The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-05
SUGAR TARIFF REPR|SALS.
RUSSIA ACTS QUICKLY IN THE
MATTER.
Treasury Decision Levying Additional
Countervailing duties on our Goods.

ST. PETERSBURG, February 16.-
The Finance Minister NJ. de White, has
proved his ability to hit quick and
hard. He was evidently prepared for
reprisals before Secretary Gage took
final action. NJ. de White sent to the
Senate Wednesday for publication an
ordinance levying 30 per cent increas-
ed duty on the most important Amer
lean imports into Russia. The ordi-
nance was published today in the Off
Cial Messenger, and becomes effective
March 1. This action is greatly re-
GREETED in American circles and Amer
leans anticipate much harm therefrom.
Well informed Americans do not be-
lieve the Supreme Court will sustain
the claim that Russia pays a bounty on
sugar directly or indirectly, and regard
the action taken as hasty, though not
unexpected. 1t is believed that little
harm would have resulted to Russian
interests if the action of The court had
been awaited.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-Count Cas-
SIM the Russian ambassador, this at
ternoon received a cablegram from the
Russian Foreign Office confirming the
report of the issue of the decree m
posing increased duties on certain Anne
rican imports into Russia, and took
steps to inform the State Department
accordingly. 1t Is realized that a grave
crisis has been reached in the trade re-
lations of the United States and Rus
STA. The immediate effect of the Rus
sian decree, when 1t becomes operative
on March 1, will be to increase by 50
per cent the duty on American machi-
merry, steel andiron goods. These goods
already enjoy two separate reductions,
30 per cent being taken off from the
general and 20 per cent from the con-
Ventional duties. The articles referred
to in the Russian decree are machinery
and tools of every kind, manufacturers
and products of cast iron and steel
Roughly stated, the United States is
said to have exported goods of this des-
cription to Russia last year to the
amount of about $3O,O00,000.
The addition of 80 per cent to the
duty WILL it is thought, prove practi-
cally prohibitory. The action taken to-
day means that the Russian Govern
ment will not concern itself with a
test case nor await the issue of such a
case. However, there is an eXpecta-
ton that the American importers of
Russian sugar will make the fight on
their own interests. Some cargoes of
Russian sugar are now afloat and on
the way to the United States, where
at least one is due to arrive in the next
ten days. 1t is not doubted that the
consignees in the United States WILL
rather than pay the countervailing
duty, which would make it impossible
to compete with other sugars, make up
test case. If the issue favors the
Russian side, then the obnoxious de-
cree will be amended though it is not
decided that the Russian Government
feels offended. The text of the Rus
sian order is as follows:
An order of the Russian Minister Of
Finance directs additional tariff Of 80
per cent net imposed upon articles in
cluded in paragraphs $50, ISL, 152, 1853,
161 and section g. discriminating tariff,
upon American hardware, iron, steel,
boilers, pipes, forgings. castings, tools.
gas and water meters, dynamos, sewing
machines; paragraph 1877 of the Russian
tariff laws, when such articles are of
American manufacture. This includes
motors and machinery of all kinds.