The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-26
SUMTER. S. c.. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 60 1901
BUHCOED sECRET ETARY GAGE.
How Germany Made Tool of
American Official.

Washington, June 20.-From latest
advices. it seems that Germany play
ed Secretary Gage for a sucker and
caught him both coming and going,
when it induced him to impose a
countervailing duty on Russian sugar
on 1.-THE ground that Russia paid a
bounty on exported sugar. It not only
gained an advantage for its own ex-
ports Of beet sugar to the United
States, but it drove Russia to take
retaliatory measures that gave the
Russian markets for most American
products over into its own hands.
The German Ambassador may we'll
congratulate himself on his work.
4 recent interview with M. De-
Witte, Russian Minister of Finance,
which has been widely published, calls
attention to the recklessness of the
Secretary in forcing this issue. He
exposes the fallacy of the Secretary's
reasoning very cleverly, pointing out
that if Russia pays bounty when
she refunds, on exported sugar. the
internal taxes collected on it, the Uni
ted States is the greatest bounty pay
ing nation in the world, refunding
millions annually on whiskey alone.
He also deals with the assertion that
Russia must pay a bounty because
her sugar is sold abroad for less than it
is at home by pointing out that trusts
in the United States also sell their
goods abroad for less than they do at
home. Manufacturers, he said,
call understand they have to sell
cheaper abroad, because they not only
have the competition of their fellow
countrymen, but that of the produc-
ers of other countries, as we'll as the
producers Of the countries to which
they export. Unless they come down
to the very lowest price they would
not stand chance of doing busi-
ness.
Secsetary Gage has little to say in
rebuttal of NJ. De Wits arguments,
contending in a confused manner that
Russia mast pay bounty because
certificates that sugar has been ex-
ported, are worth "a of a cent a
pound. This - he says, latter care
full investigation, was construed to
show a bounty, it being concluded
that the evidence was at least strong
enough to warrant action which would
bring the question before the tribu-
nal constituted by law to determine
such questions. That tribunal. the
Board of General Appraisers has de-
cided by vote of 2 to l that the
Russian treatment of sugar exports
does constitute a bounty within the
meaning of the law. The case will be
appealed to the courts, and in due
time final decision will be made that
will be binding upon the Treasury De-
partment. In the meantime the decis-
ion of the Board of General Apprais-
ers is binding upon the Government
until it is overturned oy the courts. -
By that time, however, Germany will
have our trade beyond redress.
The Secretary also declares that
American exports affected by Russian
retaliation, amount to less than
million annually. This last, it is said,
is certainly unworthy OF man in so
high position. 1t is known. of course,
that direct exports from the United
States to Russia in goods covered by
the retalitory laws amount to little.
But nine-tenths of our exports to
Russia go first to Great Britain,
whence they are shipped to Russia.
There being no British tariff against
such goods, it has been found easier
to distribute them to many European,
countries from London than from New
York. When these goods reach Rus
sia, however. the country of origin
is ascertained and duties levied ac-
cordinglv. That this is true is shown
by the Russian tables, which show
millions more of imports brought from
the United States than the United
of 70