Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-08-22
THE BLOW At CANADA
Before Acting the Presiden t
Carefully Considered.
MANY BUSINESS MEN CONSULTED.

Canadian Officials Discourteous to the
British Legation at Washington--Cana-
lamation--Its Terms.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22.-Inc1uded in
the aftermath of the Canadian retaliation
proclamation is a statement that this
course has been under careful advise
ment since before the adjournment of
Congress. After the act of July 26, au-
thorizing retaliation, had gone through
both houses without opposition it was
stated that the members of the Foreign
Affairs Committees who reported the
bill had done so at the personal request of
the President.
The information is now given out
that the precise shape which retaliation
should take, so as to produce the most
telling effect on Canadian commerce, and
precipitate solution of the difficulty was
arrived at after repeated consultations
with leading business men on our Cana
dian frontier, who were called into con-
sultation by the State Department, from
Northern New York and other parts of
the country. so quietly that the fact of
their presence here on this business is
only now made known after their de-
parture and the completion of the act.
1t is said in administration circles that
the ground was so carefully gone over be-
forehand that Canada is not left a leg to
stand on, and must give in to the Ameri-
can demands and Immediately revoke the
Order in Council of April last authoriz-
ing the discriminating rebate of Is cents
ton on grain products shipped to Cana
| dian ports and refused to all American
merchandise.
Equality of tolls in the Welland Canal
was one of the distinct pledges made by
Article 81 of the Treaty of Washington of
| 1871, under which treaty Canada has
| profited so largely.
| Another fact much commented on here
| is the humiliating position in which Gov
ernor General Lord Stanley and the Cana
| dian Ministers have placed the British
Legation in Washington. Mr.. Herbert,
the British Charge d'Affaires, twice ask
ed of the United States Government an
extension of time, stating that he did so
at the request of the Canadian authori-
ties, and, on the last occasion, Aug. 6,
| holding out, on the same authority, a
promise of some satisfactory action.
| Yet the first news of the decision of the
| Canadian Government to continue the
| obnoxious rebate until the end of the nav
| igation season, that is, until a period
| when retaliation would be harmless,
| came to the State Department, not from
| the British Legation, which had been led
| to promise early and satisfactory inf or
nation, but from the United States Con-
| sui General in Ottawa.
| The proclamation recites the act OF
Congress providing for retaliatory meas
ures and says:
| Whereas, The Government of The
| Dominion of Canada imposes q toll
| amounting to about 20 cents per ton on
| all freight passing through the Welland,
| and also Il further toll on all vessels OF
the United States and all passengers in
transit to port of the United States, all
of which tolls are without rebate, and
"Whereas, The Government of the
Dominion of Canada, in accordance with
an order in council of April 4, 1892 re
! funds IS cents per ton, or the 20 cent toll
at the Welland Canal, on wheat, Indian
| corn, peas, barley, rye, oats, tiaXseed and
| buckwheat, upon condition that they are
originally shipped for and carried to Mon
treal or some port east of Montreal for eX
port, and that, if transhipped at an in
termediate point, such transhipment is
made within the Dominion of Canada
but allows no such nor any other rebate
on said products when shipped to a por
of the United States, or when carried tt
Montreal for export if transhipped within
the United States, and
"Whercas, The Government of til,
Dominion of Canada by said system o
rebate and otherwise discriminates agains
the citizens of the United States in thu
use of said Welland canal in violation o
the provisions of article 81 of the treat!
| of Washington concluded May 8. 1871
and,
"Whereas, said Welland canal is con
nected with the navigation of the Grea
Lakes, and l am satisfied that the passag
| through it of cargoes in transit to port
| of the United States is made difficult anC
burdensome by said discriminating system
of rebate and otherwise, and is reciprocal
unjust and unreasonable,
FNow, therefore, l, Benjamin Harrison
President of the United States of America
by virtue of the power to that end con
ferred upon me by said act of Congress
approved July 26, 1892, do hereby direc
that from and after September 1, 1892
until further notice, a toll of 20 cents pc
ton be levied, collected and paid on al
freight of whatever kind or description
passing through the st. Marys Fall
Canal in transit to any port of the Do
minion of Canada whether carried i
2 nations; and to that extent 1 do hereb
3 suspend from and after said date til
! | right of free passage through st. Mary
Falls Canal of any and all cargoes or POI
) tions of cargo in transit to Canada
ports"