly welcome any excuse to increase the present high protection. During the existing stagnation they have bitterly whenever a foreign concern has secured a government order, and they are continually demanding favorS of every kind, railway rates and the ike, against foreigners. Possibly, how ever, the inspired organs merely desire to illustrate in a drastic way the dan- gers from the attempts of one state to interfere indirectly with the internal af- fairs of another.
 "I was in bed five weeks with the |