The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-29
The President and the Dom nion Gov.
Crutnpnt.

When President HARRISON requested Con-
eress to sanction Il policy of retaliation
agninstth h Tory Government at Ottawa. he
must presumably have contemplated an Of
fective and not II sham retaliation. 1t is GER
tain that the Federal legislature had no in
tention OF cooperating in n farce. Yet farci-
cal the proceedings thus faI' taken by our
national Executive undoubtedly appear in
view Of the contemptuous attitude main
tanned by Sir John ABBoTT and his col
leagues. Knowing the President to DO en-
powered to impose Il toll of ~ per ton and
45 per passenger on vessels travarsing the
st Mary's Falls Canal and bound for
Canadian ports, they smiled when II
levy Of the minimum toll of twenty
cents per ton was threatened in the
beginning OF August. When. after an in
terval OF three weeks. the dreadful threat
was executed. their smile broadencd into a
grin. As TO the abolition of the discrimina-
ton against American vessels on the Wei
land Canal. that is o further Off than
ever. the Ottawa authorities having in
formed our State Department through the
British Charge d. ffaires that their promise
TO rcnlove the discrimination next winter
would be retracted in case any pressure
were cxerted by our Government.
Now the Presidents proclamation about
the st. Mary's Falls Canal either constitutes
pressure or 1t doesn't. II it doesn't. what
was it issued for? II it does. it has utterly
uiScarricu. and loft tho situation worse
than it wus before, the Ottawa Government
being committed by tho menace uttered
through Nr. HERDERT to 40 on Giscrimi-
mating against American ,nasets on the
Welland Cana for m indefinite period.
Does President HARRISON consider that
he Inns thus IT.: anything to be proud OF in
this retaliation business ? Does lie thinl:
that he has dolo anything toward tie ac-
con,piishmnnt OF his purpose to protect
American interests. tho purpose for which
he thought it needfrl to request the sup
port of Congress ? Does he suppose that he
is strengthening the hold which he endnav-
orcd to obtain on all patriotic Americans.
without distinction Of party. by his high
spirited end vigorous conduct In tho Valpa-
raisO Affair."? Does no not know that the
Democratic candidate for the Presidency.
a Mr.. CLEVELAND. Is on record as hav-
Ing sdvou,ted during his Admins
traitor. .ha dealing OF the n decisive
blow which would bring the Dominion
Tories to their knees. to wit. the abolition
OF tie transshipInent OF goods in bond on
4 the Canadian railways Is Mr.. HARRISON
not aware that the withdrawal OF privi-
legcs. which enable foreign railroads to
pnderbid their American competitors. would
bankrupt tho Canadian Paciic. and thus
strip tho Tory Government ut Ottawa OF
It's corruption fur without which 1t could
not live II day2 II the President knows
these things. why doesn't he turn the
knowledge to a%ccount2 II there Is any
ei1cerit;' IN his professed desire to relieve
American citizens from the burdens t.
which they are unjustly subjected on thu
We,land Canal. why doesn't he use fol
them the irresistible weapon which lies
ready to his hand? Does he want to con
vince his fellow countrymcn that for a stall
wart upholding Of their interests they mus
await II charge OF administration
But 1t may be said by those who seek
prctcxt for submitting meekly to the VIC
la,ion OF our treaty rights by Canada, tina
Congress did not expressly authorize tn
/ President to Withdraw the privilege @
n, transshipplng goods in bond on CANADIAN
railways. The President did not neod tn
authorization Of Congress for an act tina
I lies wholly In his own discretion. To sus
y pend tho immunities from our custom
Y regulations at present enjoyed by Canada
railways. Mr.. HARRISON needs but to issu
On order through his Secretary OF tn
Treasury. All he needed from Congress
was what he got. namely. a formal declare
!, tion that n grave wrong had been ii
ficted on American citizens. and that &c
tie PURPOSE Of Fighting 1t the Pres
dent. IN addition to tho powers alread
s.lt,L In lin. aLolhl hnNa authority