Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-20
UP TO UNCLE SAMUEL
Our Next Move In the Tariff Un.
pleasantness with the Rus.
sian Government.
TREATY VIOLATION Is HINTED AT
The ViOlator Being the Gar. from Our
Point of View-Treasury
Explanations.

Washington, June 20.-The situation
rs to the retaliatOry tariff war between
the United States and Russia is such
that the next move must be made by
the United States. If the contest is to
be pursued. Secretary Gage, in his let
ter, raises the question whether the
Russian government has not infringed
upon the rights of the United States
under treaty. Article 6 of the treaty
Of commerce with Russia of 1882
reads: NO higher or other duties
shall he imposed on the importation
into the United States of any article
the produce or manufacture of Russia.
and no higher or other duties shall be
imposed on the importation into the
empire of Russia of any article the
produce or manufacture of the United
States than are or shall he payable on
the like article being the produce or
manufacture of any foreign country.
>" BY levying maximum duties
on United States bicycles, resins and
machinery. and specially designating
them as United States products, the
Russian government has. it is not
doubted, made just such Il discrimina-
tiOn as is provided against in this ar
ticle of the treaty.
Question of Treaty Violation.
The question is raised. however,
whether by our action in levying
duty on Russian petroleum and speci-
ally describing it as such the United
States government has not also ViO-
lated this article. There is no penalty
article in the treaty. but under the
common practice of international law
q country may denOunce the whole of
n treaty where it is satisfied that one
of its provisions has been purpOsely
broken. If such extreme action is
taken in the case there will he no trade
treaty between Russia and the United
States. and as far as Russia is con
cerned the maximum tariffs. which are
practically prOhibitive. would apply TO
all imports from the United States.
On the other hand. if such action by
Russia is regarded as discrimination
the United States government may by
existing law exclude any or all i'm
ports from Russia.
Protest from Treasury Officials.
Treasury officials protest against the
assumption in some quarters that the
department has taken mp the question
of the duty on petroleum imported
from Russia and decided it adversely
to that country. well knowing that lit
lie or no petroleum is brought from
there into the United States. Since
the Dmgley tariff act went into opera
tion the officials say. the department
never has directly passed upon the
question at issue. The act itself
makes il obligatory upon the authori-
ties To impose corresponding duty on
petroleum or its products imported
from any foreign country which i'm |
poses duty on the American article.
Product I'm Question Comes from England. |
But the treasury officials say moth |
ing was done as to importatiOnS from
Russia until Jan. 2S. 1901, when the |
board of general appraisers at New |
York held that petroleum produced in |
Russia and imported into England. |
there refined and thence imported into |
the United States, was dutiable at n |
rate equal to the rate imposed 10y Rus |
sia on petroleum imported into that |
country from the United States: and |
further that the provisions of para
graph 626 of the act of July ~. 1897 |
Cthe DinGley tariff law). apply TO the
country where the oil is produced. and |
not to the country of expectation.
This decision. il is cOntended at the
treasury department. is the only one
which could be made in view of the
plain wording of the law.