The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-02-08
A SPECIAL MESSAGE.
70 is Sent to Congress by the
President,
And Relates to the Importation Of Foreign
Goods Across the Canadian border
Under Consular seal-The Law
Needs Revision.

rison yesterday sent to congress his re-
ply to the resolution Of Representative
Hit, relating to the regulations gov
erning the transportation OF imported
merchandise from one part OF the
United States to another over Canadian
territory. The resolution asks whether
or not the interests Of the United States
do not require that cars carrying such
merchandise while in Canadian terri
tory should be In the custody and under
the supervision of an inspector OF the
United States customs department. the
expense thereof to be paid by the car
rier transporting the merchandise. The
president says
The resolution Is limited in its scope to the
subject Of transit OF merchandise from one part
in the United States through Canadian terri
tory 70 another port In the United States, un-
der the provision Of Section SOO6 OF the revised
statutes, but have concluded that review Of
our treaty obligations II any and OF our legisla'
tion upon the whole subject OF the transit OF
goods from, or through Canada is desirable, and
therefore add this message 10 the congress IL
should be known, before new legislation is pro
posed, whether the United States is under any
treaty obligations OF article 2got the treaty oi
Washington.
The question whether we shall continue TO al
low merchandise TO pass from one point In the
United States, through Canadian territory, 70
another point in the United States, and II so, 70
what exactons and examinations 1t shall be
subject on reentering our territory, are wholly
within the power OF congress, without reference
to the question whether article 20 is or is not In
force.
The president reviews at length the legisla
tion Of congress placing a construction upon
article 20 Of the treaty and adds: have asked
the opinion OF the attorney general upon this
question and he is OF the opinion that article "
has been abrogated
But the question whether article 20 is in force
! has less practical Importance than has been
supposed-for It does not, II in force, place any
restraints upon the United States as 70 the
method OF dealing with imported merchandise
destined for the United States arriving at ca.
madam port for transportation to the United
States, OF merchandise passing through Cana
dian territory from one place in the United
! States 10 another.
II would be no infraction either Of the letter
or OF the spirit Of the treaty II we should stop,
unload, and carefully inspect every vehicle ar
| irving OF our border with suoh merchandise.
Nor, on the other hand, would Canada violate
her obligations under the treaty by q like treat
ment OF merchandise imported through the port
OF New York on its arrival in Canada. II will
beseen that the law permits merchandise arri
wing OF the ports Of New York, Boston, Port
land, Me-, and at other points specially desig
mated by the secretary OF the treasury, fol
places In the adjacent British provinces 70 ot
entered at the custom house OF the port where
it IL landed and conveyed through the territory
..F NJ Tat xutth0ut the naVmRnl
duty under regulations 70 be prescribed BY ths
secretary OF the treasury. AS these gooos CONT
Immediately and fully undor the inspection o
our custom oficers at the principal ports, ar'
entered there and remain until they cross oul
border into Canada, fully under our super
vision. there is little or no danger involved Il
our revenue.
As 70 merchandise imported into the Unitet
States from contiguous foreign country, II
provided By Section sio2 that the inspection on
the port Of arrival In the United states D.
avoided II the vehicle in which the same arriye'
has been sealed or closed BY some ofncer OF I'M
United States duly authorized AZ some point u
the contiguous country. II Is important 70 D.
noticed that merohAndiee that this section 70
fers 70 Is derived in Section 800 as merchandise
, etc, imported Into the United states from IN!
contiguous foreign country"
A practice has grown up OF allowing merchan
disc from China and Japan, purchased and I'm
ported from those countries BY our own citizen
. and landed OF ports in the Dominion OF Canada
! 70 DO there loaded into the cars, which, bein
: sealed by an onicer OF the United Statcs o
some one supposed 70 represent him. are foi
warded through the territory Of Canada aeros
the entire continent and allowed 10 cross ou
! frontier without other inspection than an exam
: ination OF the seals The practice OF sealin
7 such merchandise, Notwithstanding Il has bee
. allowed by the treasurer for some years, thin
is unauthorized
come now TO discuss another element Of thi
! international afair. namely: The transports
r ton OF merchandise from ono port" In N
4 United States 70 another port" therein, owe
4 the territory Of Canada
In practice, the car, II the seal is found in th
\ border 10 be intact is passed 70 plAees nc
, ''ports" and is opened and unloaded by the col
9 signee, no oficer being present
a The question is, are the regulations such as
: provide proper safeguards against fraud, or or
they such as 10 make fraud easy TO those VIII
Q have the disposition TO commit ~
= The following are the conclusions at which
have arrived
First, that article 20 Of the treaty OF Wasl
ington has been abrogated
g Second, that even II this article were In forS
q there Is no law in force TO executeit
|. Third. that when In force, the treaty impose
- no obligation upon the United States 10 use u
L conocaslons VA 10 ,rausit merchandise by Can
a Az anh no i,,nI,ctIon nnon the nowers of n
1,,.Ns ~, ~, A. Asaii,,,, ,,t,h ,,..nh. ndtso a.
II Onlteu o'N.es )" "os's VIZ a,, ~. :. :.
g ported for nc seoi our citizens 'hrough Ohn
:, da ports, or pH'hs from one piaee IN u
n ~ s',sh ,nsrch. na,.c a. onr horder