The Tucson citizen., 1902-08-04
A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT.

Various explanations have been adj
vanced of the action Of the Russian
government in calling an international
antitrust conference and leaving tho
United States out OF the list of invi-
tations. There are only two of those
reasons, however. which seem - To-
oeive any acceptance whatever One
is that Russia : anxious to lead Eu-
Topean trade movement against the
United States The other is that as
the United States is regarded among
the nations a. the one country above
ell others which depends on trust pro
Guction for her staple manufactured
commodities. protecting such trusts
with a practically prohibtiye tarh,
il would be manifestly useless to in
Vte this government 10 participate III
such conference.
No explanation has been offercl y
Russia OF our exclusion. In the Brit
ish pai .,Gmeu' the ether day a govern
r3sGt official gave formal recognition
to the call for the conference, but
nothing appeared which would tend -
explain the deliberate omission Of his
government from the list of the ma
tions invited to take part.
Whether or not we accept the Will
ingness of Russia to take the initiative
iL a movement to protect the trade Of
E1coIe against the invasion of our
merchants and manufacturers, it is not
TO be gansaid that European gov IN
ments generally would be .lad oi an
Opportunity TO express their Views C
our tariff policy. To invite this GOV
eminent to a conference called ayoW-
eGiy To restrain the trusts won ~
Volve the grossest anomaly, even
though ii might bc dictated simply 3y
international courtesy The commoI-
Cial policy to which every nation in
Europe takes exception is apparently
maintained chiefly for the benefit of
and entirely through the influence %
the trusts on our public life. AS long
as our government is committed with
out reserve both in word and acton.
to maintain such policy. it woul be
unreasonable TO expect Russia or ary
other European power concerning
Itself on the subject of the trusts e.
invite rs TO participate.
We are seeking to invade the mar
kets of Europe by selling there produc.
tons of our tariff-protected trusts at
prices ranging from 100 TO 200 pc. cent
less than those which are charged 10
our own citizens, while carefully bar
ring European products from our own
markets by tariffs designed to enaole
as to thus violate with impunity Geo
nomic reason and justice alike.
If Russia has really called this con
ference with view to securing Eu-
repean cooperation against MS, W.
have no reason whatever TO complain.
If, on the other hand. we look for the
true explanation Of Russias action in
the recognized truth that the promo
tion of trust interests lies at the very
basis of our commercial and economic
system. and that it would accordngl5
be unnecessary and improper to in
vite our participation, no American
can take exception to such a view. The
only real occasion of surprise on OFT
part lies in the failure of the European
commercial nations to have taken any
a. uon for their own protection ag4'nss
the purely selfish and unprincipled atti-
tude which we occupy toward their
trade interests long before this time
In any event. it will not be long until
our rulers at Washington will have
brought home to them, in a way which
they can not continue to ignore, the !
vast cost at which they are endeavor-
ing to stifie commercial freedom by
their attitude toward the trusts.
--~Q-