Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-24
CAPTURING OUR COMMERCE.
Report Of the Senate Committee Inves.
tigating Our Relations With Canada.

Senator Cullom has concluded his report
npon the investigation made by the committee
On interstate commerce into the relations Of
the railroads Of the United States and Canada
and to what extent, if any, the commerce Of
the United States is diverted to Canadian lines,
and also whether there Is any discrimination
IN the charges made for tolls against United
States vessels passing through the Welland and
St Lawrence canals. The report is now under
consideration by the committee, the recon-
mendations proposed by Chairman Cullom
awaiting the approval of his associates.
The report states that the good effects of the
interstate commerce law are to some extent
nullifed by the competition OF the Canadian
lines. Unjust discrimination is made by Canada
against United States vessels in Welland canal
tolls. which the committee claim is in violation
of the treaty OF Washington. The report sets
forth that Canadian railroads control lines
operating in Maine. New Hampshire, Vermont,
New York, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Hi
nois. The report shows that the Dominion of
Canada owns system of canals that has cost
S54. 100000, and the Inter colonial railway
which has cost "a. 000O OO Besides these
Canada has gwen to the Canadian Pacific
which was begun as government line, s215.-
100000, while Its total cost was only $751;
900 600
USDrsGUIsED PURPOSE OF THE CANADIANS.
The Canadian people," the committee
says, anu especially tue pontlcal party SO
long in power in Canada. have not attempted
70 disguise the fact that il was their deliberate
and undaunted purpose to secure a railroad
across the continent of commanding influence.
which, IN connection with the subsidized
steamer lines. would be able to dominate the
transcOntinental commerce of the United
States, and to defect from American vessels
American seaports and American railroads a
large share of our own commerce with the
countries OF ASIA and with Australia and New
Zealand. This has to a considerable extent
been done already, and the work is still going
on"
Canada also subsidies two lines of steamers
from Vancouver, the western terminus of the
Canadian Pacific. with s425, 900 year and one
line from st. John. y. b.. its eastern terminus,
with s5O0.OO0. This latter line receives also
300. 900 from England The committee refers
TO the proceedings of a conference of the COM
mercial and industrial bodies of the Pacific
coast held at San Francisco in July. 1889. the
report of which conference declares that with
such special advantages the Canadian Pacific
can afford to quote rates which must drive the
American (stesmer) lines out of the China
trade and lntiict almost irreparable injury
upon San Francisco"
The report of the commercial conference also
predicts the destruction of the American
steamer lines now running ON the Pacific ocean
to Australia. New Iceland, the Hawaiian Islands,
the Fiji and Samoan Islands and to Mexico and
Central America by subsidized British steamer
lines. forming part Of general scheme for
capturing the commerce OF the seas, unless the
United States government shall adopt vigorous
measures for preventing such a national disas-
ter.