The St. Louis Republic., 1901-02-20
Secretary Cages Action Plac-
ing Duty on Russian Sugar
Proves Costly.
CAR DISPOSED TO Be FAIR.
Illinois Manufacturers Express
Their Condemnation of
the Blunder.

Washington. Feb. ls.-Application of the
countervailing duty on Russian sugar has
resulted not only In the enforcement Of
American imports but in the failure of the
negotiations for a reciprocity agreement
which would make substantial concessions
to the United States
An official Of the administration acquaint-
ed with the proposals exchanged by the
United States and Russia. said to-day that
the loss Of revenues sustained by Russia
had the reciprocity agreement been signed
and entered into effect would have amount
ed to 500 600 while the loss Of revenues
to the United States would not have been
more than $4,000.
only q conventional tariff to certain Amer
lean imports entering European Russia
through the European frontier. These ar
ticles included manufactures Of cast-iron,
iron and steel, cutlery. hand tools. locomo.
tives. boilers. bridges. rails. all kinds of
machinery. with the exception Of certain
agricultural machinery, which IL on the
free list.
These were not the only concessions Of
fered to the United States Russia expressed
willingness to permit the free importa-
ton through her Siberian harbors of these
important articles Meat. salted. smoked
and dried: butter, fresh fruits, fertilizers.
animal fats. foods for animals, logs. earth
Chemicals, tanning and dyeins materials.
cast iron. ferrosilion, iron and steel rails.
ferromanganese, wrought iron In various
pae annaeSr.s s9d :e 4 n all
and steel. all manufactures Of cart iron. as
boilers, tanks. reservoirs. bridges. ETC.:
Of s sshs ans ans aa9d 5SS S oil
all descriptions. including all agricultural
machinery and tools. weighing scales. carts
bicycies @ river and seseone ame vesses Isd etc ea
Russia's Many Concessions.
Russian agreed to reduce the duties from
10 to 80 per cent on telegraph and telephone
wires. cheese. hops, preserved hsh, wine,
leather goods. woodenware. porcelain. glass
ware. dyeing substances. watches. lead,
These concessions were proposed because
Russia desired to foster her trade with the
United States, and In this way promote
friendly relations between the two ooun-
tries.
As an evidence of this 1t is pointed out
that in exchange for these concessions
Russia merely requested the abolition Of
reductions Of from 10 to % per cent granted
by the Dingley law to nations making
tariff concessions on fax and hemp and
hides and skins. assorted bristles and
feathers. In addition she desired the main-
tenance OF the present free list.
Au this encouragement on the part OF
Russia. for American manufactures Is now
set at naught by the recent action Of secre-
tary Gage.
Omcial Review of Controversy.
Here is an Official review Of the contro-
versy given The Republic tonight:
Russia has a system different from that
Of every other beet sugar producing coun-
try. Her main object Is to supply the wants
of her own people with reasonable profit
to the producers Of sugar. and at the same
time restrain overproduction. which would
render the business improbable. To do
this. she limits annually The amount OF
sugar TO be produced and fixes a standard
price. representing a reasonable profit to
the producer.
IF the price rises above the standard
more sugar IL allowed on the market II II
falls below the standard the reserve surplus
Is withheld. She taxes all sugar entering
into consumption in Russia. and derives a
large revenue therefrom. No duties' are as
seseed upon sugar exported. II a surplus
above the home demands exists, the export
ts freely allowed. There are also some
special regulations by negotiable certificates
for enabling sugar In depots at or near a
port, to take the place OF the sugar in the
interior for the purpose Of expectation, thus
avoiding the expense of railroad transpor-
tation from the interior to the coast.
In substance. 1t approximates the system
Of exemption from internal duties and
drawbacks In United States. But, so far as