The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-07-12
RUSSIA is coNclLlAToRY.

RUSSIA is coNclLIAToRY.
The offer of Russia to vacate the
additional duties imposed upon Amer
lean imports into that country by rea-
son of the imposition of the counter
Wiling duty which the treasury de-
partment has ordered placed upon
Russian sugar may be taken as mean
ing that Russia does not seek a COM
mercial war with this nation. The
proposal, however, comes too late.
The question has passed out of the
hands of the secretary OF the treas
ury and is now before the courts for
adjudication, consequently, no matter
how the secretary might be inclined
to consider the proposition. he would
be powerless to act. Even if the case
had not progressed to the stage it
now occupies, it is still extremely
doubtful whether compliance with the
proposal would follow. The law ap-
parently is plain and for the guidance
of the secretary who, like all other
low the directions contained in any
law that applies to his department
and the duties connected Herewith.
When Secretary Gage issued the
order for the leyying of the counter
vailing duty he did not do so merely
for the purpose of embarrassing the
importers and exporters of Russian
sugar, but because he considered it
his plain duty under the law. He,
probably better than any other per-
son, knew that unpleasant results
were likely to follow enforcement of
the law, but for all that he could not
do otherwise than he did. To remove
all possible doubt as far as lay in his
power he submitted the matter to the
board Of appraisers and that body sus-
tanned him in his view of the law.
Thus reinforced he issued the final
order which has brought about so
many commercial complications with
a power and nation above all other
European powers friendly to this
country. Not satisfied with the
double expression of opinion adverse
to them, the importers have taken
the matter into court and a decision
is now awaited from that body.
Should it be against him and the
board Of appraisers, the secretary will
probably not feel badly, while at the
same time he will have no apologies
or excuses to offer, as he did what he
considered the law required of him.
The Russian proposal, however late
it may be made, is proof of then alb
on the part of the cars gov
eminent of any desire to place OBJ
stacles in the way of unrestricted and
friendly trade with this country. It
must be taken as manifesting a wish
that the two countries continue the
same amicable commercial relations
that have existed in the past. The de-
NAL of Germany that she is a party
to any negotiations now in progress
between European countries to form
a defensive and offensive alliance
against the United States for CONNER
cial purposes, comingat the same time
as the Russian proposal, is also decid-
eddy significant. Germany is frank,
though, in saying that it is a purely
selfish motive that prevents her from
becoming a party to any such combi-
nation. She admits that her trade
relations with this country are too ex-
tensive to permit her to assume an at
titude of hostility toward the United
States. She has learned to realize
her condition Of dependency upon this
country and much as she might like
to heed the demands Of her aggra-
if on American imports she knows
that she would be the one to suffer
the most were she to undertake to
shut out American goods from her
markets, for by doing SO she would
at the same time close the gates
against n of her best customers.
Viewing the situation as it now ap-
pears there does rot seem to be much
danger from the loudly talked Of
European trade combination against
the United States.
The democrats of Ohio may enter