The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-12-19

iSt"S iistts va S'Sil LuIopedi Ia
ton should DC reSpected, but it is
due alike 10 our safety and our in
terests, that the efficient protection
OF our laws should be extended over
our whole territorial! limits, and that
it sh mld be distinctly announced to
the world as our settled policy, that
no European colony or dominion
shall, withon. our consent be plant
ed or established on any part Of The
American continent.
\ question las recently arisen un-
der thc l0th artic Of the SubSisting
treaty between the United States
and Prussia. By this article the
consuls Of the two countries have
the right to sit as arbitrators "il
such differences as may arise be-
/ tween the captains and crews of the
vessels belonging t. the nations
whose interests are committed to
their charge, without the interfe-
renee OF tar local authorities, unless
the conduct OF the crews or of tine
captain should disturb the tranquil.
ty OF the country, or the said con-
suls should require their assistance
to cause their decisions to be carried
into effect or supported.
The PrusSian Consul at New Bed
ford, in June, 1911, applied to Mr..
Justice Story to carry into effect a
decision made by him between the
captain and crew of the PruSsian
snip Borussia; but the request was
refused on the ground that, without
previous legislation by Congress,
the Judiciary did not possess the
power to give effect to this article
Of the treaty.
The Prnssian government, through
their minister here, have complain
ed Of this violation of the treaty, and
have asked the government of the
United States to adopt the necessa-
~ measures TO prevent similar vio-
latlons hereafter. Good faith TO
Prussia, as well as to other nations
with whom We have similar treaty
Stipulations, requires that these
should be faithfully observed. |
have deemed it proper, therefore, to
lay the subject before Congress, and
to recommend such legislation as
may be necessary to give effect to
these treaty obligations.
By virtue Of an arrangement made
between the Spanish government
and that Of the United States, in
December 1881, American vessels,
since the Goth Of April, 1882, have
been admitted to entry in the ports
Of Spain, including those of the Ba-
learlc and Canary Islands, on pay
ment of the same tonnage duty, of
five cents per ton as though they had
been Spanish vessels; and this,
whether our vessels arrive in Spain
directly from the United States, or
indirectly from any other country.
When Congress, by this act of the
18th of July, 1892, gave effect to
this arrangement between the two
governments, they confined the re-
duction Of Tonnage duty merely to
Spanish vessels "coming from port
in Spain" leaving the former dis
eliminating duty to remain against
such vessels coming from a port in
any other country. 1t is maniiestly
unjust that, whilst American vessels,
arriving in the ports of Spain from
other countries, pay no more duty
than Spanish vessels, Spanish ves-
sells arriving in the ports of the Uni
ted States from other countries
should be subjected to heavy dis
eliminating tonnage duties. This is
neither equality nor reciprocity, and
is in violation of the arrangement
concluded IN December, 1871, be-
tween the two countries. The Span
ish government have made repeated
and earnest remonstrances against
this inequality, and the favorable at
tention Of Congress has been seve-
raj times invited to the subject by
my predecessors. recommend, as
an act of justice to Spain, that this
inequality be removed by Congress
and that the discriminating duties
which have been levied under the
act of the 18th of July, 1882 on
Spanish vessels coming to the Uni
ted States from any other foreign
country, be refunded. This recon.
mendation does not embrace Spanish
vessels arriving in the United States
from Cuba and Porto Rico. which
! will still remain subject to the pro-
visions of the act Of June Both, 1884. |
concerning Tonnage duty on such YES
sells.
By the act Of the l4th of July.
1912, coffee was exempted from du- |
ty altogether. This exemption was
universal, without reference to the
country where it was produced or
the national character of the vessel
in uhiob !, ,y,s imnorted a., ,L