The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-22
THE RUSSIAN ROW
SECRETARY GAGE TELLS THE CAR
MET ABOUT 1T.
HIS POSITION ENDORSED.
Mr.. HAY TO TAKE THE MATTER
UP WITH RUSSIA.

Secretary Gage Issues n Statement,
Setting Forth Our Position in the
Matter-Russia on the Same Foot
ing as Nearly All other Leading
Countries as to Petroleum Inn
ports-TRe Only Importation, How
ever, Under the DingIey Act, Has
Been of Her Product.
Washington, June 21.-The most i'm
portant subject discussed at to-days cab
met meeting was that involving the as
sessmeut of customs duties on petroleum
or its 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 depart
ment's connection with the matter, and
the history of legislation affecting it. At
the conclusion of the secretary's state
ment all of the members, it is understood,
expressed themselves as in entire accord
with Secretary Gage in the position he
mas taken and requested that ne make a
statement covering the entire ground.
Secretary Hay will soon make represen-
tations to the Russian government fully
explaining the attitude of this country
and pointing out that Russia has acted
hastily and under a misrepresentation of
the facts in her position of retaliation.
The statement of the Secretary of he
Treasury is substantially as follows:
The COuntervaiIing Duty.
Secretary Gage called attention to the
tariff act of July "a, 1897 known as the
Dingley act, which, among other things,
provides that if there be imported into
the United States crude petroleum, or the
products of crude petroleum, produced in
any country which imposes a duty on pc
troleum, or its products, exported from
the United States, there shall in such
cases be levied, paid and collected a duty
upon said crude petroleum or its products
so imported equal to the duty imposed
by such country.
This provision was embodied in a cir
cular issued to the officers of the Gus
toms, dated April 21, 1885, to which was
appended a schedule of 109 countries i'm
posing a duty on petroleum and its prod
uots. These countries included
France, Germany, Austria Hungary,
Russia, Spain and practically
all VI the lcdulHS COQlllIA II In6 WOTll
This circular was issued for the purpose
Of carrying into effect the petroleum pro-
vision of the Dingley tariff law. So far
as known in the treasury department no
importations of petroleum had been re-
ceved into the United States until June
Is. 1900, when an invoice of refined petro-
leum was received at Rochester, N Y,
manufactured from crude petroleum pro-
euced in Russia.
A Far-fetched Decision.
The collector of customs at Rochester
held that the refined article was subject
10 duty as a production of Russia, and
assessed duty accordingly. While the i'm
portation came from England 1t 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. ,2S 1901, sustained the col
lector
No protest or objection so far as the
department. knows was received from any
country against this decision.
Upon this statement of facts the off,
cials are at a great loss to understand
how Russia can feel aggrieved at the
soYerpment's action and inaugurate
system of discriminating duties against
products of the United States in conse-
qlence. 1t is. hoped that Secretary Hay
VIII be able to present the facts so that
russia will rescind her action, and will
snow that she is not seeking to be I'M
Just to this country in tariff matters.
The cabinet feels that the administration
mas strong case, and believes that #
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"