The Portland daily press., 1877-01-15
BOARD OF TRADE.
Reciprocity and Head Money Discussed.

was held Saturday evening to bear The reports
OF the committees upon the subjects of Recipro-
city and Head Money. The President, Geo.
w. Woodman, presided.
L. q. Hersey, Esq chairman of tue commit
tee appointed at the last meeting to prepare
resolutions on the Reciprocity question, pre-
sented the following:
The committee to whom was referred the
matter of reciprocal trade with the Dominion
| OF Canada beg leave to report that the subject
is again before Congress IN the form of a hill
introduced by MIR. Ward of New York. from
the Committee on Commerce, for the appoint
ment by the President of the United States of
| a commission to confer with other commissions
that may be appointed on the part of Great
Britain and the Dominion Government, for the
purpose OF recommending the details of pro-
visions of treaty to be presented TO their re-
| Spective governments; and
| Whereas This Board has so often with unap
| unity recommended the negotiation of a treaty
it would hardly seem necessary to take further
| action.
We only recommend it now on the ground
that silence on our part, when similar organ
| 'zations and the active business men of the
country are generally moving so theoretically
| 10 the matter, might lead to the belief that We
had become indifferent; therefore be it
ReSot0ed, That this Board reaffirm its often
| repeated conviction that liberal and equitable
treaty would be for the mutual benefit of the
people of the United States aud the Dominion
/ of Canada
Resolued, That we heartily approve of the
bull Introduced in the National House Of Repre-
sentatlves by Mr. Ward on the subject, and
would urge its early passage.
Mr.. Hersey supported the resolutions with
few remarks to the point. j. L. Farmer also
4 fha Init
adopted, and the Secretary was requested to
send copy of them to the members of Con-
| gress from this state.
Hon. c. III. Haskell spoke in opposition to
the resolutions and read the following resolu-
lions, which embodies his ideas on the subject:
Whereas, The Portland Board of Trade has at
| every suitable opportunity, emphatically in
dorsed the principle of the freest possible COM
mercial intercourse between the Dominion of
Canada and the United States, consistent with
the absolute requirements of our revenue sys-
TEN; and
Whereas The experience of the last ten
years has served to deepen the conviction in
the minds OF the business men of this country,
that important concessions, in the interchange
OF commodities, might be made by both coun-
tries, which would serve to materially increase
the trade between them, and relieve it from
many vexatious restrictions to which it is now
subjected; and
Whereas, The treaty of 1854 between Great
Britain and the U United States having been abro-
gated by a notice from the United States in
1o65,lt would be courteous and desirable that the
first steps towards devlsing and negotiating a
new treaty should be taken by the United
States. Therefore
Resolced, That this board earnestly, but res
pectfully memorabilia Congress to initiate
such measures as shall secure such motfca-
lions OF the trade regulations, between the Do
mi nion of Canada and the United States, as
would be mutually advantageous, and tend to
facilitate the freest interchange of necessary
commodities between the two countries.
ResotUed, That copy of these resolutions be
transmitted to our Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress.
Mr.. Haskell did not ask for the adoption of
the resolutions, but he simply offered them to
open the subject for discussion
j. l. Farmer, Esq, spoke against the revival
of the head money tax and offered the follow
ing resolutions which were adopted and the
secretary was instructed to send copies to the
Congressman from this state:
That we have examined the bill and proposed
legislation by Congress, imposing national
captation tax of two dollars per head, and
other onerous provisions, and penalties varying
from $75 to $500 upon steamers and vessels
bringing emigrants into the United States
The decision by the Supreme Court of the Unit
ed States of ENTHUSIASTICALLY of the S late
laws, anticipated here, however, by the repeal
OF our old State law, it was hoped would have
grant Commissioners Of New York have revived
it, they being the only applicants for the pass
age of the bill now before Congress- They
practically ask in thus bill for the United States
government to replenish their funds from the
emigation OF the country. They requiring
it to pay them large Salaries and other ex-
penses, 100000 per annum.
This Emigration Commission are alone in the
matter and 1T is in oppositlon to the expressed
opinion thrty-two Boards of Trade. repre-
scented in the National Board of Trade in 1872,
who voted That all capitation taxes collected
from or upon emlgrants, whether imposed di-
rectly or Indirectly, .wth or without color of
law, are odlous and unjust, and ought to be
This, to-day, is the sentiment OF every Board
OF Trade and of the commercial men of the
country, and of the proposed bill has their
united opposition as well as that of all the
steamship companies engaged in the foreign
trade, of which a full expression was gwen at
the hearing before the Committee on Com merce
Dec. 14th 18TH and 10th last, in which the
odlous unjust and uncalled for control OF emil
grafton by United States authorities was made
TO appear to the committee, and the ease and
Responsiveness of the present free policy in
emigration matters outside of New York was
in agreeable contrast to 1T as presented by the
agents of the steamship companies at said
hearing.
1t is said by eminent counsel that the propos.
ed bill violates our treaty provisions with Great
Britain.
1t is well known that large emigration
comes into the country by the railroads across
the frontier. This is untouched and untaxed
by the proposed bill. Why is this omitted?
The railroads do just what the steamers are
doing, Why not put both on an equality?
We favor equality and free policy of manage
steamers, and hope there will be no interior
ence with either by Congress. Therefore,
Resot0ed, That the Portland Board of Trade
are opposed to the enactment by Congress Of
the proposed bill, or any modification of it. by
which the principles of the bill so opposed by
us are retained, as we consider it would be
useless tax upon the foreign commerce of the |
country, uncalled for, unjust, oppressive and
detrimental to the interests of steamers engag. |
ed in foreign trade, and to the general CONNER.
cial interests of the United States.
ReSotUed, That the Portland Board of Trade |
Delleve In the present free mode of conducting
emigration business, without any official in |
reference, but holding the companies to a
strict fnlflment of duty to the emigrant and |
the municipality as now practiced at this port |
And we hereby protest against the pas sage of |
any law by Congress imposing capitati tax |
and other Objectionable teatu res applying to or
changing the present practice at the port of |
Portland.
ResolUed, That il Congress does pass
this law. it should be made to apply to rail- |
roads crossing the frontier, as we'll as to the |
will show to all the folly of any general law of
the kind proposed IN the hill, in relation to |
either inland and ocean emigration |
Resolved That this Board approve and adopt |
the principles and arguments of the report to |
the BOSTON Board of Trade Jan. 5, 1877.
Voted that the Secretary send to each of our |
delegation in the House aud Senate. at Wash |
ington copy of the above, asking them to op-
pose the enactment Of the bill, or any modif-
cation of it embracing capitation tax and
other Objectionable provisions of the original
bill.
At meeting of the Board of Managers held
Saturday morning, the following standing
committees were elected to complete the Or
ganizaton:
Committee of Arbitrdtioa-F. K Swan, I. e.
Twitchel, Russell Lewis, G. j, Chapman,
Charles Mclaughlin.
Committee on Railroads and Steamboats,
Samuel Anderson, j. P. Baxter, j. B. Coye,
Jr, w F Miliken, John Porteous,.
Committee on Merchants EIchdnge-M. N.
Rich, VIM. w. Thomas, VIM. Allen, Jr., II.
E. Furbsb, Charles W. Ford.
Board Of Manufactures-W. S. Dana, j. B.