The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-08-25

| WdItS UT mefCHaNulst may De cOuFtytu III nhuril
without payment Of duties from the United States
hrongh the said possessions 10 other places in the
United states or for export from ports In the salu
| possessions
In 1886 notice was received by the repre-
sentatives OF our government that our fisher
men would no longer be allowed to ship their
fish in bond and free of duty through Cana
dian territory to this country, and ever since
that time such shipment has been denied.
The privilege of such shipment, which had
been extended to our fishermen under the
treaty provisions above recited was a most
important one, allowing them to spend the
time upon the fishing grounds which would
| otherwise be devoted to voyage home, with
their catch, and doubling their opportunities
for proftably prosecuting their vocation.
In forbidding the transit Of the catch Of our
fishermen over their territory in bond and free
Of duty, the Canadian authorities deprived us
Of the only facility dependent upon this con-
cession, and for which we could supply no
substitute.
The value to the Dominion of Canada of the
privilege Of transit for their exports and i'm
ports across our territory, and to and from our
ports, though great in every respect will be
better appreciated when it is remembered that,
for considerable portion Of each year, the ST.
Lawrence river, which constitutes the direct
avenue Of foreign commerce leading to Canada,
is closed by ice.
During the last six years the imports and
exports Of British Canadian provinces carried
across our territory under the privileges granted
by our laws amounted in value to about
| S27O,0OO,O00, nearly all Of which were goods
| dutiable under our tariff laws, by far the
larger part Of this traffic consisting of ex-
changes of goods between Great Britain and
her American provinces brought to and carried
from our ports in their own vessels
Ine treaty stipulation entered into by our
1 government was in harmony with laws which
were then on our statute book, and are still in
| force.
recommend immediate legislative action
| comforting upon the executive the power to
| suspend by proclamation the operation Of all
laws and regulations permitting the transit of
| goods, wares and merchandise in bond across
or over the territory of the United States to or
from Canada. There need be no hesitation in
suspending these laws arising from the suppo-
sition that their continuation is secured by
treaty obligations, for it seems quite plain that
article 20 of the treary Of 1871, which was the
only article incorporating such laws, termi-
mated the first day of July, 1885.
But statutes granting to the people Of Canada
the valuable privileges Of transit for their
goods from our ports and over our soil, which
had been passed prior to the making of the
treaty of 1871, and Independently Of it, re-
mained in force; and ever since the abrogaticn
OF the treaty, and notwithstanding the refusal
OF Canada to permit our fishermen to send
their fish 10 their home market through her
territory in bond the people of that Dominion
have enjoyed without diminution the ad-
vantages of our liberal and generous laws.
without basing our complaint upon viola
ton Of treaty obligations, it is nevertheless
true that such refusal of transit and the other
injurious acts which have been received con-
stitute provoking insstence upon rights
neither mitigated by the amenities Of national
intercourse nor modified by the recognition of
our hoerality and generous considerations.
Ihe history Of events connected with this
subject makes il manifest that the Canadian
government can, if so disposed, administer its
laws and protect the interests Of its people
without manifestation Of unfriendliness, and
without the unneighborly treatment of our
fishing vessels Of which we have justly com
planned; and whatever is done on our part
should be done in the hope that the disposi-
ton of the Canadian government may remove
the occasion of resort to the additional
executive power now sought through legisla-
tive action.
l am satisfied, that, upon the principles
which should govern retaliation our intercourse
and relations with the Dominion Of Can ada
ton than is suggested by the conditions herein
presented; and that it could not be more eff
fectively inaugurated than under the power Of
suspension recommended.
desire, also, to call the attention OF the
congress to another subject Involving such
wrongs and unfair treatment to our citizens as,
IN my opinion, require prompt &C ton.
The navigation Of the great laltes, and the
immense business and carrying tande growing
out OF the same, have been treat. I'd broadly
and literally by the United States z overnment
and made free to all mankind, while Canadian
railroads and navigation companies share in
our country's transportation upon serms as
favorable as are accorded to our own citizens.
Ihe canals and other public works built and
maintained by the government along be line
OF the lakes are made free to all.
In contrast to this condition, and evincang a
narrow and ungenerous commercial spirit,
every lock and canal which is public wor k Of
the Dominion Of Canada is subject TO tolls and
charges.
By article 81 of the treaty of 1871 pro, is
ION was made to secure to the citizens Of the
United States the use .of the Welland, St.
Lawrence and other canals in the Dominion OF
Canada. on terms Of equality with the inhab.i-
tants OF the Dominion, and to also secure o
the subjects of Great Britain the use of III e
81. Clair flats canal on terms of equality with
the inhabitants of the United States.
The equality with the inhabitants OF the
Dominion which were promised in the
use Of the canals Of Canada did not secure
to us freedom from tolls in their navigation.
but we had right to expect that we, being
Americans and interested in American COM
merce, would be no more burdened in regard
to the same than Canadians engaged in their
own trade; and the whsle spirit Of the conces-
sion made was, or should have been, that mer-
ehandise and property transported to
American market through these canals should
not be enhanced in its cost by tolls many times
higher than such as wtre carried to an adjoin-
ng Canadian market. All our citizens, pro-
ducers and consumer as well as vessel owners,
were TO enjoy the eq nality promised.
And yet evidence has for some time been
before the Congress, furnished by the secre-
tary OF the treasury showing that while the
tolls charged in the first instance are the
same to all, such vessels and cargoes as are
destined to certain Canadian ports are allowed
. refund of nearly the entire tolls while those
bound for American ports are not allowed any
such advantage.
To promise equality. and then in practice
make II conditional upon our vessels doing
Canadian buiness instead Of their own, is TO
Iulhl promise with the shadow Of pew
iormance.
AteVOuAmenu tnht sucn Legislative action be y
.aken as will give Canadian vessels navigating |
our CANALS, and their cargoes. precisely the
advantages granted to our vessels and cargoes
ipon Canadian canals, and that the same be
measured by exactly the same rule of dis
,rimination.
The course which have outlined, and the
made, relate to the honor
md dignity of our country, and the protection
md preservation of the rights and interests
u all our people. A government does but
lalf its duty when it protects its citizens at
home, and permits them to be imposed upon
md humiliated by the unfair and over reach
ng disposition Of other nations. If we invite
,ur people to rely upon arrangements made
or their benefit abroad, we should see to it
nat they are not deceived; and If we are gen.
'rous and liberal to a neighboring country,
'ur people should reap the advantage of it by /
return of hberality and generosity.
These are subjects which partisanship should
lot disturb or confuse. Let us survey the
round calmly and moderately. and, having put
side other means Of settlement, ii we enter
lpon the policy Of retaliation, let us pursue it
irmly with a determination only to subserye
ne ! interests of our people and maintain the