Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-09-05
THE WILSON BOGUS RETALIAToRY

BILL.
Philadelphia Daily News.
If the Hon. Thomas Wilson, Demo.
cratic member of Congress from the First
district of Minnesota, does not receive
medal for his watchfulness of Canadian
interests, it will be because Victoria has
not enough to 20 around.
As pointed out in the News yesterday.
Mr.. Wilson has introduced into the House
so called retaliatory bill. which, if
passed, would prevent the President from
suspending the transit in bond of Cana
dian goods through this country for ex.
portalion, although they might persist in
refusing our fishermen the privilege of
transit in bond through Canada. r.#s.
The News also pointed out that the bill
did not pretend to prevent Canadian rail-
roads from taking part in the internal
commerce of the United States. These
however, are not the worst features of
the bill. There is still another.
The retaliatory act of 1887. which was
drafted by Mr.. Bayard and passed by the
House of Representatives unanimously;
and by the Senate with only one dissent
ing vote, provided that:
Whenever any vessels of the United States,
their masters or crews are unjustly vexed or
harassed in any ports or places of the British
Dominions of North America, it shall he the
duty of the President of the United States to
deny the vessels, their masters and crews of
the British Dominions entrance into the
waters, forts or places Of the United States
and also to deny entry into the United Sta tes
of fresh fish or salt fish, or any other product
of the said Dominions or other goods coming
from said Dominions to the United States.
1t was confidently predicted when this
act was passed that President Cleveland
would never enforce it. Since his appar
ent somersault the same prediction has
been made, although the manner in which
he could avoid doing 80 was not discern
able.
Mr.. Wilson's bill furnishes the manner
and the means by empowering the Presi-
dent to suspend the transportation across
this country of goods, wares and merch-
andise. imported or exported, to or from
any foreign country, except Canada"
The practical effect of the Wilson bill
would be to direct an enormous amount
of traffic from American railroads to the
Canadian Pacific Railroad: to perpetuate
Canadian monopoly of the South Amer
can and West Indian fish trade by allow
ing millions of pounds of Canadian fish
to be transported through the United
States free of duty for export from New
York and Boston; to arouse antagonizm
between the American railroads and the
American Fishery Union; to nullify the
retaliatory act of 1887. Well might the
poor fishermen say to Mr.. Wilson, tWhy,
this is reward to, not retaliation against,
Canada"
That is just what Mr.. Wilson wants.
Mr.. Wilson knows nothing about the
fisheries question, and apparently cares
little about the grievances of American
fishermen; but he is largely interested in
the $500" branch OF the Canadian Pacific
railroad and is taking advantage of popu-
lar indignation to draw grist to his own
mill. President Cleveland's antl-Ameri-
can spirit is once more exemplified in &C.
cepting such a bill from such quarter.
If he were really DESTROYS of protecting
American fishermen and doubted the ma
ture of the powers conferred by the act
of 1887, he would have asked the advice
of Hon. Patrick A. Collins or some other
Eastern Congressman familiar with the
subject and not gone for counsel to a
friend of the Canadian Pacific Railroad.