Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-05-04
TARIFF REPORT.
The Commission on the Work
ings Of the Tariff Act
Find Everything In Our Favor--Cana-
dians Suffer in Proportion.
Maine Industries, as Far as Observed. Pros
+ per Under Its Workings.

WASHINGTON. MAY S.--The Senate caG-
mittee on finance has not vet considered
the tariff bills passed by the House. The
meeting this morning was devoted to the
discussion of the bill amendatory of the ,li
rect tax act. Chairman Morrill,, who with
Senator McPheason constituted the sub
committee to inquire into the effect of the
tariff laws on relations between this country
and Canada, was authorized 10 present their
report TO Senate, the report being presented
later in the day by Mr.. Morrill,.
1t is yoluminous document. aecompa
MED by mass of testimony taken by the
subcommittee. Points visited were East
port and Calais, Me, Newport, VI, ogiens-
burg, oswego and Buffalo, New York
Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio, Detroit
Mich; and cities lying upon the eastern
and northern boundary lines,
The report says: All places visited in our
own country are increasing in population,
while ON the other side of the line, as We
are informed, the population everywhere
is diminishing. 81. Johns, opposite
Eastport, has 1000 lest population
in 1891 than in 1881. From the testimony
taken il was clear that the United States
offered better markets and higher prices for
everything the Canadian farmers had to sell
than could be obtained in Canadian
Dominions and the prices there of horses
cattle, sheep, hay, peas, beans, potatoes,
butter, eggs and poultry were invariably as
much below the selling price in the nited
States as the amount of duties imposed and
the cost of transportation.
When the duty ON imported horses was
increased the price of horses fell in Canada
and the same with eggs and barley. When
the duty on pine lumber was reduced 81 per
1000 feet. that amount was at once generally
added to the price of lumber in Canada, 81
no advantage was derived by the nited
States from the reduction of duty, and AS
far as the Canadian Dominion is concerned.
no doubt they bear the entire burden of
duties imposed on their exports into the
United States.
1t was ascertaincd at Eastport. from
the owners of the sarline factories,
being among the largest consumers of
tin, that the increased duty thereon
increased the prices 81 box, amounting To
one mill on each can of sar,lincs, but il
has not affected their business nor wages of
their workmcn, and consumers are supplied
with sar'lines at a less cost than
ever. Some of them, however admitted
that i'll consequence of much cheaper labor
elsewhere they could not sustain the sar'liuc
business in the absence of protective tariff.
They did not favor an abrogated rccip-
rocity treaty.
More or less cmigrants appeared 10 be
entering into our country from Canada all
along the border line. At some points it
was stated that large numbers in the spriug
of the year, as at Eastport 500 per day. Of
ten came in To find employment for the sea
son and returned in the autumn. Others
for the same reason, came in the autumn
and returned in the spring.
The report says wages are much less in
Canada than in the United States, the
average difference being above % per cent
No fishing vessels are fitted out at Eastport
because crews cannot be got to work At as
low wages as the Canadians Girls i'll the
sardine factories have not had TO pay any
higher prices in consequence of the
Mckinley tariff for anything brought in
from Canada
Business at Eastport is three times as
much as il was before the abrogation of the
Canadian reciprocity treaty, notwihstand
ing the close of the goldfish business They
will be unable 10 endure the admission of
sardines free of duty. The increase of
duties on horses is sal to have resulted in
advantage 10 llit Nlttt nl Maine. as II
raised the grade of animals imported. No
hay was imported last year as result of the
increased duty on that staple.
Canadian railroads are subszrd from
first to last. The lntercolonial is now ruu
Mt IN annual loss of from 5000 900 to $500.
900 and docs not ear running expenses. At
Newport, u lumber centre. wages are -
per cent higher for common labor than in
Canada Skilled labor, taken into Canada,
receives the same wages.
The report suggests the only remedy for
discrimination shown by Canadian canals
would seem to he an independent American
canal on our side of the lakes 1t main
tains that this discrimination is violation
of the treaty, and that no equality with
Canada appears possible. even by the most
solemn treaty. Yet We still give them all
that was by the treaty promised, and in ad
dition, the use of the Sault Ste Marie toll
free" Touching the barley tariff the re-
port says it has injured Gswego.