The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-13

Secretary Gage ana Russia.

We Elay safely assume that like other
men. the Hon. Lyman j. Gage. IS a .crea-
lure OF circumstance. and that. unlike Ma
poIeon. he Is unable to Manufacture them
in advance. and in lots to suit. We're IL
Otherwise. it is hardly suPposable that he
would choose 10 have his deal With the
Standard OIL bank reviewed and ventilated
IN The House Of Representatives syncho-
nousIy with his startling declaration Of
economic war on Russia. under orders
from the Sugar Trust Neither OF these
actions IS calculated TO rebound 10 his
eternal comfort. whatever may be said
concerning his credit-which is understood
10 be good at several financial institu-
tons.
It IS in our heart TO be sorry. some-
times for Mr.. Gage On more than enc
occasion he has seemed to be fortunes
fool from the ground up His violent in
lection into public life nearly paraIyzed
him with establishment. from which he has
never recovered. As a singIe-taxer and 4
citizen with almost uItra-socialistic lean
Ings. he little thought that he would he
called upon by the patriarchate Of dIshon-
EST monopoly to sit AZ the receipt Of Gus
en- springs IN The chair. to further The in
terests Of those trusts which. cnce dreaded
and hated he soon learned to FIRST en-
duTe then pity. then embrace"
Mr.. Cages paraIytic surprise may rave
eliminated the element OF free moral
agency from his mental organization. and
rendered him an easy prey to the hyDp5tic
genius OF the Morgans- Stilmans, Rookie
felIers. and Hayemeyers. The last named
seem 10 be his present control; but ali are
rum0red 10 have taken a turn 4 tie
wheel TO a greater or less extent One
instance OF a really pathetic nature can be
recalled, in which Mr.. Cages official re-
spousiDility for a peculiar and indicate
act was IN inverse ratio TO his personal
connection with II. We refer to the time
when the Administration clique in Wall
Street had tied up all the available money
in New York and wanted the funds OF the
Government to ease the market One
noon The Secretary Of the Treasury de-
clared that he would not furnish the cash
Three hours later an edict went forth
placing the public funds at the disposal OF
the combination Before this change OF
purpose became known, the -'Administra-
ton clique" above referred to. was able
20 manipulate the ticker. with a resultant
profit of several million dollars. # Mr..
Gage had not been hypnotized he would
have resigned. This IS only one of a Sc
ries OF incidents which might be cited %
shov that the man We see at the head Of
The Treasury is not The great and ultra
good man ne might be, we're he master Of
his own impulses and performances.
What interests the American people
most in him at this jurcjure. Is his sud
den determination 10 jeCpardize general
commerce between this country and Rus
sia. by imposing q eounteryaiiing- is.
a pTOhi6itiTe-t2rIn on Russian sugar cf
one and one-fourth cents q pound The
action may benefit the Sugar Trust 10 the
extent OF approximately three hundred and
fifty or sixty thousand dollars year. and
Challenge Russia to the Ievying OF retaIia-
Tory duties which may cost American deal
ers in things ether than sugar. ten OF a
dozen millions per annun-
This IS an act Of economic var. commit
ted By one executive department upon
Stale with which a sister executive de-
part1aCnt is at peace and IN alliance. When
We consider the entente between Hr. Hay
aed The 81. Petersburg Foreign Office the
Rus=o-AInerican Chinese cut and scutrIa
convention. and various othe- matters OF
ccguaJe character il IS difficult 10 solve
the mystery Of the policy adopted by the
Treasury Can ii be that the Steel Flour.
and other trusts which sell enormous
quantities Of their wares to Russia. own
the state Department, while The Sugar
Trust controls Nj Gage? The question is
serious and imminent one complicated
with diplomacy, finance. and what IS com
molly called pull" and an early answer
would oblige.