Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-26
TO CARRY EM|GRANTS
Proposed Use of Russian
vIiafe Troopships.
TO START STEAMER LINES
Vessels to Ply Between Libau and
New York.
CONCESSIONS IN THE TARIFF
Fighting Over the japanese War
Linevitch Preparing His Report
-Kuropatkin's Defense.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM Z. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
ST. PETERSBURG. July 10. 1906.
At the close of the war with Japan the
Russian government found itself in posses
sion of fleet of twelve transports which
had formerly been used for passenger and
mail service. 1t included twelve steamers
OF from 5000 to 1000 tons burden each.
Some of them had been engaged in a regu-
lar traffic between Odessa and yladivostok.
Dalny and other Manchurian ports before
the war: four of them composed the much
dreaded volunteer fleet of cruisers pur-
chased by the contributions of merchants
during the war and used by the government
as scouts and commerce destroyers. One
OF them, the Smoensk, committed many
depredations and held UP several merchant
steamers in the Mediterranean and the
Red seas. The other vessels were pur-
chased by the government from German
companies for transporting troops and sup
plies. and were used as tenders to the great
armada that went out to destroy and did
not come back.
Finding no better use for these steam
ers, the government intends to establish
a passenger line between Iibau, port on
the Baltic nearest to st. Petersburg, and
New York. chiefly for the purpose of carry
ing emgrants, and ii Is strongly suspected
that the object is to rid Russia as rapidly
possible of an undesirable class of its
Inhabitants and dump them upon our
shores. The Russians do nothing without
a motive and do not often explain that mo-
tive fairly or frankly. Until now the gov
eminent has been opposed to the emigra-
ton of its subjects and has thrown all
manner of obstacles in their way. People
desiring to leave Russia for better coun-
try have been compelled to sneak across
the border like escaped convicts fugi-
tives from Justice. and when overtaken or
interrupted they have often been punished.
and at last have been detained and sent
back to their homes. Now. for the osten-
sible purpose of finding use for these yes
sells. Russia proposes to go into the emigra-
ton business itself on a large scale. The
inference that l have drawn is perfectly
natural
Shipment of Emigrants.
The celebrated Semolensk is the first boat
to sail. its departure having been made
July 4. 1t is carrying 200 emigrants. and
VIII be followed by other vessels fortnight
ly. The steamers expect to make the trip
to New York In twelve to fifteen days.
This business is being done by the govern
ment itself under the department of COM
merce. which is In charge of the Grand
Duke Alexander Mikhailovich.
The authorities explain that their inten-
lions are not so much to get rid of any of
Heretofore the two great German lines of
steamers from Bremen and Hamburg have
had monopoly. and by some sort of Sc
cret arrangement with the officials of the
government they have been enabled to
sist be emigrants to secure passports
and to leave the country without annoy
aLces or detentions. The influence of the
steamship companies was so great that it's
agents In Russia who sold tickets could
furnish passports for the passengers at the
same time. Any one who Is familiar with
the extensive system of graft here does
not need to have the method explained to
him. Hereafter. however, the government
itself proposes to handle this business and
make profit out of it.
l do not have the figures for last year.
but the emigration of Russians. especially
Jews. to the United States through Ham
burg. Bremen and Lubbock runs as high as
100000 year. During the last twenty
years nearly 1O00.0OO subjects of the car
have crossed the ocean in search of liberty.
Last year 1890 Jews went by the Scandi-
navlan steamers via Finland, notwithstand-
ing the efforts of the authorities to detain
them Now the government has announced
that ii Is willing they should go II they will
go in good order. and the passport regula-
tons have been modified so that any per-
son except those who have not done their
lawful military service can obtain permits
to leave the country by making applications
TO the local magistrates. They are in
structed TO register at the Russian con-
sulate general upon their arrival in New
whereabouts. They also required to
have their passports renewed every five
years Those who do not go through this
formality are likely to have their property
Confiscated. If they leave any In Russia,
and will be arrested and imprisoned should
they return to Russian jurisdictions.
There has been no change, however, In
the policy of the government concerning
naturalization. 1t has never recognized the
right of a subject to transfer his allegiance
to another power. and has held to the the
DRY of Once a Russian always Rus
sian" that has given our diplomatic agents
and Department OF State a great deal OF
trouble When a man of Russian birth re-
turns 10 his native country. even for a
short visit. he is likely TO be treated rather
roughly as many have been. and the right
OF our government to protect them has been
denied
The Hamburg American Steamship Com
pany does not relish the competition of the
Russian government in the emigrant BUSH
ness and proposes to meet Il by establishing
a line of steamers from Libau also: and L
suppose the next thing we will hear OF will
be rate war.
These steamers expect to carry freight
also and ought to do a good business. The
imports OF Russia from the United States
have never been very large and have been
chiefly raw cotton. agricultural machinery.
mining machinery. other articles of iron and
steel and occasionally food stuffs. In 1904
the latest returns available to me here, the
total amounted to nearly $io,00o000.
Concessions In Russian Tariff.
Thanks to Mr.. Meyer. the American am
bassador. our manufacturers are now able
TO compete with those of Germany and
Great Britain in electrical supplies. ma
chinery of all kinds and agricultural i'm
plements. Some years ago. through the
financial attache OF the Russian embassy at
Washington. several OF the most prominent
corporations in the United States were in
duced to establish branch manufactures in
Russia under the patronage OF the govern
Inent, and with large government orders
they were able TO make great deal of
money, but after the wants OF the govern
ment were supplied business began to droop
and German and English competition began
to force down prices and profits. In order to
protect these enterprises. which had been
induced to come here. Count de Witte, then
minister of finance, advanced the tariff du-
ties considerably upon the articles they
manufactured. This turned out to be a
great advantage, but II was only temporary
for Germany, which Is the most important
market for Russian agricultural products.
revised her commercial system and nego-
tiated series OF reciprocity treaties with
Russia and several other nations. In the ex-
change Of concessions the manufacturers OF
the United States were left subject to a
discriminating duty of from 80 to 30 per
cant on all AGRICULTURAL tuapiameutS ma