The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-03-13
InPoaFAEE 10 HARRIS ER&.

Hon. c. r. Zorn and Hon. G.E.Weiss |
members Of Assembly, have sent the /
following report Of the Select Committee |
on No. 260, A., to whom was referred
NC. no 3, a, introduced by Dir.
Weiss. as the result Of their investiga-
ton and consideration;
The memorial setting forth that the !
acts of Congress nos IN force in relation !
to navigation and commerce upon said |
lakes are unnecessary embarrassing and !
restricting such navigation and commerce, I
your committee. upon careful exami- |
nation of the laws in question and eou
sultiDg their experience as to the working
of the same, arrived at the conclusion |
that this allegation is not without foun- !
dalton, and that up to the present time
our lake navigation has not been treated
by Congress with the attention it seems
to deserve.
In the absence of legislation upon the
subject, vessels carrying on the lake com
inerce and navigation were for long
time governed by the same laws, which
were then land are now in force in rela-
ton to vessels carrying on the coastlng
trade on the sea coast, towIt: by the
provisions of an act entitled "an act for
the eurolling and licensing of ships aud
vessels to be employed in the coasting
trade or fisheries. and for regulating tie
same" approved February Is. 1893
For the purpose Of regulating the for
eign and coasting trade on the northern,
northwestern frontiers of the United
States, an act was passed March 2, 1881,
and this act is, III reality. the first law
l. ~ l. ! Il 1t
commerce. But this act was framed in
such indefinite and ambiguous language
that it necessarily would fall short of &c
complishing the purpose for which it was
made.
And, indeed. the records Of the United
States courts FOR the states Of Wisconsin,
Illinois, and Michigan will demonstrate
the inadequacy Of the said act OF 1881.
for they viii show. that legal procC ediugs
were instituted by the customs auth rites
against large number of vessels for no
other purpose than to judicially determine
and settle the meaning and intention Of
the law.
In consequence thereof, and in close
succession. several laws were enacted by
congress for the purpose of regulating
eur lake commerce and navigation. We
refer TO the acts of July IA, 1862, June
II. 1864, June &c. 1864, July rs 1866,
February Is, 1867, and July /, 1870
These acts, however, are obsolete and
without force. except the act Of July /.
1870; therefore your committee will con
fine their inquiries 10 this act and under
take to show by com parison Of the same
with the coastiDg act Of Feb. Is, 1898,
that by virtue of these laws an unjust
discrimination exists between vessels
Carrying On the coastlng trade on the sea
coast and vessels emp!oycd III the same
trade upon the great western lakes.
According to the coasting act of Feb.
Is, 1898, which has been IL force since
its passage. -a.--
VESSELS ON THE SEA COAST
have the privilege of trading between
adjoining districts and states without any
restriction, that is to say, without being
required to clear and enter at any custom
house, II their cargo consists only OF do
mestic goods OF of foreign goods, not ex-
ceeding a certain quantity and given
value; all the master is required to do
Is, to have manifest cf the cargo on
board and TO exhibit the same to any
officer of the custom who may board the
vessel (see section Is Of said act of 1899
while
VESSELS ON OUR WESTERN LAKES
are subject to the restrictions and EN-
barrassments provided by the act of July
|, 1870, which reads as follows:
That the master Of every vessel en-
rolled or licensed to engage in the foreign
and coasting trade on the northern, north
eastern and northwestern frontiers of the
United States, SHALL before the depar-
ture of his vessel from a port i'll one col
lection district, to polt IN another col
lection district, present to the collector
at the port OF departure duplicate mani
tests of his cargo or, if he have no car
go, duplicate maniiests setting forth the
fact, which manifests shall be subscribed
and sworn or affirmed to by the master
before the collector, who shall endorse
thereon his certificate Of clearance, retain
ing one for the files of his Office, the
other he shall deliver for the use of the
master, and In case such vessel shall
touch at any Intermediate ports in the
United States, aud there discharge cargo
taken on board at an American port, or
at such itermediate ports, shall take on
board cargo destined for an American
port, the master of such vessel shall not
be required to report such lading or IN
ladlng at such intermediate ports, but
shall enter the same upon his manifest,
obtained at the original port Of departure
which he shall deliver to the collector OF
tie port at which the unlading of the
cargo is completed, within twenty four
hours after arrival, and shall subscribe
and make oath Tor affirm as 10 the truth
and correctness Of the same. And the
master Of such vessel shall. before de
parting from port in one collection dis
trlct to place IN another collection dis
trict, where there is no custom houSe, lie
his manifest and obtain his clearance In
manner aforesaid aud make oath or
affirmation to the manifest aforesaid,
which manifest and clearance- shall be
delivered to the proper officer Of customs
at the port at which said vessc! next
arrives after leaving the place Of desti
nation specified in said clearance, etc
(Section l of said act
That the master Of any vessel, enroll
ed licensed as afore said, destined witt
cargo from place in the United States,
at which there may be no custom house,
to port where thcre may be a custom
house, shall, within twenty-four hour,
after arrival at the port OF destination,
deliver to the proper officer Of the Gus
ting forth the cargo laden at the place Of
departure, or laden or unladen at any
intermediate port or place. to tho truth
OF which manifest he shall make oath or
affirmation before such officer See
?, ibid.l
From the above it will appear, that
vessels on the sea coast have the privilege
IT trading between district and district
through the entire year without being
required 20 clear aud enter their cargo
ii any custom house Such license is
granted to the coastiug vessels on the
sea coast, where they have every facility
of receiving from foreign vessels duti
able goods and Of landing the same with
ia the United States-and the TACT thai
his license has not been revoked seems
TO Indicate, that the revenue has moi
suffered from It's exercise-Why, then,