The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-19
.CYCLES AND RESINS Hit
The Tariff Rates Are Advanced Thirty
Per Cent.
GAGE PROTESTS AGAINST THE ADVANCE
II is Said at The Treasury Department That
Russia imposes Duty on Our Petro-
lsum and the DINGHY Tariff
Obliges us to Tax Theirs
(By the Associated Press.)


Washington, June 1S.-The Russian
Ambassador, Count Cassini, has commu-
nicated to the State Department that
in consequence of the action of the
American Government through a treas
ury order of March 9th, last applying
tariff restrictions against Russian pc
troleum, imported into this country, the
Russian Minister of Finances, M. De
Witte, has issued an order dated June
7th instant, imposing the high tariff
rate of the Russian schedule on GER
tain American products.
The text of the Russian Ambassador s
letter as delivered to the Treasury De-
partment is as follows:
Washington, May 26, 1901.
Secretary of State,
THE Federal Government having by
circular dated March 9th, 1901, applied
article 626 of the American tariff to
Russians petroleum, the Imperial Gev-
ernment has just informed me that the
Minister of Finance of Russia has
taken the requisite steps for the appli-
cation of the advanced rates of duty to
the following American products en-
tered into Russia:
''1-White rosin or colophon, galipot,
brewers pitch, Article 81, and (2)-bicy-
cles-Article 173, paragraph 8.
This measure will go into effect two
weeks from the date of it's promulga-
ton
The present duty on articles under
the first head of the rosin family is 30.S
cents per pood, or 36,116 pounds. Bicy-
cles are now taxable at the rate of
1926 each. The imposition of the max
imum rate will advance these figures
by just 80 per cent, presuming that the
effect of the Russian decree is an ap-
plication of article 62S of the Russian
custom house regulations which was
the paragraph applied by the Russian
Government to American agricultural
machinery and hardware in return for
the requisition for the differential sugar
duties upon Russian sugar
At the Treasury Department it is
stated that the imposition of a duty on
petroleum was not matter within the
discretion of the Secretary Of the
ilCdodiy Cob was AiiStilQdIOIy Oy
the Dingley Tariff Act, which directs
the Secretary, in case any foreign
country imposes a duty on petroleum
imported from the United States to
levy a like duty on petroleum imported
from that country. As Russia collects
a duty on petroleum imported from the
United States this Government in COM
pliance with law imposes a duty on
Russian petroleum. In no sense, it is
stated, can this duty be regarded as an
unjust discrimination against Russian
petroleum, as that country took the in
itiative against the American article.
Had Russia not taken this step her
petroleum would have been admitted to
this country free of any duty under the
terms of the tariff act.
In his reply to Count Casini's note
which was transmitted to the Treas
ury Department, Secretary Gage pro-
tests against the implied contention
that the Government action was a
discrimination against Russia and
adds:
II beg leave to submit for your con-
sideration the question whether the
measure now adopted by the Imperial
Government is not incompatible with
the rights of the United States under
the existing treaty of commerce and
navigation with Russia.
According to the Russian view, the
duty laid down against Russian petro-
leum is ineXplicable, from the fact that
no Russian petroleum comes to this
country. The only article of the kind
received here is said to be that mixed
with Belgian paraffin. 1t is said that
the American trade in bicycles and the
resins specified is quite large in Rus
sia, so that the increased duties will
bear heavily upon those branches of the
American trade. AS a result represen-
tations are being made in behalf of
these manufacturers, to induce the
State Department to intercede with
Russia for an abatement of the high
rates. 4saag.