The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-02-22
RUSSIA

anu lSSueu d ueCfeo TdlSluB the import
tax on all iron and steel goods, as
we'll as machinery Of American manu-
facture. The decree goes into effect
the first of next month and is in re-
taliation for the decision of Secretary
Gage to impose the countervailing
duty on Russian sugar provided for in
the Dingley bill. Meanwhile the i'm
porters are endeavoring to secure a
decision from the courts as to whether
the sugar is liable to the extra duty,
the contention being that the benefits
and advantages derived by the produc-
ers are not in the nature of a bounty
paid by the Russian government, and
consequently the law under which the
secretary's order was issued is not ap-
plicable to the case.
Not only does the matter attract
much interest in this country, but the
Europeans are watching the proceed
ings with fully as much interest as
are the people of the United States.
England in particular is deeply con-
cerned and is hoping that Russia may
continue its discrimination against
this country along the line about to be
inaugurated. The hope is inspired by
seldshness, Of course, as during the
past few years the American manu-
facturers have been cutting into Eng
lands Russian trade in steel, iron and
machinery at a rate that threatened its
total extinction. With a %prohibitive
tariff on those articles coming from
this country England sees the threat
satisfaction the near approach of the
time when it's own wares shall again
be received with the favor that was
accorded them before Yankee competi-
tion and American superiority almost
drove them out.
Opinions differ vastly on the proba-
BILE outcome of the matter. Many hold
that although Russia may strive to
keep our goods out of her markets she
will find it extremely difficult if not
impossible to do SO. They argue that
that country is now sufficiently famil-
lar with our productions of the kind
sought to be excluded hat the contin-
ued demand for them will force the
czar's government to recede from its
present position and again restore us
to favor. The Russian government
itself was one Of the heaviest pur-
chasers from us; notably in the way
of railroad equipments. Those pur-
chases were not made on the score Of
friendship, but because the goods were
better and the prices cheaper than
those that could be obtained elsewhere.
In it's eagerness to complete it's vast
railroad projects and thus rlace itself
in a position to better compete with
us in other lines and in other coun-
tries it does seem unlikely that Russia
will permit the small matter of the
sugar bounty to interfere with its pro-
jects and stand in the way of it's own
progress.
1t must be said, however, that did
the senate manifest more willingness
to live up to the policy of the party to
which a majority of it's members owe
their position, the threats of a Euro.
pean coalition for the purpose of wag.
ing a tariff war on the United States
would probably not now be heard.
Reciprocity as we'll as protection il
one of the tenets of the republican
faith. TO this policy the president
himself stands committed and almost
as strongly as the originator of it, that
peerless statesman and patriot, James
G.. Blaine. Reciprocity Treatments
have been negotiated by Commissioner
Kasson with Russia, France and other
European nations The returns agreed
upon by him in behalf of the United
States for the concessions made by
those countries to this are so small as
to practically make no appreciable
difference in the sum total derived
from the duties imposed upon thei,
goods landed ON our shores. It is the
duty of the senate to ratify those
treaties, rather than heed the demands
of a few eastern persons opposed tt
them.
The McIntire bill putting q sop tt
tho stata,s ho11nn IF the inmates q