St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-29
Merchants Discuss the Reel
procity Convention at
Grand Forks.
Effect on Dakota Trade Of
Possible Free Trade With
Canada.
Mai. Jones Tells Of the Gov
eminent Work on the
Red River.
Twin Cities Will Probably Be
Thoroughly Represent
ed There.


ence at Grand Forks. with view to
closer commercial union between the
Northwestern states and Canada, is a
general subject of discussion among
business men in both st. Paul and Min
neapolis. Diverse views are taken by
men engaged in different lines of whole
sailing and manufacturing, of the propo-
sltlon to offer Canada further facilities
than those existing at present for the
extension of her trade in the states bor-
dering on the Dominion. Some of the
pillars of the local manufacturing inter-
ests have even gone SO far as to pro-
claim in open meeting that the only re-
suit that can come from a conference
like the one to occur in September is
one beneficial to Canada and of doubtful
utility to the territory this side of the
line. Ex-Gov. Pillsbury said, in a meet
ing of the board of trade in Minneapolis
a few days ago, that it was highly i'm
portant to send full delegation to the
conference from Minneapolis, as there
would, in all likelihood, be work for
them to do in fighting measures pro-
posed. which. if adopted, would be in
lmical to the interests of the two cities.
The memorial prepared by Lawyer Rey-
noidS, of Toronto, advocating the free
reciprocal use of canals and parity of
currencies. which will be read before
the convention and proposed for pres
entation to the American congress, was
read at the Minneapolis meeting and
Received in silence
That silence was first broken by the
significant query by a member of the
board, whether it would not be a good
time at this conference to spring an an
neXatiOn scheme.
In numerous quarters the opinion is
expressed that the removal of tariff on
Canadian products In consideration of
reciprocal measures on the part of the
Canadian government, would put st.
Paul and Minneapolis manufacturers
and dealers at disadvantage in regard
to the trade of the Daketas. That it
would be grand idea for the Northern
Pacific and Great n Orthern railway
companies, which run parallel into
Winnipeg, there is little doubt, as freer
commercial relations must necessarily
increase the bulk of the carrying trade,
but in the opinions of many, it would
divert large amount of the trade of the
Dakotas to the Canadian centers.
General Manager Winter, of the Oma-
ha road, was called upon yesterday af-
OF such reciprocal measures as are to be
discussed at the Grand Forks conference.
Mr.. Winter said that in his Judgment
nothing but good could come from the
commercial equity of two countries SO
similar I'D their interests. and so united,
by all natural laws. He had not given
the subject the study required to form
an absolute opinion on the matter, but
1t seemed only reasonable to believe the
balance of benefit in trade must come to
the larger cities in Minnesota than
those OF Manitoba. He could not see
that the railroads would derive such
great benefit, except from the natural
increase in trade due to increased pros
perlty OF the country traversed by the
lines. This was certainly legitimate.
Red River Improvement.
A Winnipeg paper last week, in an
editorial discussion of the conference
and its objects, laid great stress on the
necessity of immediate improvement of
the Red River of the North from the
Canadian line to Winnipeg The state
ment was made that the Improvements
Oh the American side had already made
the river navigable for heavy craft from
the boundary line TO Grand Forks. This
was an important Canadian outlet, and
for an outlay of 5000 the river could
De HaQe naVigaDle 1Or large boats right
into Winnipeg. A GLOBE man called
oh Maj. w. A. Jones, the United States
engineer at st. Paul, who has had direc-
ton of the work OH the Red river.
YES" said the major. at is true
that from the Canadian line to Grand
Forks there is now four feet of water in
the Red river. and in the very lowest
stage there will be not less than three
feet at the shallowest points of the
stream. 1t is also true that for very
light expenditure the river could be
opened for freighting into Winnipeg.
This l believe is already in contempla-
ton. There is at present comparatively
little travel in the Red river. 1t was
not made navigable until last fall, when
the government blasting and dredging
operations were completed. Now il is
an open avenue for American and
Canadian commerce"
The decision OF all the st. Paul men
spoken to on the subject of the confer
ence is that it will develop matters of
the gravest Importance to both coun-
tries, ana that the deliberations should
be thorough before any recommends
lions are made to congress to act.