The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-06-19
RUSSIA AND
UNITED STATES
Duty on Russian Petroleum
Is Simply Retaliation
Washington, o. c., June is.-At

Washington, D. c., June ls.-ht
the tseaaury department. It IS stated that
the imposition of IA duty ON petroleum
Of the secretary Of the treasury but WAS
made mandatory by the Dingvy act.
which directs the secretary. iu case amy
foreign country Imposes "a duty Ou ic.
trolcum imported from the United states
% take certain steps pending action The
government iF compliance with Jaw i'm
posed duty ON Russian petroleum lu
no sense, as stated, can these duties be
regarded Us unjust Discriminating against
thc American article. Had kuasu not
taken This step her petroleum would have
been admitted To- this country free Oi
duty and under the terms OF the Ding
ley act.
ia hls reply to Count Cassnia note
which was transmitted to tho treasury
department, Secretary Gage protests
against the implied contention that this
governments action WIS "a discrimination
against Russia. and adds,
"a beg leave TO submit for your con-
sdc8tion the question whether the
measure now adopted by the imperial
government is not Incompatible with The
rights Of the United states under the eN-
isting treaty OF commerce and uaylEa-
tion with Russia
According 60 the Russian View the
discrimination against petroleum ls ia-
dicatcd hy the fact that no Russian pee
troieum comes 60 this oountry The only
article 81 the kind received here is said
to be made with Belgian parahne
~ is said the American trade in hi-
cycles and the resins specified arc pnite
large in Husst4 80 that the increased
duties win bear heavily upon these
branches of the American trade
A q result representations are being
made 10 behalf Of these manufacturers %
the state departments to coincide with
Russia for an abatement Of the hisn
rates
letter. az delivered 70 the treasury ue-
1Washlngton. ID C. June %. 1871
"Secretaty OF state. The federal gov-
ernment having by circular dater March
g. 1901 applied 10 article 628 Of the Amer
jean tariff Go sustain petroleum, the in-
ptrial government has Just informed me
that The minister Of ninance Of RUSSIA
has taken the requisite steps Tor ihe
application OF the advanced rates 20
duty 10 the following American prodGcts
entered into Russia
Resin on oolophon galpol. brewers
Mitch articles 81 aud % bicycles, arti-
Gle il3, paragraph 3.
weeks from the date OF It's promulglton'
The present duty on articles under the
first head of the reslnfamil Is 3lS cents
per pood or e6ii2 pounds. Bicycles
are taxable az the rate Of s9025 each.
The imposition of the maximum rate
adopted advance these figures BY Just ~
per cent, prcsuming OF the effect uf the
Russian decree Is an application Of artt-
Gle GaS Of the Russian custom house reg
ulations. which was the paragraph ape
plied by the Russian government 70
American agricultural machinery. Ihis
latest relation on the part OF Russian
government emphasized the issue when
had arisen previously over Russias su-
gar. owing 10 the tarin war. growing
out Of the sugar decision, pressure has
been brought 10 bear upon the govern
rnent through commercial and Industrial
channels to secure an adjustment Win
Russia.
In some cnses special interests. ma
chinerv In particular, have addressed
themselves 10 the administration bv PEE
titlon and letters and through influential
senators and representatives, ~ con-
rress with a view 70 some action on
the part of the government which VIII
aff3rd the Russian government a basis
for a removal 81 their imports ana "a
renewal OF the old state Of anairs
The situation however, ia that the
government does not see itself hple 10
move in the direction desired at ans
rate al this moment The appraiser has
approved the correctness. OF the sugar
decision.
The danger 60 this situation Is to pc
found in the probable growth of ili teel-
ing between commercial interests in Rus
sia and the United states which in the
end may affect political relations un-
favorably Yet even this consideration
does not sccm 10 be lnsunlcient 20 war
rant the administration IN departing
from the outline above outlined