The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-06-21
RETALIATING

RUSSIA. the assigned reasons
for the retaliatory
threats OF Russia, the action of our gov
eminent in the matter OF reciprocity must
be considered, in the opinion of close stu
dents OF our foreign affairs here, as an
underlying cause. Both Russia and Italy
were offended by our treatment of
them. 1t is believed that Baron Fava S
recall was due to his failure to secure the
presidents signature even to the Italian
reciprocity treaty, which had been nego-
tlated with great study and effort and at
the instance of the United States The
Italians could not understand how dip
lomat1c representative could go so far and
then be able to accomplish absolutely
nothing aside from a commercial agree
ment which the president alone had power
TO promulgate. Russia bore the reciproc-
ity affront with diplomatic coolness. but
did not forget it.
The Russian treaty was the work of
months of study, both there and here 1t
opened all Of Asiatlc Russia to the nearly
Tree entry OF our dried and canned fruits
which would have made the treaty accept
able to Californians had it been presented
and perhaps served with them as an anti
cote for the Jamaica treaty. Ambassador
Cassini and the Russian home office sup
posed that they were doing business. J"
especially since the work had been under
taken at the request of the United States:
Dut when the treaty had been formulated
tney could not even get it signed Cassini
was informed that President Mckinley
was unwilling to approbe another reci-
proclty treaty until the senate had dis
closed its purpose with those already be-
fore it.
AT this juncture Commissioner Kasson
OF Iowa appeared before the senate COM
mlttees on finance and foreign relations
ana told them in plain English that they
were Offering an affront to friendly ma
tions by refusing to act upon these treat
les, He urged that their constitutional
DUTY was to accept or reject, but not to
hang up conventions indefinitely to the
great annoyance of nations which had con-
sented to treat with us. One or two of the
most arrogant members of the foreign re-
latlons committee told him in effect that
the senate would run the foreign affairs
Of this country and would not be dictated
to by the executive department, and least
of all would be told by a special com
missioner what International courtesies
1t owed. Mr. KasSon accordingly resigned
his office and proceeded to end the work
OF his bureau. Mr.. Mckinley. the great
pacifcator was called in, and while dep
recating any disagreement with the SEN
ate, urged Mr.. Kasson to remain in
charge of reciprocity undertakings for a
to do, insisting, however, that he should
take no more salary while remaining so
useless an officer.
The action of Russia, mild as it is. in
dicates the rumbling of hostility to our
national policy of treating other nations
with contempt. Monarchies cannot under
stand the powerlessness of our govern
ment in making agreements. When their
representatives here are told that the two
to unlimited debate in the senate, might
effectually prevent the ratification of the
Italian reciprocity treaty, no matter how
helpful it might be to general business
interests, they are amazed. The consum-
nation of reciprocity treaties seems i'm
practicable with our form of government.
and statesmen are beginning to think that
the sooner congress formally announces
this by disseminating all attempts at
reciprocity the better it will be with our
foreign relations. Europe will then un-
derstand US.
Although Russias latest action in ad-
vancing duties upon certain American
products has nominally no connection with
our recent discrimination against her
sugars, it is believed in administration
circles to-day that the two are closely
related. The smallness of our sales to
her of the articles upon which she has
just levied the retaliatory duties supports
this view. Had Russia intended to open
a real tariff war against us she would
have taken commodities which we sell in
larger quantities; but with a purpose
merely to warn US, as seems likely, she
has taken articles which suggest what
might be done on a more serious scale.
OF bicycles, upon which the duty is ad-
vanced 80 per cent, it is said at the treas
ury bureau of statistics, that we sold
Russia only S72, 900 last year out of total
expectation of three and one-half mil
lions The rosin and kindred articles
Also mentioned in the Russian ambassa-
aor's letter are not important factors in
trade, although on account of the differ
ences in terminology the figures of our
bureau of statistics are not clear as to
the amount of these We export to Russia
They are estimated, however, at about
$780, 900 year.
1t is hard to understand how Russia
can have taken offense at our levying a
duty upon her petroleum, when she set
us the example. The Dingley law provides
that any crude petroleum or the products
Of crude petroleum imported into the
United States shall bear a duty in any
case equal to that imposed by the export
ing country upon similar products of the
United States. This legislation was sup
posed to have resulted from some fric-
tion between the Standard Oil company
and Russian oil interests. At all events
the law has stood for years without arous-
ing controversy, and the monthly statis-
Hcal publications Of our government have