Evening star., 1901-02-18
OUR COMMERCIAL RIVALS
As TO THE EF-
Feet or RUssIA's MOVE
Keen Observers Of Conditions Believe
. Tariff Fight Has Been LOn0
Contemplated.

There Is much uncertainty In the minds
Of men in Congress as to whether the tarin
contention that has suddenly sprung up be-
tween the United States and Russia should
be regarded as q move in an impending
tariff war against the United States by Its
commercial rivals, or whether 1t Is tenn
porary condition, limited in its influence
upon general European tariff conditions.
The few senators and members OF the
House who have given attention to the
question Of foreign relations and the tarin
as associated in a diplomatic sense have
for some time felt that tariff war upon
the United States was Threatened, II not
actually impending.
Russia has not been counted on as an
aggressive factor in the precipitation of
such a war; yet 1t is regarded as possi-
bility that this incident might be made the
Europe. 1t Is doubted that Russia has
primarily any purpose to inaugurate such
move but 1t Is recognized that there is dan
There Is disposition to believe that Rus-
sia's retaliatory action was actually IN
spired by complicated local conditions at
home and by a purpose to make an iii
preston upon Germany.
But even this view of the matter does not
relieve 1t from an Importance worthy OF
careful consideration 1t is not very long
since Austria communicated with other
pOWeTS WILL tNc puIp pooc VI oAAA
a common policy among those European
governments whose commercial power Is
threatened by the great development OF tne
industries and commerce OF the Uniteo
States. This Austrian move failed at the
time but the tremendous strides this gov
ernment is making cause unrest through.
out the commercial world. The progress OF
the United States in the field of commerce
appears almost Irresistible, and occasions
deep concern among our rivals.
Ru.sian Trade Growing.
The principal value of the Russian trade
to us at this time is that 1t Is growing
trade, with important promise for the fu-
ture 1t Is regarded as not improbable that
the decision with reference to the counter
vadling duty on sugar will be In favor OF
Russia, and thus the differences between
these two governments be adjusted and the
retaliatory action Of Russia revoked.
The escape Of Russia from the payment
of the countervailing duty might, however,
be made the grounds Of complaint and pos
sibly retaliation upon the United States by
governments against which this counter
vailing duty now operates without question.
Just as the United States might now re-
taliate upon Russia If it were not thought
that the matter could be settled more
easily otherwise. this government could ana
probably would meet discrimination with
retaliation upon any government against
which countervailing duties are levied un-
der the undisputed authority Of the tar11t
law.
United States Would Suffer Least.
If governments which pay bounties and
undoubtedly come within the operation OF
the countervailing tariff provision should
retaliate it would be the beginning OF
tariff war in earnest. The United States
could probably sustain itself in such war.
but it would seriously injure the industrial
development Of the whole world.
rtoti Two 40 a.
member of the ways and means committee,
said to a Star reporter today
"a tariff war would be deplorable for
the whole world: but II such war were
made upon the United States we could sus-
tain ourselves and would suffer from 1t
less than any other nation on earth