Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-10
AN EASTERN PROTEST.


The business men OF the east are
manifesting an even stronger interest
than those Of the west in the question
OF curtailing, or shutting OF altogether,
the competition OF Canadian with
American railroads. This subject Is
now being Investigated by a senate com
mittee, OF which Senator Cullom is
chairman, and the expressions OF opin-
ION by the mercantile communities are
therefore timely. One of these has re-
Gently come from the board OF trade Of
Portland, Maine, which passed reso-
luton protesting against the enactment
OF any legislation (which will deprive
our citizens OF the facilities for trans
portation Of bread-stuffs and nanufac-
lures now offered by our great com
mercial highways through Canada and
between the Atlantic scaboard and the
west" II also protests against any
amendment OF existing laws for the
purpose OF throwing obstacles in the
way OF such transportation, and against
the withdrawal of the privilege of
carrying merchandise of the United
States in bond through Canada, as now
practiced, and against any action which
will tend to obstruct or destroy compe-
tition in the transportation of
such merchandise, thereby build
ing up monopolies to the
detriment of the cities and commercial
interests now receiving the benefits of
free and unobstructed transportation to
and from the west over Canadian rail
roads.
1t is not at all questionable that this
view will be very generally acquiesced
in by the producers and shippers OF the
west, and that they will join hands with
the mercantile and anufacturing in
terests OF the east in resisting any at
tempt by legislation or govern mental
action to do away with Canadian rail
road competition. There is no patriot
| ism in the question. 1t is purely
| practical matter, and as such involves
| an annual saving in the cost of trans
| portation to the people of the east and
| west, amounting to vast sum which
they are not willing to sacrifice in the
| interest of few American roads that
are largely owned by foreign capital.
AS to requiring the foreign corpora
tlons which do business in the United
States to conform to our laws, and sub
nit to the same regulations that are
imposed upon our own roads, such
| policy appears to be very generally re-
| garded as being just and neces-
sary. 1t would obviously be a
great mistake to permit alien
corporations to enter our territory and
| carry on their business free from any of
the restrictive regulations to which
| American railroads must submit, but it
does not appear that the enforcement of
this policy need involve any serious in
| reference with the competition which
is claimed to be so beneficial to the pro-
ducers and consumers of the country.
| So far as the senate committee has
| proceeded with its investigation, it has
| obtained little encouragement for the
plan of cutting Off the Canadian compe-
tition, while the opinions given to the
secretary of the treasury regarding the
dutiable character of Canadian built
cars used in the transportation OF mer-
chandise between points in Canada and
the United States were uniformly in
opposition to tae proposed duty. 1t was
said by the representatives, of American
roads who expressed their views to the
secretary that cars built in Canada
have been admitted free OF duty fol
twenty years, and that any change in
practice would result in great damage
to domestic interests. 1t is quite prob
able that the secretary of the treasury
will obtain other aud different opinions
but it is hardly to be supposed that he
will adopt the policy of subjecting Cana
dian-built cars to duty. The whole
question is of immediate and far-reach
ing Importance, and the conclusions o
the senate committee will be awaited