New-York tribune., 1902-08-04
RCSST4'S APOLOGIA.

The Russian ANTITRUST note has been much
misunderstood. That is made evident In the
full text OF that document, VI hich, through the
enterprise of our Washington correspondent,
was last Friday made public for the first time
exclusively in the columns OF The Tribune.
The fragmentary hints and snatches OF it
which had hitherto appeared indicated that 1t
was an explicit invitation, almost summons,
Of all important powers save the United States
TO meet at some specified place and time to
devise ways and means for the abolition of
trusts. with especial reference to checking 'the
American peril" 1t was compared in direct
ness and defniteness with the invitation to the
Peace Congress at The Hague, and was re-
garded as a direct declaration Of industrial and
commercial war against the United States. As
a matter Of fact it is now seen to be nothing Of
the sort. What the note says about possible
ANTITRUST conference is a minor and Incl
dental feature of It. Far from asking the pow
ers to form such congress- the note merely
expresses the willingness OF the Russian Gov
ernment, under certain circumstances, to enter
such body. There is no hint that the United
States would be excluded. The note speaks Of
1.-The powers" or ''the other powers" True. it
elsewhere mentions by name the nine which
took part in the recent sugar conference at
Brussels, and ii has been said the note was ad-
dressed to them alone. intimating that no others
were TO be included in the proposed confer
ence. The United States was not one Of the
nine. But then. neither was Russia herself
participant in the Brussels conference; and If
one power outside that body should call another
conference II is difficult TO see on what basis
of logic or courtesy another power outside the
former could be- because Of such absence, ex-
cluded from the latter. AS for the attack be-
ing upon American trusts exclusively or pri-
marily nothing could be further from the truth.
1t is evident from the text Of the note that first
in mind OF all are the European trusts and
cartels
All that. however, is merely by the way The
primary and paramount purport Of the note was
obviously not to call the powers into confer
ence, but to explain and, If possible, vindicate
Russia's attitude and action In the matter OF
export bounties on sugar. In commenting upon
the first news of the note The Tribune dwelt
upon that feature of it As the most important
and significant and our Interpretation of 1t is
now seen TO be amply justified. The bulk OF
the note is detailed and somewhat labored
special argument for Russia's side Of the con-
troversy not only between herself and the
United States, but also between herself and
practically al the other countries Of Europe
which latter. as we have hitherto remarked
agree with the United States In its view Of the
practical effect of the Russian sugar tax and
bounty system. AS such argument there is
in II nothing new. All the facts and details Of
the Russian system have long been well known
to all who have cared TO know them. The es-
sential features of 1t were stated and explained
In these columns a week ago yesterday, and the
text OF the note now verifes the statements we
then made There is IN the note an elaborate
exploitation of other features OF the system.
The changes are persistently rung upon the
Russian Governments intention to promote do
mestic industry. to regulate domestic produc-
ton. to encourage domestic consumption and to
develop the domestic market All these things
may he quite true But they do not alter nor
overshadow the other essential point, which is
of the first Importance to other powers
That is that despite all her protests to the
contrary Russia does practically pay an export
bounty on sugar Let us quote the exact words
of the note: This normal quantity of sugar
pays the usual excise tax OF l ruble 20 CO.
''pecks per pood Sugar that should be brought
ION the home market over and above the deter
mined quantity also pays an additional duty
making total of rubles 80 copecks per pood