Evening star., 1901-02-18
PATS RUSSIA'S BACK
st. James Gazette Pleased With Re-
taliatory Tariff Policy.
SAYS CZAR HAS THE WHIP HAND
It. Petersburg Press, However,,
Deplores the Incident.
WARNING TO BOTH SIDES

LONDON, February 1s.-There is consid-
cradle interest here in the outcome of the
tariff differences between the United States
and Russia. The advocates of a change in
the British fiscal system hope to find in
them some support of their contentious that
retaliatory duties ought to be imposed on
countries taxing British products The St
James Gazette says:
Some Americans, including Secretary
Gage, appear to think the United States
have the monopoly of the protection policy
but they have been sharply reminded by
Russia that two can play at the game of
hostile tariffs. AS the import of Russian
sugar Is trifie compared with the exports
to Russia the present game of retaliation
Is one in which Russia holds the best cards
therefore she will win most of the tricks"
Russian Press Regrets Incident.
The st. Petersburg correspondent of the
Times, who describes the action of NJ de
Witte in raising the duty on all the prin-
clpal imports from the United States as a
'reprisal strikingly disproportionate to
Americas duty on sugar" says:
If any official negotiations have been
going on they must have been entirely con-
quoted in Washington. Russians here hay.
been taken by surprise and the Russian
papers, which are always well disposed to-
ward the United States express great re-
gret at the unfortunate incident and
nope that some amicable arrangement may
be reached"
An Associated Press dispatch from ST
Petersburg says: Shrewd observers in St
petersburg believe that the Russian minis
Ter Oh nnance, NJ de Witte, in imposing a
discriminating duty on American manufac-
lures of iron and steel was not only ami
mated by desire to protect Russian sugar
producers, but was eager to seize an op-
portunity to mobilize Russias industrial
army, with a View of proving its ability
to stand the test of a tariff war. 1t is be-
lfeVed, moreover that he desires to impress
Germany even more than the United States
The Russian press does not give any par
ucuIar approval to the experiment. The
Bourse Gazette, usually influenced by the
minister of finance, warns both sides against
implicit faith In the Bismarckian theory
that tariff wars do not disturb good political
relations pointing out that experience has
shown the opposite to be the case as a
rule.
Views of BOurse Gazette,
I'VE hope the friction will be as quickly
removed as it arose." continues the Bourse
Gazette, "since the political relations now
existing between the two powers are the
best they have ever known. Both are play
ing the game of the tertium gaudens, which |
is preparing a blow against both Doubt |
less American public opinion is wiser than |
the sugar producers. and the government |
that is acting in their interests"
The Novosti correctly representing the |
Russian public opinion to the Russian |
governments sugar policy, demands the |
abolition of the domestic tax and of a |
system devised to enable few law manu- |
facturers to make enormous profits at the |
expense of consumers"
Russia's export policy. the Novosti con-
tends, is designed principally to support |
high domestic prices. 1t is well known that |
n of nhcf oil
work in Russia is the price of sugar, which |
checks the consumption of tea.
The NoVoe Vremya reminds Americans
that they are the principal commercial ben
efciaries of Russian railway enterprises in
eastern Asia and expresses a hope that
the United States Supreme Court will de-
eide in Russas favor.
'Reprfsals between friendly nations,' it
says. should remain as last resort
Hitherto Russia and the United States have
been able to settle their differences peace
fully. whether political or commercial"
Evidently the Novoe Vremya's article was
written before NJ. de Witte retaliated
Obstacle to Commerce.
Americans here have long been convinced
hat one of the most formidable obstacles
10 the development of Americas export
rade with Russia is the lack of sufficient
return cargoes to make direct steamship
inc between New York and st. Peters
|
action that would tend to aggravate the
"A dispatch from Chicago says: Stirred
o the sense of the necessity for immediate
action, the Illinois Manufacturers Associa-
ion will endeaVor to assemble the leading |
of agricultural implements
n the United States in Chicago at an early
late for the purpose of discussing the re-
aliatory tariff which the Russian govern
nent intends to place in effect on March 1.
The directors of the Illinois Manufacturers
4 Associaton will hold conference here
Monday, when arrangements will be made
o send out notices to all manufacturers
in the Russian trade, asking them
o attend the meeting.
The chief object in calling the manufac-
urers together will be to canvass the situ-
,tion with view to it's correction
1t is understood that the manufacturers
will endeavor to get a sugar importer to
protest against the tariff imposed on beet
sugar from Russia and thus carry the
question before the board of appraisers in
he hope that the tariff may be changed.