Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-13
DUTY ON REFINED SUGAR.
What it Will Cost to Import the
 Article From Russia.
The New Order Has Just Been Issued
 Russia. Protests Against Paying a

The New Order Has Just Been Issued
 Russia Protests Against Paying a
 Bounty for the Exportation of Sugar.
 Washington, Feb l:5.-The text of the order of the secretary of the treas ury imposing q countervailing duty on refined sugars imported from Russia reads :,s follows: In pursuance of the provisions of the amount of the bounty or grant paid CT bestowed by Russia on the export of sugar, is hereby declared to be 64 cCpess, per pood of refined sugar, and that an additional duty equivalent to such amount must be assessed and collected under said section ; of the act of July 24. 1S91.'' After quoting the act. the letter proceeds:
 Tn the present case the facts are involved and the conclusions to be drawn from them are correspondingly difficult. At the conference of dele gates On the question of sugar houn- ties. held in Brussels 1n June 1898, the Belgian and Austrian delegates con- tended that the Russian government regulations resulted ill an indirect bounty on exported sugar equal to the differences between the price exclusive | of excise tax o1 sugar sold in that country for home consumption. and the price of sugar sold for export
 Russia. on the other hand. protests i with great Sigor that by no act of hers is any bounty or grant paid or bestowed on the eXportatiun of sugar It is represented that Russian sugar is sold for export at prices consider ably below the cost of production and ! this phenomenon appears to be ill some degree due to the regulation of the sugar industry of that country by i the Russian government.
 Do the Russian government regula- tons have such a bearing upon the facts of the case as to bring Russian sugar within the intent of said law as disclosed by it's terms? While the question ill it's initiative lies with the administration of the treasury depart ment. the question is of q judicial rather than of an administrative char acter and it's importance demands de termination by :! judicial tribunal. The board of general appraisers constitutes such a tribunal. and from it's decisions Iappeal may be taken to the United States courts.
 As an administrative officer it is my duty to determine questions of doubt ill favor of the government, the
 more so that if I err in that direction
 the error can be readily corrected by a competent tribunal upon protest an( appeal by those adversely affected
 while if by my action the interests ol
 the government are injuriously affect
 ed. there is no remedy.
 Tn the present ease there seems tt
 be no other proper course than tht one you are hereby instructed to pur sue.
 ) Ut ought to bring the whole question promptly before a body constituted t
 hear and determine disputed questions of fact and of law.
 : ''The jurisdiction of the board O general appraisers to determine simi ! lar questions has now been sustained by the United States circuit court-Ao appeals. in the case of the United States vs the Hill Brothers company ! decided February s. 1901, unpubliShe, . and if appeal be taken. from my ruling [ to that body. it will be your duty l. facilitate in every way a prompt an' final adjudication of such appeal.''