Saturday, February 16, 1901. Tariff wars.

Russia retaliated on a tariff raise imposed on Russian sugar with a 30% increase on the tariff on American ferric goods.

Hmm. . . seems like I've heard this tune before. . . 

We don't think of Russia as a player in sugar today, in no small part due to the Russian Revolution.  Before that, however, Russia was a major sugar exporter, being a beneficiary of the German process for refining sugar beets.  The U.S. sugar industry is based on the same process.

The U.S. sugar industry was heavily impacted by the Spanish American War, oddly enough, as the U.S. became a major market for Cuban sugar and tobacco.  When Cuba went communist in the 1950s, Russia in turn became the market for both of those things.  Today, Cuba really doesn't have a market for either.  A logical trade policy would open trade back up with Cuba, which is far more likely to liberalize its government than attempting to starve it to death before Marco Rubio convinces Mad King Donny to invade it.

Also in Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Vladimir Lamsdorf presented a revised treaty proposal to China's Ambassador to the Russian Empire, Prince Yang-ju. Under the 12-article treaty, China would retain ownership of Manchuria, but Russian troops would be allowed to occupy the territory to guard the railways there, and China would be forbidden from granting rail or mining privileges to anyone without Russian consent. China wasn't impressed and leaked the details to the Japanese and British.

Most of  Alabama's Legislature arrived in Pensacola, Florida, at the invitation of the West Florida Annexation Association, to discuss the possibility of the annexing western Florida.

Macedonian demonstrators in Sofia demanded independence for Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire.

Today In Wyoming's History: February 16: 1901  Governor Richards signed an act that required county commissions to raise taxes for the purpose of building a residence for the governor.  Attribution:  On This Day.

Wyoming's Sixth State Legislature concluded.

It was a Saturday.

The British journal The Sphere reported on a recent visit by Kaiser Wilhelm II, pictured here wearing a completely absurd helmet, to the UK.

In sharp contrast, The Saturday Evening POst had an illustration of George Washington, no doubt in commemoration of his birthday, on the cover. The attempt at illustrating a bit and bradoon was seriously flawed, however.

I'd be interested in what the article on millionaires not being able to stop making money held.  Millionaires at that time  would be like billionaires now.\

The progressive movement at the time was attempting to rein millionaires in.  The Great Depression, a good thirty years away, would accomplish it. . . for a time.

Last edition:

Friday, February 15, 1901. Right of way.

Labels: 1890s, 1896, 1900s, 1901, British Columbia, Coal, Department of the Interior, Disaster, Music, National Park Service, The Blues, This is why we can't have nice things, William McKinley