The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-26
RUSSIAN TARIFF WAR.
Secretary of State Will Make Re-
presentations That Are Expect
ed TO Move Russia to Rescind.

Washington, June 21.-The most i'm
portant subject discussed at today's
cabinet meeting was that involving
the assessment of customs duties on
petroleum or it's products imported
from Russia. -
Secretary Gage who has direct charge
Of the enforcement of the tariff laws, ex-
planned to the president and the mem
bers of the cabinet in detail the de-
partment's connection with the mat
ter and the history of. legislation
affecting it. At the conclusion of the
secretary's statement all of the mem
bers, it is understood, expressed them
selves as in entire accord with Secre-
tary Gage in the position he has taken,
and requested that he make a state
ment covering the entire ground.
Secretary Hay will soon make repre-
sentations to the Russian government
fully explaining the attitude of this
country and pointing out that Russia
has acted hastily and under a misap-
prehension of the facts in her position
of retaliation. The statement of the
secretary of the treasury is substatial-
ly as follows:
Secretary Gage called attention to
the tariff act Of July "a, 1897, known
as the Dingley act, which, among
things, provides that if there be i'm
ported into the United States crude
petroleum or the products of crude
petroleum, produced in any country
which imposes duty on petroleum or
its products, exported from the United
States, there shall in such cases be
levied, paid and collected duty upon
said crude petroleum or it's products
so imported equal to the duty imposed
by such country.
''This provision was embodied in a
circular issued to the officers of
the customs, dated April 21, 1898, to
which was appended a schedule of 109
countries imposing duty on petroleum
and its products. These countries in
cluded France, Germany, Austria
Hungary, Russia, Spain and practical
ly all of the leading countries of the
world. This circular was issued for
the purpose of carrying into effect the
petroleum provision of the Dingley
tariff law. So far as known in the
treasury department no importations
of petroleum had been received into
the United States until June Is, 1900,
when an invoice of refined petroleum
was received at Rochester, n. Y,
manufactured from crude petroleum
produced in Russia. The collector Of
customs at Rochester held that the re-
fined article was subject to duty as
production of Russia and assessed duty
accordingly. While the importation
came fromsEngland it was shown that
the crude oil was produced in Russia.
An appeal was taken from the action
of the collector to the board of general
appraisers at New York. This board
on Jan. %, 1901, sustained the collec-
tor.
''No protest or objection so far as
the department knows, was received
from any country against this decis
ion
Upon this statement of facts the Off
cials are at a great loss to understand
how Russia can feel aggrieved at the
governments action and inaugurate
system of discriminating duties
against products of the United States
in consequence It is hoped that Sec
retary Hay will be able to present the
facts so that Russia will rescind her
action and will show that she is not
seeking to be unjust to this country in
tariff matters. The cabinet feels that
the administration has strong case,
and believes that if Russia is entirely
friendly she will be made to see her
action in this case has not been such
as to call forth the most friendly
feeling in this country.