Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-22
A BLOW AT CANADA.
The President Issues Retail.
iatory Proclamation.
TOLLS AT THE FALLS OF ST. MARY.

The Dominion Given Notice That Uncle
Sam Will Not submit to Unjust Dis
elimination and Violation of Treaty
Provisions-The $500 Canal No Longer
Free After Sept. 1 Unless the welland
Is Likewise-Strange Lack of Courtesy
to the British Legation Canadi ian
Opinion
WASHINGTON, Aug. %. = Equality Of
tolls in the Welland canal was one of the
distinct pledges made by article % of the
treaty of Washington of 1871, but Canada
has not kept her pledge made, and
Saturday, late in the evening, the presi-
dent acted upon the authority granted by
the act of congress of July &c, 1892, and
issued proclamation putting retaliatory
tolls upon Canadian traffic through St.
st. Mary's Falls canal. This not
done without careful advisement. 1t is
stated that the question of how to hit
Canada the hardest was thoroughly dis
cussed.
Consulted with Business Men.
Defeated consultations were had with
leading business men of our Canadian
frontier, who were called into consulta-
tion by the state department from north
,rn New York and other parts of the
country quietly that the fact of their
presence here on this business is only now
made known after their departure and the
completion of the at. IL is said in ad
ministrative circles that the ground was
so carefully gone over beforehand that
Canada is not left a leg to stand on and
must give in to the American demands
and Immediately revoke the order in
council of April 4. last aut orizing the
discriminating rebate of Is cents ton on
grain products shipped to Canadian ports
and refused to all American merchandise.
The Presidents Proclamation.
President Harrison's proclamation re-
cites the act ito enforce reciprocal COM
mercial relations between the United
States and Canada" which authorizes his
proclamation, and then proceeds to state
the controversy rs follows: "W hereas, The
government of the Dominion of Canada
imposes a toll amounting to about 20 cents
per ton on all freight passing through the
Wclland canal in transit To port of tie
United States, and also a further toll on
ali vessels of the United States and on all
passengers on transit to a port of the
United States, all of which tolls are with
out rebate; and,
Rebate Against Uncle Sam.
"Whereas, The government of the
Dominion of Canada, in accordance with
an ord er in council of April !, refunds IS
cents per ton of the 20-cent toll at the
Welland canal on wheat, Indian corn,
peas, barley, rye, oats, fiaxseed and buck
wheat, upon condition that they are origi-
nal ly shipped for and carried to Montreal
or some port east OF Montreal for export,
and that, if trans-shipped at intermediate
points, such trans-shipment is made with
in the Dominion of Canada, but allows
no such nor any other rebate on such pro-
ducts when shipped to a port of the
United States or when carried to Montreal
for export if trans-shipped within the
United States; and,
An Unjust Discrimina
GWhereas The government of the Do
minion of Canada, by said system of re-
bate and otherwise, discriminates against
the citizens of the United States in the use
of said Welland canal in violation of the
provisions of article % of the treaty of
Washington, concluded May s. 1871; and
"Whereas, Said Welland cSnal is con-
nected with the navigation of the great
lakes and l am satisfied that the passag.
through it of cargoes in transit to ports of
the United States is made difficult and
burdensome by said discriminating sys-
tenn of rebate and otherwise, and is recip-
rocally unjust and unreasonable;
And Here's the Remedy.
"Now, therefore, i, 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, ap-
proved July 20, 1892, do hereby direct tLIt
from and after Sept. ], 1892, until further
notice. u toll of 20 cents per ton be levied,
collected, and paid on all freight of what
ever kind or description passing through
the St. Mary's Falls canal in transit to any
port of the Dominion of Canada, whether
carried in vessels of the United States or
of other nations, and to that extent do
hereby suspend from and after said date
the right of free passage through said St.
Mary's Falls canal of any and all cargoes
or portions of cargoes in transit to Cana
dian ports. In testimon whereof. ETC.,
"BENJAMIN HARRISON"
@By the president:
GJOHN w. FOSTER, Secretary of State.s