Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-26
the casADlan PACIFIC
May Soon Lose Some Of the Advantages
Which MS Been Enjoying.

washington, bee. s5.--The President
has called upon the executive departments
for such information in their possession re-
istiye to freighss coming into the United
States over the Canadian Facihe railroad.
Attention was detected Ia this subject by
the President in his annual message 10
Congress, anil since then the subject has
been a live and interesting one in the treas
ury department.
The unjust discrimination against United
States railroads made b, law, or rather BY
its construction, in favor OF the Canadian
Pacific Railroad by means of the consular
seal system, has long been source of com
plaint AZ the treasury department
Under this law freights are shipped from
Canada TO interior points in the United
States under the consular seal system
TIE United States consul cer,illes that the
manifest is correct, that he has sealed and
closed the ear aud that certiiivatien carries
the freight through without Inspection al
the border. thus saying from one To two
lays delay and the cost of rciiandiing the
freight, etc. When the LAW was passed
tiesratlie was small.
Il is also eontcnded at the treasury de-
partment that the frsigbts entitled to the
privileges of consular seal were originally
confined to the products of Canada, and
traffic between 1865 AMI 1870 being thus
limited, the United States could AMI did
give personal attention TO inspecting the
shipment OF freight, making out the Inani
fest and sealing the ears, as the Law speei-
tically directed they should do.
But gradually the business has grown and
the law has been perverted, aud nov NOR.
goods having their origin in China ani
Japan are shipped over the Canadian from
tier for the United States than goods d;
products OF Canada.
Nearly all the raw silks and Chinese and
Japanese goods that come into this countI,
are brought in under the consular seal sys
TEN. They can come through in bulk
quicker than they can come over American
routes by the very reason of the consular
seal system which the law does not apply to
American railroads.
Enjoying this superiority over American
railroads the Canadian Pacific has caused
to BE- put into the consideration tariff dis
eliminating duty of 10 per cent of all coffee
and tea imported into Canada from tn
United States. From all other countries
except the United States coffee and tea can
come into Canada free.
The effect has been to divert this traffic
from American ports and have coffee and
tea come over the Canadian Pacific from
Vancouver, B. c., where it is landed from
China and elsewhere.
These evidences of unfriendliness ar,
regarded at the treasury department as jus
tifying some drastic measure.
1t is pointed out that as the traffic over
the Canadian Pacific has become so great
that it is impossible for the United States
consul to personally perform the duties re-
quired of them under the provisions of the
consular seal law, n due regard for tn,
revenue would warrant the suspension Of
the section ;il02, uitil such time as Con
gress makes provision for its perfect en-
forcement.
Should this be done, it would, in thu
opinion of treasury department officials put
a stop to discrimination against American
railroads and also be retaliatory meas
ure against Canada for her eonluc: Of
unfriendhness towards us.