The age-herald., 1901-06-22
TARIFF DISCUSSED
 BY THE CABINET
Secretary Hay Will Make Rep
 reSentation to Russia
PETROLEUM THE SUBJECT
He Will Show That Russia Is Laboring Under a. Misapprehension and That the DingIey Bill Means
 No Discrimination.

Washington, June 21.-Most of the time of the cabinet today was spent in dis cussion of the action of the Treasury Department in imposing countervaling duty on certain Russian products. Secre- tary Gage explained in detail the action which the department had taken and the cabinet unanimously approved of what he had done. He was authorized to give out a statement to clear up the misun- derstandings which exist, and later did so at the Treatury Department.
 As a result of the consideration of the entire matter by the cabinet Secretary Hay will soon make representations to the Russian government fully explain ing the attitude of this country and pointing out that Russia has acted hasti- ly and under a misapprehension of the facts in her position of retaliation The statement of the secretary of the treas ury is substantially as follows:
 Secretary Gage called attention to the tariff act of July 24 1897, known as the Dingley act, which among other things, provides that if there be imported into the United States crude petraleum or the pro- ducts of crude petroleum produced in any country which imposes duty on petrol- cum or it's products exported from the United States there shall in such cases be levied, and collected, duty upon said crude petroleum or it's products so im- ported equal to the duty imposed by such country.
 This provision was embodied in cir cular issued to the officers of the customs dated April 21 1898, and to which was ap- pended a schedule of 109 countries im- posing duty on petroleum and its pro- ducts These countries included France Germany. Austria Hungary. Russia, Spain and practically all of the leading coun- tries of the world This circular was is- sued for the purpose of carrying into eff feet the petroleum provision of the Ding ley tariff law. On June IS, 1890, an in- voice of refined petroleum was received at Rochester, N. Y., manufactured from crude petroleum produced in Russia. The collector of customs at Rochester held the refined article was subject to duty as a production of Russia and assessed duty accordingly. An appeal was taken from the action of the collector to the board of general appraisers at New York. This bCdAu Oii oohhdiy Ao loO1t SuSldiHcu llS collector, holding that petroleum produced in Russia and imported into England and there refined, and thence sent to this country was dutiable at rate equal to that imposed by Russia on petroleum into that country from the United States.
 No protest or objection. so far as the department knows was received from any country against the decision and the matter was not again brought to the at- tention of the government until March g of this year. On that date the depart ment held that invoices of products of crude petroleum must be accompanied by a United States consular certificate show ing the country where the petroleum was produced. In the absence of this certi- ficate the liquidation was to be suspend ed and pending further information the rate of duties must be estimated at the highest rate levied by any country on such petroleum. Further than this the department never took any action what ever on the subject of petroleum.
 Upon this statement of facts the off, cials are at a great loss to understand how Russia can feel agrieved at the gov ernments action, and inaugurate sys- tenn of discriminating duties against pro- ducts of the United States in conse- quence. It is hoped that Secretary Hay will be able to present the facts so that Russia will rescind her action and will show that she is not seeking to be unjust to this country in tariff matters