The times., 1901-06-20
THE RUSSIAN TARIFF DUTIES.
Count Cassini Admits That They Are
Rctniia3ory Measures.


In the opinion of the chief officials of
the Treasury Department. particularly
Mr.. SpauldinS the Assistant Secretary
in charge of ocustoms matters, undue
prominence has bden given to the action
Of the Russian Government in imposing
higher dutiesn On bicycles, resins, and
machinery from the United States.
According turthk general acceptance of
Russia's action, the increase of duties is
Intended TO be measure of retaliation
and a significant step in the beginning of
tariff war between the two countries.
Mr.. Spaulding believes this view is un-
Justihable, and in his own words. "a
mountain is being made cut of a mole
hill"
The position of the United States in
regard to Russian petroleum was taken
a good while ago said Mr.. Spaulding
yesterday to a Times reporter. The
BOARD of General Appraisers as long ago
as 1895 declared that Russian or other
petroleum refined in England or in any
other country outside the country of
origin was subject to the same duty
which that country of origin imposes on
our petroleum
The Treasury Department has taken
no recent action in the matter, except on
one occasion a few months ago, when it
was held that consular invoices of petro-
leum should designate the country where
the petroleum originated. This was
chiefly because 1t had become known that
the practice of sending Russian crude
oil to England to be refined and shipping
it thence to the United States was in
creasing. Under those circumstances it
was only fair, in case the petroleum came
from Russia, that a duty should be i'm
posed equal to the Russian duty, in ac-
cordance with the old decision of the
Board of General Appraisers
Mr. Spauldtng said that the order relat-
ing to consular invoices was not directed
especially toward Russia, although the
order happened to apply in that quarter
under present conditions of petroleum
production and markets. 1t could not pos
sibly be held, he continued, that this Gov
ernment had taken discriminating action
against Russia.
The feeling in official circles is, that if
Russia imposed the higher duty on BIZ
cycles ard resinoJs products, as a retail
atory measure, on account of the pretro-
lcum order, the Cars Government has
deliberately taken up an old issue, which
caused no friction at the time ii was
lnaugurated. The officials are slow to be-
lleve, however, that the new Russian or
der marks the beginning of a serious
tariff war such as is being freely talked
of in some quarters.
Count Cassini the Russian Ambassador
said yesterday: y regret very much that
these questions should have arisen, for
my constant endeaVor, rejecting the
wishes of the imperial Government. has
been to maintain those long standing re-
lations of cordiality and cooperation
which have existed between Russia and
the United States. For this reason l de-
plore these small commercial issues that
have arisen. as they are like small pin
pricks, not very serious in themselves yet
irritating in the general condition of good
relations. The issues do not seem to me
to be very grave"
When asked If the action In regard to
bicycles andoresffl had been taken as
retaliatory measure, Count Cassini frank
ly admitted that such was the case.
But the terri retaliation, he said
is perhaps too harsh. The simple fact
is. that that dieferential duty was levied
on imports of Russian sugar. and fol-
lowing this duties were increa sed on GER
tain American articles entering Russia.
ater duties were levied on Russian pc
troleun, which enters into certain other
foreign products, and, as a result of this,
the Russian duty on certain other AmeTi-
can products is raised. These are eco
nomic moves. pure, and simple. 1t is quite
certain that they are due to no antagon-
ism against the United States. Each
Government Is doubtless acting according
TO its view OF what the situation requires.
Relations perfectly reciprocal are desired,
and there Is no doubt that American
goods will continue to be welcomed in
Russia. -