Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-06-21
DEFEND CAGES ACTION
Members Of the Cabinet Approve
His Course in Controversy
With Russia.
State Department Will Take Mat.
ter Up With Russian For.
eign Office.
Believed Russia Will Be Made to
See Injustice OF Her
Attitude.

time of the cabinet today was spent in
discussion of the action of the treasury
department in imposing a countervail
ing duty on certain Russian products.
Secretary Gage explained in detail the
action which the department had taken
and the cabinet unanimously approved
what he had done. He was authorized
to give out statement to clear up the
misunderstanding which exist and lat
er did SO the treasury department.
Secretary Hay will soon make repre-
eentations to the Russian government
fully explaining the attitude of this
country and pointing out that Russia
has acted hastily and under misappre-
hension Of the facts in her position of
retaliation.
The officials are at great loss to un-
derstand how Russia can feel ag-
grieved 1T the governments action and
inaugurate a system of discriminating
duties against the products of the
United States in consequence. 1t is
hoped Secretary Hay viii be able to
present the facts SO Russia will rescind
her action and show that she is not
seeking to be unjust to this country Ill
tariff matters. The cabinet members
say the administration has strong
case and believes If Russia is entirely
friendly she may be made to see her ac-
tion in this case has not been such as to
call forth the most friendly feeling of
this country.
The statement of the secretary of the
treasury is substantially as follows:
Secretary Gage called attention TO the
tariff act known as the Dingley act
which provides that " there be Imported
into the United Stated crude petroleum
or products of crude petroleum. pro-
duced In any country which imposes a
duty on petroleum or its tHoducts, eX-
ported from the United States, there
shall in such cases be levied and paid a
collected duty upon said crude petro-
1eum or its products so imported equal
to the duty imposed my such country
This provision Is embodied in the cir
culRr issued to officers Of customs, dated
April q, 1898. to which was appended a
schedule of 109 countries imposing a
duty on petroleum and Its products.
These countries included France, Ger
many, Austria Hungary, Russia, Spain
and practically all the leading countries
of the world. This circular was issued
for the purpose of carrying into effect
the petroleum provision Of the Dingley
tariff law: No protests were received
from any of the countries, nor could
they be reasonably expected, in view Of
the fact that the countries named had
already In operation laws fixing tariff
duty on petroleum and its products. So
far as known in the treasury depart
ment no importations of petroleum have
been received into the United States un-
til June IS. 1900. when an Invoice of re-
fned petroleum was received at Roches-
ter, N. Y. manufactured from crude Pc
troleum produced In Russia The coll
lector OF customs at Rochester held the
refined article subject to duty as pro-
duction Of Russia and assessed the duty
accordingly. While the importation
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
5of general appraisers at New York
This board sustained the collector. hold
ing the petroleum produced In Russia.
imported into England and there refined
and thence sent TO this country dutiable
at rate equal to that imposed by Rus
sia on petroleum into that county from
the United States No protest or OBJ
lection. so far as the department knows,
was received from any country against
this decision and the matter was not
again brought to the government until
March .. of this year. On that date the
Department.. replying TO inquiries from
the collector OF customs at New York
as to how he Should ascertain the coun-
try of origin In liquidation of duties on
petroleum or IT'S products arriving in
this country held that invoices of pro-
dutcs OF crude petroleum must br ae-
companfed by the United States con
sular certificate. showing the country,
where the petroleum was produced. In
the absence of this certificate. liquda-
tion 10 to be suspended and, pending
further Information, the rate of duties
must be estimated at the highest rate
levied by any country on such petro-
leum. Further than this the depart
ment has never taken any action what
ever on the subject Of petroleum and
even in these Instances 1t viii be OBJ
served the rules laid down apply equally
and without discrimination to 109 coun-
tries of the world"
MAKES STARTLING REPORT.