The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-08
THE POSITION OF RUSSIA.
A Statement Regarding thc.Imposi-
ton of RctaIiatory Duties.

| The Secretary OF the Treasury has re-
| ceiVed through the State Department a
| copy of the decree issued By the Russian
| Government, imposing additional duties
| on certain articles of manufacture from
4 the United States, While the decree adj
mits that the action is Inspired by the
| order of the United States Government
| in exacting so-cafed countervailing
\ duty on Russian sugar. 1t processes that
| the relations Of the two Governments are
an3 must continue to be of the most
| friendly nature. 1t says that the inter-
course between the two nations has ever
been marked by n friendly note. and that
III the friendly note has within the last
| few days sounded a, discordant tone, IT
can hardly be doubted that this is transit
| tory. In conclusion the official state
irent recltes:
The incontrovertible fact that Russia
pays no bounty on sugar exports, AS well
| as the reluctance of both parties in adopt
ing these measures. which. on the Fart of
Russia are wholly involuntary, being pro
voked by the other side, and. lastly. the
| Arm ties of friendship binding the two ma
| tions, promises speedy termination of
this accidental MISUNDERSTANDING
Secretary Gage, in a talk YESTERDAY
growing out of the complaint made bv
steel and hardware exporters in the
United States against the recent Teas
ury order imposing countervailing duty
on imports of Russian sugar, said that
Inc attitude of the exporters revealed a
surprising ignorance of the facts and of
their own interests. Soon after the Treas
ury order was issued the Russian Govern
ment retaliated with an edict that an adj
ditional duty should be imposed ON GER
tain manufactures of steel from the
United States.
Immediately the Illinois Manufacturers.
Association held a meeting in Cbic,p,
ana expressed the greatest indignation
that the Treasury authorities should have
issued an order that could cause such
serious resentment by Russia They de
clared that their export business wouId
be affected by the st. Petersburg decree
to the extent of SZ0000.0J0 or more every,
year. and vigorous protest was sent 70
Secretary Gage. on Wednesday a dele
CATION representing these Illinois manu-
facturers, headed by their president
called on President Mckinley They pro
tested that the Treasury order should he
suspended, so that Russia might with
draw its prohibitive duties on United
States machinery and hardware
liAeii lIity tstilc'i ON secretary Gage. and
he told them that the Treasury Denart-
ment had no discretion in the matter and
that he had simply carried out the pro-
visions of the tariff law in declaring a
contemplating duty on imports of Rus
sian sugar
Secretary Gage explained the matter
further yesterday. He said not only that
possible redress could be secured bv the
manufacturers only by appealing To the
Board of General Appraisers hut mat
the machinery and hardware uanufac-
tuTers of this country Were greatly ex-
aggerating the injury they have slistaiu-
ed at the hands of the Russian Govern
ment He stated that the manufacturers
either do not know their business or bavn
misstated their case. The Illinois manu-.
facturcrs say that their trade alone Is
being damaged to the amount of s90
600 go year. Mr.. Gage said several
days ago that ali the exports, not OF mi
nois alone, but of the United States and
not of iron and steel goods alone, but of
all sorts of merchandise. to Russia
amounted to less than 81 100000 a year
Yesterday he confirmed this statement
with a detailed list of figures prepared Inv
the Bureau of Statistics This tends to |
show that our exports of all kinds to Rus
STA last year amounted to only So, 40 40 |
OF this valuation only s2,S72. i23 worth OF
goods are affected by the recent retalla-
tory decree Of the Rsssian Government
OF this amount of merchandise the Sec
rotary said it is unlikely that the men |
from Chicago who were in Washington |
manufacture the greater part.