The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-02-21
TO BAR RUSSIAN IMPORTS.
Representative Hopkins Fayors a
Prohibitive Duty.

Prohibitive Duty.
TALK OF COMMERCIAL WAR.
Mr. Hopkins Says That to Submit to the
Action of Russia Would Be to Admit
That Country Has the Right to Die
tate to Us.
Washington. D. c., Feb. 19.-Discus-
sions Of the prospects OF a commercial
war with Russia by those in official.
life seem to indicate that the United
States cannot permit to pass u~nnoticed
the action Of the cars government in
imposing a discriminating and prac-
tically prohibitive duty on American
Imports into Russia. A general belief
exists that nothing is left the United
States but to meet the arbitrary action
Of Russia by placing such a high duty
on Russian imports as to bar them
out Of this country.
President Mckinley already has au-
thority to do this. but some members
OF congress are, in favor of legislation
which will give the presiden. more au-
thority in the premises.
Representative Hopkins Of Illinois
Is one of these. He said:
The president has authority to act,
but l am in favor of extending it, We
should have maximum and minimum
tariff duties. and in the event Of any
government discriminating against our
export trade we should retaliate in
such a forcible manner as to- make it
unwilling to make a second attempt
OF this kind. We cannot submit to
the action of Russia. To do so would
be to admit that that country has the
right to exercise supervisory powers
over the domestic affairs of this coun-
try. 1t is a we'll recognized right Of
all governments to impose an addf-
tional duty on imports coming into it's
Jurisdiction when an export duty is
paid by the government within whose
territory the goods were crown or
manufactured. Duties of this kind ap-
ply to all nations alike. and are not
a discrimination against n govern
ment. Secretary Gage has held prop
erly that the preference given, sugar
by the Russian government amounts
to an export bounty, and the extra
duty levied is in no way a discrimina-
ton. But Russia has Disseminated
arbitrarily against American imports.
therefore there is nothing left but to
yetaliate. 1t is true we have more to
lose than Russia, as our exports to
Russia are larger than the
from Russia to the United States. But
enc Russians need our agricultural i'm
PIGMENTS worse than we need the char
acter OF goods coming from Russia,
n believe the people of that coun-
try will demand that the discrimina-
ton against our goods be abolished
War Tax Cut Unlikely.
Prospects of the repeal Of some Of
the war taxes are diminishing and the
war revenue bill now in conference
VIII fall to become a law at this ses-
sion, II the Judgment Of several mem
bers OF the Ways and Means commit
tee is correct. There is no disposition
on the part OF the senate or house con-
forces to yield anything to each other.
n both sides to the controversy are
stubbornly ~contending for their re.
spective propositions.
More or less bitterness is manifested
on the part of the opponents. This es.
pecially is true of the house conferees
who r c%ontending for a right given
to the house by the constitution-that
is, the right to originate revenue meas.
ures. The house Ways and Means com
mlttee drafted a bill repeating some
OF the wal revenue taxes. This was;
adopted by the house, and when the
Dill reached the senate that BODY
struck out all after the enactine cla,,se
and substituted an entirely new meas.
ure. This angered the house, and
open, threats to refuse to accept the.
senate bill were made. After several
meetings of the conference COMMITTEES
appointed to adjust these differences
there are no signs of an agreement.
lnasmuch as the indications point to
an extra session Of congress anyway.
the house conferees are more deter
mined than ever to force the senate
TO yield, contending that the pressure
Tor the enactment Of the revenue re-
peallaw is relieved to some extent, as
with congress in session after March
4 there would be plenty of time to
secure the passage of a bill which
would meet the demands Of the peo-
pie in more respects than does the
present proposed law.