The Portland daily press., 1892-07-22


today Mr.. Blount of Georgia from the
committee on foreign affairs called up
the bill to enforce reciprocal commercial
relations between the United States and
Canada. He said that the President had
in two messages called the attention of
Congress to the fact that notwithstand-
ing treaty rights American citizens were
Disseminated against in the matter OF
transportation through the Welland, st.
Lawrence and other canals. A rebate
was accorded to Canadian vessels which
was no accorded to American vessels.
This bill was designed to require that
this discrimination should be abolished
and that the treaty rights of American
citizens should be preserved.
Mr.. Lind of Minnesota inquired wheth-
er this might not be construed as an alb
rogation of the treaty.
Mr.. Blount could not say. He was
notinclined to think that it would. Mr..
Lind suggested that if it did it would be
a very serious matter.
Mr. Blount replied that it probably
would be, but there was a very serious
matter to meet now and that was that
the great lakes should be open to Cana
dian trade and denied to American
trade.
Mr.. Lind suggested that the United
States received the free use of the st.
Lawrence river in perpetuity. This was
a very important right. We could build
canals of our own, but we could not build
a ST. Lawrence river.
Mr.. Blount thought that the govern
ment should stand manfu1ly and heroic
oil 11,y e., +1,, ,rrl,+ ,+r of %la o.+ md
meet every emergency which arose.
Mr. Hit of Illinois said that the pend
ing bill was one that deeply concerned
the people of the Northwest and the cit
les of the East, everywhere that the grain
trade concerned American citizens. The
grain producers sent their grain by the
lakes and the canals and by railroads.
Vast crops were sent by water during
the water season, and the mode of pas
sage from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario
was by the Welland Canal. American
citizens were entitled to the use of that
canal on terms of equality with Canadi-
an citizens. For that right they had
paid great price. 1t was a reciprocal
privilege. We gave Canada the use of
those great canals on which the govern
ment had lavished millions of money:
For that we were entitled to the use of
tolls that the Canadians did.
The bill was passed without division.
The bill provides that when the Presi
dent shall be satisfied that the passage
through any canal or lock connected
with the navagition of the ST. Lawrence
river, the Great Lakes or the waterways
connecting the same, of any vessels of
the United States or of cargoes or pas
sengers in transit to any port of the
United States, is prohibited or is made
difficult or burdensome by the imposi-
ton of tolls OF otherwise, which he shall
deem to be reciprocally unjust or un-
reasonable, he shall have the power to
suspend the right of free passage through
the ST. Mary's Falls Canal so far as it re-
lates to vessels owned by the subjects of
the United States.
Mr.. Savers of Texas presented to the
House today disagreeing conference
report on the general deficiency appro-
priation bill. The main amendments
now in dispute relate to the Indian dep
dation claims, the French spoliation
claims and the Pacific Railroad claims.
The report was agreed to, and the
amendments on which no agree
ment was reached, went over for discus
sion until tomorrow at 1890.
Mr.. Henderson called up the bill au-
thorizing the Postmaster General to is
sue postal fractional notes of denomina-
tions of 81 and less, which shall be fur
nished to all postmasters in such sums as
the Postmaster General shall deem suf-
ficient, to be sold at their face value.
Postmasters shall be allowed compensa-
ton for issuing and paying postal frac-
tional notes at the respective offices OF
of
amount thereof After some discussion
the previous question was ordered.
The House adjourned after Mr.. Logan
of Louisiana had entered a motion to re-
consider the vote by which the House
laid on the table the bill granting Amer
ican registration to the steamship China.