The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-21


The Gage Tariff War.
Out of consideration for the Admins
tration, American producers of things
other than sugar probably may wait for
a decision of the Board of Customs APP
praisers on the countervailing tariH
against Russian sugar before taking
| action; but that will not operate TO
postpone popular discussion of one OF
the queerest spectacles of Administra-
tive eccentricity on the part of Mr.
Gage in the history of the Treasury.
The Secretary's explanations and ex-
cuses have been sufficiently set forth in
these columns. and We must say that
they do not appear to strengthen his
case. Although the exact extent of At
torney General Griggs' connection with
the matter is not within our knowl dge,
it is town-talk that his opinion and ad-
vice were directly against the Gage dec
laration of q tariff war on Russia. 1t is
even said, in some quarters, that the
Secretary of the Treasury took advantage
of the absence of Mr. Griggs from
Cabinet meeting 10 win consent from the
Mr. Mckinley not realizing at the time
the extreme gravity of the proposed
action. 1t is openly charged that Mr..
Gage acted insincerely in impressing rep
resentatives of large manufacturing in
terests with the idea that he did not in
tend to bring the matter to an issue for
some time, and that, in any event, it was
one for the Attorney General to decide.
| Mr.. Oxnard appeared in Washington ono
| day. and, not long afterward. the counter
vailing duty was imposed, TO the surprise
| and chagrin of everybody interested. with
| the exception, of course. of Mr.. Oxnard
and his employers, the Sugar Trust. Ever
since. people in all walks of life have been
asking: What could have induced Mr..
Gage deliberately to strike a fatal blow
at all American commerce with Russia,
when the only possible point to be gained
by the movement was an advantage OF
few thousand dollars annually to the Sugar
Trust?
This Is a question which it would be
very hard TIC answer in the present state
Of public knowledge 1t is understood that.
for quite long time Mr.. Gage has been
given a remarkably free hand in the con-
Duct of his department. Whether this was
because of his complacency in accepting
responsibility for the transfer of Govern
ment funds to the Administration clique
in Wall Street on a well-remembered spec
ulative occasion. when he was averse to
the transaction. and declared that he
would not permit 1t only few hours be-
fore the order was issued; or whether it
had its origin in his assistance in the
Standard Oil bank and custom house deal,
it would be impossible to say. But it has
seemed evident, ever since these episodes.
that the Secretary Of the Treasury has had
Il masterful influence in the Cabinet coun-
sells.
Perhaps recent events may have weak
ened this hold. The idea has been lately
prevalent that Mr.. Gage was about to be
sacrificed as a scapegcat on the altar of
public Indignation, and thus divert atten-
ton from his associates in the matters
above referred to. If that theory be cor
rect. it may be possible that. be- e going
out, he determined TO give an object les
son to the inhUer,oes about to abandon
i''iA'' '---H. - ueuOH5LIdAe MS sun SuIElN-
ing ability to favor his friends, without
much reference to the noble army of
other campaign contributors, who might
be severely injured in the process. He
certainly must have known that, in the
current conditions of American iron and
steel production. the loss of our export
trade with Russia might easily precipi-
tate an Industrial and financial panic.
Manufacturers, for Some time back. have
had all they could do to find markets
for their output, and the opening afforded
by Russia needs and tariff concessions
has been little less than a godsend to
them.
Then why did he do it? Why, perhaps
on the eve of retirement from office. did
he venture to demoralize our whole com
mercial system and bring us face to face
with an economic war with a great Eu-
ropean coalition, TO oblige Havemeyer
and Oxnard? What claim can the Sugar
Trust have upon HIM, either officially or
otherwise, that their minor interest
should overshadow all else in the policy
of the Treasury Department? What could
have been his motive and his object?
These are things concerning which the
American people would very much like
to be satisfactorily informed.