M. de Witte, the Russian Minister of Finance, and perhaps
the most powerful person in the Empire, has just stated, through his organ, the Financial Messenger, the plan by which he would meet any attempt by Trusts to sell goods in Russia at a price less than their cost of manufacture. He would "subject such goods to differential duties correspond- ing to the difference between the prices at which they are sold in Russia and the prices in the country where they are manu- factured." In other words, he would artificially raise prices to the foreign level, thus securing the Russian market to home monopolists. That is the idea which, as we pointed , out last week, dominates the Continent, and it is simply Pro- tection in its most formidable shape. The consumer is taxed that the manufacturer may grow rich. Yet the same men will urge that their only thoughts are for the benefit of the majority.
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