St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-12
MINNEAPOLIS.
LIKE FREE TRADE.
Minneapolis Men Favor a Re-
stricted Commercial Inter-
course With Canada.

SCrICtcU commercial Inter.
course With Canada.
The committee from the Senate of the
United States and representative bust
ness men of Minneapolis met at the
chamber of commerce yesterday morn
ing to discuss the governments rela-
ton with Canada in this section.
1t was a strange spectacle
to see the way prominent Republi-
cans gave utterance to free trade
views when it came right down to tell
ing the truth, and 1t was equally sur
prising to notice the antagonistic spirit
to such doctrines by the senators. All
but one of the gentlemen who testified
thought unrestricted commercial inter-
to the Northwest. The exception was
G. II. Petit, who favored treating Can
ada as purely foreign power until an
nexatiOn came.
Senator HOar called the meeting to
order shortly after 10 O'Clock. He stated
that the committee was here to inveSti
gate the commercial relations between
the United States and Canada, and that
they were here expecting to secure i'm
pOrtant evidence from so important
city as Minneapolis.
Secretary Sturtevant explained that
the president of the chamber of COIL
merce was in Europe, but previous to
his departure committees from the diff
ferent trade bodies had been appointed
to meet with the senators. C.. A. Pills
bury was the representative of the mill
ing interests, Anthony Kelly, the job
bers' union, and Messrs. Wyman, Bas-
sett and Atwater the board of trade.
Charles A. Pillsbury was first called.
He said frankly: "Any legislation
that congress might originate bettering
the commercial relations between Can
ada and this country would be appre-
ciated by the wheat and milling inter-
years here that we have a surplus of
wheat. and again years where there
are shortages. The fact is that values
are always fixed in Europe. Attempts
to control the price here by cOmbina-
lions and corners have always proved
futile. Now, if the restrictions can be
removed and the duty taken off it
would benefit us greatly. And I will
say, too. that we ship considerable flour
which is consumed in Canada, and if
this duty could be removed by annexa-
ton or any other plan, more of our
-four would be sold there"
Mr.. Pillsbury was closely questioned.
He thought the removal of the tariff
would suit the great majority Of Can
ada's business men. Senator DOlph, of
Oregon, wanted to know If free trade
with Canada without annexation would
not develop a hostile power. Mr.. Pills
bury thought not. Then Senator Pugh,
of Alabama, the only Democratic men,
Der of the committee, came to the lat
ter's rescue with sarcastic questions di-
rected against his colleague. He first
asked Mr.. Pillsbury where most of the
flour manufactured here was shipped.
ITO Great Britain" was the reply.
''Let's see, by the way, this is the
not?"
"Yes.'
swell, now, don't you think we are
aiding political rival too much in thus
supplying them with these exports?"
81 hardly think so. We are getting
more money from them than they are
getting from us"
j. B. Bassett also declared in favor of
unrestricted commercial relations with
Canada. He was willing to go into any
other business if that should knock his
profits in the head.
Mai. G. A. Camp was the second lum-
herman called. He said that the tax
levied upon lumber shipped to Manitoba
precluded the lumbermen shipping
there to any great extent. 1t this was
removed the shipments would I'M
doubtedly increase. The Manitoba peo-
pie now received their lumber over the
Canadian Pacific. Previous to the
establishment of that road consid-
cradle lumber had been shipped
from this section to Manitoba.
Il believe" said he, "the child has
been born; the great wheat raising belt
of the world lies north of the Canadian
grain could be raised in this section,
also. Maj. Camp did not think the re-
moval of the tariff on lumber would
affect the price of lumber in Minnesota
and Wisconsin. This removal would,
however, seriously affect the lumber in
terests on the Pacific coast.
w. j. Dean, a representative OF the
of agricultural imple-
ments, said if the duty was removed
the Western manufacturers would be
greatly benefited in dispOsing of the i'm
plements in British Columbia and Mani
toba, where they cannot be successfully
"When did this trade with Manitoba
fall Off" asked Senator Hale.
''As soon as the high tariff was put
on" said Mr.. Dean.
Senator Hale asked if the business of
the implement dealers had shown any
great falling off since that time. Mr..
Dean replied that twelve years ago
there was but one iobbing implement
dealer in Minneapolis, while now there
were upwards of dozen.
u ri
resented the furniture men. Mr.. Bar
nard declared that the imposition of a
higher tariff in 1877 upon goods shipped
to Manitoba had almost entirely cut off
the trade the Minnesota manufacturers
then enjoyed. He showed the advan-
tages the local manufacturers had over
Canadian roads in distance and IN the
better timber available for the manu-
facture of furniture. Previous to 1877,
one-tourth or one-third of the goods
in Minnesota had been
shipped to Manitoba. The Manitobians
now purchased their goods in Toronto.
j. G. Eliel, the wholesale druggist,
said much the same of his business.
The Manitoba trade was something that
would benefit this section. 1t would
benefit the Manitobans to certain eX-
tent. too. The tariff prevented the in
tercOurse, while Manitoba was naturally
as tributary to Minneapolis as Dakota
and Montana. The removal of this
duty might injure some classes of bust
ness in this section-lumber, perhaps
but the sentiment of this section was in
favor of reciprocal relations.
Secretary Sturtevant, of the chamber
Of commerce, talkad regarding trans
portation facilities between the North
west and Canada. He stated that this
section was much more independent
Of Chicago than heretofore, and this
condition must prevail if the Northwest
is to grow healthy.
Following the remarks of Secretary
C. A. Pillsbury took the |
floor again and said: II want to say
for the benefit of the committee that |
while there has been a difference of
,.e,a;.>=1oal rolo4;a.,,