St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-11
Minnesota Business Men Want
to Market Their Wares in
Canuckia.
State Oil Inspector Nichols
Comes Forward With an
Ambiguous Report.
He Says Nothing About Fees
Collected by Him or His
Deputies.

CildlilOtI vi CUiHllltICe 1T ~ " CiOCh yCs-
terday morning. Vice President D. r.
Noyes in brief speech welcomed the
visitors, and Senator Hoar replied. The
jovi al-looking old senator stood behind
the table on the platform, with Senators
Allison and Dolph to his right, and
Senators Hale and Pugh to his left. He
stated that the object of their visit was
business. After the Intellectual attempt
to conclude a satisfactory treaty with
England this country had found itself
confronted by many serious questions,
not only that of the Eastern fisheries,
but those of the Understanding rela-
tons between the two countries. The
Dominion of Canada is rapidly grow
ing territory with which the United
States cannot avoid the most init
mate relations. Speaking for himself
he needed light on the subject and the
object of this trip was to obtain the
opinions of representative business men
all over the country. st. Paul and Min
neapolis could materially aid them in
their search for information. The COM
mittee would be glad to hear any in
formation the members Of the chamber
could give on commercial and tranSpOr-
tation relations. The question of annex
alton was outside of their province. That
was a purely Canadian question. The
United States does not force alliances
or make conquests, so that the question
of political union is one to be decided
by Canada itself. While the railroad
question would naturally present itself.
so far as commercial relations were con-
cerned, the committee had nothing to do
with it as railroad question, this part
of the subject being investigated by the
interstate commerce committee. But so
far as transportation OF merchandise
from and to the East was concerned, the
committee could accept testimony. W.
B. Dean was then put on oath and teStl-
fed at some length. The substance of
his testimony was as follows:
St. Paul had had a large business with the
Northwestern British provinces prior to the
repeal of the reciprocity treaty in 1860 and
the establishment of the Canadian tariff in
1876. The population was then rapidly on
the increase through immigration. Prior to
1876 St. Paul merchants had done a large
business with Canada, and the traffic on the
Red river was as large as on any other river
in the country. This had led TO the building
of several railroads. The question of closer
relations seemed to him superfluous. 1t
seemed hard to st. Paul merchants to have
their trade cut off by an impenetrable barrier
to the north. He considered that unre-
zesd yssbpr0cy co %ns "h s6 r %as
in agricultural, mineral and lumber
resources as Canada The Northwest Of
Canada needed closer commercial relations
with this country, being nearer to it than to
the eastern part OF Canada. He did not
think reciprocity necessarily meant annex
alton, which he regarded as a very distant
affair. st Paul would be greatly benefited
by closer relations The balance of his re-
marks contained statistics of the growth Of
the West and of shipments in bond through
Canadian territory.
E. " Smalley considered the tariff an an
noying and detrimental barrier between two
so closely allied countries.
c. E. Marvin thought the duty on butter
should be abolished, which would cause a
tremendous trade between the two countries.
He advocated the same principle in the stock
business.
J. Burwell said the NorthwesternC Canadians
had to pay heavy freight rates on agricultural
implements. which they could buy in st.
Paul if the tariff were removed.
D. r. Noyes was emphatically in favor OF
unrestricted reciprocity.
At 1915 the commission adjourned
and was entertained at lunch at the
Minnesota club. At 2 p. m. it met again,
Senator Hale being absent.
j. NJ Egan was asked about the Manitoba
ailway system, which he explained.
Senator Pugh asked what effect restric-
ton against American products would have
on the Manitoba road?
Mr.. Egan thought there was not enough
freight carried to make much difference.
Senator Dolph asked what the traffic con-
sisted of over the Manitoba!
Mr.. Egan replied, of articles made in the
United States that mustb had in Canada.
He said he thought there was little or no
wheat shipped In reply to a question about
the 500 road, he thought that most of that
roads traffic was in bonded goods. The peo-
pie of Northwestern Canada were in favor of
the national policy, and only among few
was there any sentiment in favor of annexa-
ton,
Capt. ", r. Bowen, a lumber manufact-
urer, said he represented several lumber COM
panies which cut about &C. 100000 feet
year He was not in favor OF free lumber 'a;
lumber they cut, when they cut it. 1t only
cost them on this basis from rs cents to
S1.25 a thousand on pine. They pay no tax,
they only pay for what they cut and are free
nesota the lumber had to be bought right
out. Their labor was much cheaper, as
many lumbermen come from the eastern
provinces of Canada to work for from So to
S26 month. who say they had worked for
from S13 to SIG the previous year. The ma
jority of the lumbermen here were Scandi-
navianS, men who lived in the state.
Senator Allison asked about the SIZE of logs,
and elected the information that the average
size was twelve to thirteen inches. The tim
her was being cut out of Wisconsin very rap
idly through the agency Of the railroads. The
mills could each cut over section a year.
Senator Pugh asked how, if all the lumber
were exhausted and you had to go out Of bus
mess, would it do to take the duty off lumber3
A good deal of amusement was caused at the
question. The senator put Capt Bowen
through a cross-examination, the result Of
which was large quantity of valuable in
formation on the lumber business.
Charming Seabury explained the effect of
summer, he said, the lakes regulated traffic
rates, but during the winter the rates went
up very high. The 500 road is distinctly
Minnesota concern, and it is regarded as our
own. Minnesotans look with anxiety at any
restrictive legislation against the Canadian
Pacific railroad. The 500 Is maintaining q
very independent position and acts as a reg
ulator of rates.
Senator Hoar asked if he thought five trans
continental roads would carry freight
cheaper than one or two. Mr.. Seabury
thought they would, and that no combina-
ton could be formed to keep rates up. The
500 road had refused to become party to
the raising of rates during the past few
weeks. He did not think the Canadian Pa
cifc would make rates on wheat. Senator
Hoar asked if he thought combination of
seven roads would make a lower rate than
combination of six. Mr.. Seabury thought
they would, and that eventually these seven
roads would combine. The rates, he thought
were not based upon capital stock, but what
could be got out Of the public, and would in
crease in direct ratio as the number of roads
decreased.
Gen. E. F. Drake said if he were mer-
chant he would favor union with Canada; if
he were farmer he might have different
view; il he were statesman he might hold
an entirely different view. He saw no reason
why Minnesota should not have large man.
ufacturing industry. He thought the Can
adian provinces had little or nothing to give
us in return for what we could give them
We had vast unoccupied territory, and the
idea seems to be to fill it up as fast as pos
sible. Commercial union would increase the
desirability of Canada as a place to live;
while he thought there was plenty of