The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-10
REPLY RUSSIA
GOVERNMENT OF THE CZAR Is
WILLING TO TAKE OFF RE
TALIATORY DUTIES
UNCLE SAM MUST ACT, TOO
Which Is Entirely Improbable, Con-
siderinE the Provisions of
the DinEIey
Law.
IN HANDS OF THE COURTS

WASHINGTON, July 9.-Anotner i'm
portant exchange has occurred between
the Russian government and the United
States relative to the tariff The Rus
sian minister of finance M de Witte. has
prososed that Russia will Vacate all OF
the additional duties levied on American
goods since the imposition OF tae sugar
dlnerential, If the United States will va
0'te It's action on the sugar differentiaI.
TO this Secretary Gage has replied that
the offer OF the Russian government can
not De accepted, as the question of the
sugar differential is now in the hands Of
the court, thus precluding action by the
executive branch. These EXCHANGES
though made nomnally by the minister
or finance and Secretary Gage, have
gone through the medium of the Russian
foreign office and the state department
The proposition OF the Russian m n
lister of finance was the direct result OF
secretary Hays note of about two weeks
ago. In that note Mr.. Hay pointed out
that the action taken as to petroleum
was not new, nor was it meant TO have
any connection with the previous action
OF the government on sugar. This ap-
pears to have reconcied the Russian Of
hcials in their view that the petroleum
order was only another step In tho
policy previously taken respecting sugar.
Accordingly M. de Whites response was
communicated to Washington Count
Lamsdorf forwarding it to M de VOL
liant, the Russian charge mere. Ii is not
long, but is quite to the point If' makes
no further issue as to the petroleum
order.
QUID PRO QUO WANTED.
The chief attention is given to sugar
and the specific offer is made to vacate
Immediately the increased duties whica
Russia has levied If the United States
Will vacate its action on sugar. This
would amount to re-establishing the
status quo which existed before the
United States took it's initial action reIa-
tive to Russia.
The Russian proposition was duly COM
municated to Secretary Gage. who has
responded promptly that as the sugar
question Is now before the courts, it is
not possible for him to avail himself OF
the RUSSIAN suggestions. Thus the mat
ter stands
The reductions which would have re-
suited under M. de Wittcs tender are
those affecting cast iron wares, manu-
Iactures OF iron and steel; boiler work
tools for artists, factories and work.
shops, gas and water meters motors
and dynamos, sewing machines, portable
engines, not including threshing ma
cnines; fire engines and other machinery
or iron and steel; also white resin. gani-
pot, brewers pitch and bicycles. The
Increased duties on iron and steel goods
followed after the imposition of the
sugar differential, while those on BIZ
cycles and resin followed the increase on
petroleum M. de Wltte's propose was
to take off all of the Increased duties In
the course OF his letter 1t Is stated tnat
the second retaliatory move on bicycles
and resin was not due to the American
action on petroleum, although It had so
appeared in the original note but that
1t related back to the American action
on sugar.
This is thought to be the result OF
Secretary Cages rtply to Russia TO the
erect that it's action in increasing the
duty on American bicycles and resin
was violation of our treaty with that
country