Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-06-22
CONTINUES TARIFF WAR.
Russia Makes New Move in the Dis
criminatOry Duties Imposed
by United States.

Washington, June 19.-The Russian
ambassador, Count Cassini, has COM
municated to the state department
that in consequence of the action of
the American government through a
treasury order of March Q last, apply
ing tariff restrictions against Russian
petroleum. imported into this country,
the Russian minister of finance, M.
Dewitte, has issued an order dated
June Z, instant, imposing the high tar
IF rate of the Russian schedule on
American white resin or calafn, gala
pot, white resin, under article 81 of
the Russian tariff law, and increasing
the rate on American bicycles under
article f73 of the Russian laws.
This action is entirely apart from
that taken in connection with Russian
sugar and is new development in the
discriminatory duties imposed by this
government and the retaliatory duties
imposed by Russia. The orderiof the
Russian minister is to take effect next
Friday, or two weeks from the date of
its issuance.
At the treasury department it is
stated that the imposition of duty
on petroleum was not a matter with
in the discretion of the secretary Of
the treasury, but was made mandatory
by the Dingley tariff act, which d.
reefs the secretary, in case any for
eign country imposes duty on petro-
leum imported from the United States,
to levy a like duty on petroleum i'm
ported from that country. AS Russia
collects duty on petroleum import
ed from the United States, this gov
eminent, in compliance with law, i'm
poses a duty on Russian petroleum. In
no sense, it is stated, can this duty be
regarded as an unjust discrimination
against Russian petroleum, as that
country took the initiative against the
American article. Had Russia not
taken this step her petroleum would
have been admitted to this country
free of duty under the terms of the
tariff act.
According to the Russian view, the
duty laid against Russian petroleum
is inexplicable from the fact that no
Russian petroleum comes to this coun-
try. The only article of the kind re-
ceived here, is said to be that mixed
with Belgian paraffin. 1t is said that
the American trade in bicycles and the
resins specified is quite large in Rus
STA, so that the increased duties will
bear heavily upon these branches of
the American trade. AS result, rep
reservations are being made in behalf
of these manufacturers to induce the
state department to intercede with.
Russia for an aba tement of the high
rates.
The board of appraisers has affirmed
the correctness of the sugar decision
of the collector of customs, and only
one possible channel Of relief remains
open for the persons who desire to adj
nit the Russian sugar on its old terms,
namely, action by the judicial branch
of the government. The executive
branch, looking to the disposition of
test case before the supreme court
at the next term-for in view of its
international Importance such case
will be made special-does not see its
way clear to take any steps now that
might prejudice the case in advance.
The danger in this situation is to be
found in the probable growth of i'll
feeling between commercial interests
in Russia and the United States, which
in the end may affect political rela-
tons unfavorably. Yet even this con-
sideration is said to be insufficient to
warrant the administration in depart
ing from the negative policy above
outlined