Evening star., 1901-02-25
GIVES NO SECRET BOUNTY
RUSSIA's INSPIRED PRESS DISCUSSES
SUGAR EXPORTS.
Holds the Brussels Conference Re-
spOnsible for the Action of
the United States.

4 dispatch from ST. Petersburg yesterday
says: The semi-official Financial Messenger,
in the course of article denying that
sugar exports enjoy either an open or a
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 a regularly
reduced rate from year to year, is Intended
to protect the Russian consumer against
the encouragement of expectation at MS
expense and that If secret export premiums
exist at all, they are due to the growing
powe rof trusts and syndicates in getting
various branches of production into their
power of trusts and syndicates in getting
high prices abroad at the expense of the
home market
The Journal de ST. Petersburg says:
will not dangerous precedent be Gre
ated by the desire to prove, at any price,
that alleged secret premiums are concealed
by the Russian sugar regime? If Russia
employed the same logic, she would, with
even greater justifCat ton, be driven to i'm
pose countervaiing duties upon cast iron,
steel, copper and other American products
To which the principle now being established
could be applied with equal justice.
Russia would also be perfectly justified
in applying this new procedure not only
against the United States, but also against
western Europe. inasmuch as this singular
idea of the concealment of secret premiums
originated in no way with the United
States. 1t was first proclaimed by Europe
at the Brussels conference in 1898; and 1t
is only such idea, for which Europe is
responsible, that Russia has to thank for
an iniquitous act on the part of friendly
United States.
ut must above all. not be forgotten that
this is slippery path, and that if it is pur-
rnI f,,rt tI,n, r1on l.
ceed. without even awaiting the expiration
of commercial treaties, to similar measures,
not only with regard to America, but also
with regard to Europe. in the case of such
products 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 International ques-
tions from unsound principles, questions
which require above all the most absolute
justice and consideration of mutual inter-
ests If an understanding between parties
is to be maintained"
These articles, which appear in the Off
cial organs of the ministry of finance, un-
doubtedly represent the views of the Rus
sian government in the application of the
theory of concealed export premiums to
trust-made products. Both papers sgnifi-
cantly hold western Europe responsible for
the theory. thus tacitly admitting that the
United States acted under pressure They
can products, which are sold cheaper
abroad than at home. with compensatory
duties. They ignore as irrelevant the dis
tinction between legislative and voluntary
regulation of industries.
The announcement of this doctrine opens
up q wide field of speculation, apparently
presaging transformation of the discrim-
mating duties against America into gem
eral increase of duties on all articles which
| enter largely into the worlds commerce
and are the objects of the keeneSt COmpo-
| tition.
| Russian industries would certainly well
| come any excuse to increase the present
! high protection. During the existing stag
| nation they have bitterly complained when
! ever foreign concern has secured a gov
/ ernment order and they are continually
! demanding favors of every kind, railway
! rates and the like, against foreigners. Pos
sibly. however, the inspired organs merely
! desire to illustrate in a drastic way the
| dangers from the attempts of one state to
| interfere indirectly with the internal affairs
| of another