New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-28
pAJDryG AMERICAN COMMERCE.

Imperialism, so far as Canada is concerned,
is a political machine on wheels. Inc Con
federation includes series OF thnly popula1ed
Provinces, whose natural markets and COM
mercial interests are centred in the States OF
the American Union adjoining them on the
south. In order to connect the Provinces
artificially with one another, two railways
have been built across the continent, from
Halifax to Vancouver, at an expense TO- the
Dominion Government ranging between
S135, OOO 900 and 81 SIS, 100000 These sub
sides have converted the Dominion into
political railway corporation, conducted in the
interest of the British Empire. AT each
terminus there are TO be subsidized lines oil
steamers connecting Halifax with Liverpool
and Vancouver with China, Japan and Aus
tralia. For the Pacific line an annual mail
subsidy of $780, 900 is to be paid by England
and Canada The subsidized railways and the
subsidized steamers are to serve as connecting
links in the worldwide system of British
possessions and to promote the political objects
of Imperialism; and they are expected to ac-
complish these objects mainly at the expense
of the United States. The Canadian Pacific
has already diverted from American railways
an enormous snare VI tuC tiuoO Va wa
Coast and the Vancouver steamers will COM
pete directly with American steamers IN inc
China trade. At the same tine Great britain
is building and fortifying at Esquimauit' Oh
Vancouver Island, naval station ana rem
devious, which, in the words OF an Enghsh
naval officer. is destined to hold pistol 10
the head of San Francisco"
This is the situation which Mr.. Nimmo de-
scribes with characteristic vigor in the admir-
able letter printed on another page. III Amerl-
cans are ignorant Of what is going on along the
northern border, under the guise of Imperial
ism. the Canadian and English Governments
are not blind to their own interests. Ihose
Governments are bent upon forcing Americans
to pay the running expenses OF these poiltlcal
railways and transportation lines. The welght
of that subsidy of 81 30,O0O,0O0, expended
in the construction of the Canadian racine,
and of that additional annual subsidy OF
$500. 900 paid to the Vancouver steamers
has been thrown against American railways
and American commerce. Trade is to be
diverted on land and sea the American trans
continental railways are to be indiscrimlnatey
Numbered, and British Columbia, with pop
ulation Of 10000, is to become the seaboard
and DOlU OF cHlTy Vi lHO dSihN cN"NN", ''
their population of 100000. This assault
upon American cOmmerce-this aggressive
| campaign of British Imperialism, has been
begun and is continued with the aid and sup
port of the Democratic Administration al
Washington. The Canadian Pacific has been
admitted to all the privileges OF the transit
trade by order of Secretary Fairchild Amer
lean steamship lines have been robbed OF the
beggarly appropriation made for mail service
while the Vancouver line alone has been
Guaranteed subsidy of 100000 annually
from England and Canada. The Admnlstra-
ton will do nothing for American transporta-
ton interests on land or sea. 1t will do any
thing and everything for foreign subsidized
corporations.
MIR. Nimmo's clear presentation OF this sub
iect ought not to be without effect at Wash
ington Legislation in defence Of American
interests imperilled by these grasDing foreign
monopolies is urgently needed. Something
| should be done at once to meet this audacious
attempt on the part Of Canada to divert the
China and Japan trade and the commerce Oh
| the Pacific States. A discriminating duty OF
forty per cent on all imports from foreign
countries by way of the Canadian Paciiic
would serve to protect American commerce
with China and Japan. Internal commerce
would be protected by the levying Of import
duties on goods shipped by the same line
from the Pacific States when re-enterlng
American territory. The Interstate Act and
the Act of July 90, 1866, both require modi-
fcation in view of the predatory warfare upon
American commerce now established by Can
adam corporations. As for Article xxx OF
the Treaty of Washington, it Is openly violated
by the Dominion and should be abrogated
by the United States. These recommends
tions of Mr.. Nimmo require deliberate action
and exhaustive treatment during the present
session of Congress. Nothing can be palmer
than his demonstration of the fact that the
present Administration has extended the priv
ileges of the transit trade far beyond any
possibility of reciprocal commerce.