The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-06-22
DUTY ON PETROLEUM
Secretary Gage Has Issued an Ex.
planatOry Statement.
RUSSIA'S ACTION HASTY.
ihat COuntfy's RetaIiatOry Methods
Unjust 10 the United States.
PROBABLY A MISUNDERSTANDING.
Not Considered that the Cars Empire
has Cause TO Feel AggrieYed.
EFFORT TO HAVE ACTION RESCINDED
Members of the Cabinet Express Them
seNes in Complete Accord with Score
tary Cages Position in Premises.
PROBABLY A MISUNDERSTANDING.
Not Considered that the Cars Empire
has Cause TO Feel AggrieYed.
EFFORT TO HAVE ACTION REScINDED

washington, June 81 The most lr1port.
ant question discussed at today's cabinet
meeting was the assessment OF customs
uu'les on petroleum or It's products i'm.
ported from Russia. Secretary Gage, who
mas direct charge ~ the enforcement OF
the tariff laws, explained the department
connection with the matter aud all mem.
pers expressed themselves as in entire ac.
cord with Mr.. Gage and requested that
ne make statement covering the entire
ground.
AS far as consideration Of the entire
matter by the cabinet went. Secretary HAY
VIII soon make representations To the Rms.
san government. fully explaining the attl.
tnde OF this countyy and pointing ont that
Huss'a mas acted hastily and under mis-.
apprehension Of the facts In her position
OF retaliation
The statement Of Secretary of the Treas
rny Gnge Is substantially as follows:
secretary Gage called attention to the
taflh act of July a. 1897, known az the
Dingley act, which. among other things
provides that If there he imported into
the United States crude petroleum. or the
Woducts Of crude petroleum, produced in
my country which imposes duty on pc.
troieum, or It's products exported from the
United States, there shall, in such case.
be levied paid and collected duty upon
said crude petroleum. O. It's products, so
Imported equal to the duty Imposed by
such country.
This provision was embodied in a cir.
GUAR, issued 10 the officers Of customs.
dated April 81. 1898. and 70 which was ap.
pended schedule Of 100 countries limos.
ing duty on petroleum and It's products.
These countries included France, Germany.
Austria, Hungary. Russia, Spain and prac.
tically AL Of the leading countries Of the
world. This circular was issued for the
purpose Of carrying into effect the petro-
leum provision according to the tariff law.
July IL, 1900, n refined petroleum was
received at Rochester ~ y. manufactured
from crude petroleum produced In Russia.
The collector OF customs at Rochester held
that the refined article was subject 10
duty as a production of Russln and as
sessed duty accordingly. An appeal wa
tukcn from the action Of the collector to
the board Of general appraisers at New
York This board, on January IS, 1908.
sustained the collector, holding that ne
troieum produced In Russia ami imported
INTO England, There refined, and thence
n
rate equal TO that imposed by RUSSIA On
petroleum into that country from tho
United States.
NO protest or objection, so far as the
department knows, WIS received from
any country against the decision and The
matter was not again brought 10 the ten.
lion Of the government until March o. of
this year. on that date the department
held that Invoices of products Of crude De.
troleum must he accompanied by a United
States consular certificate showing the
country where the petroleum was produced
In the absence of this certificate III llqul
dalton was TO be suspended and, pend ng
further investigation the duties must be
estimated at The highest levied by any
country on such petroleum. Further than
this the department has never taken any
action whatever on the subject Of re
trOleum.
Upon this statement Of facts the Off
cials are at a great loss to understand how
Russia can feel nggrieyed Mt the govern.
ment's action and inaugurate a system OF
duties against products OF
the United States In consequence II In
hoped that Secretary Hay will he able TO
present the facts so that Russia viii
rescind her action and viii show that she
is not seeking to be unjust to this country
In tariff matters