The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-02-03
The President Gives Attention to
Bond Transit Question.
REVIEWS TREATY OBLIGATIONS.
Matters That Are wholly within the
Power Of Congress Are Pointed Out
by the President in His Message to
Congress Yesterday.

WHICH Ne ftNlCNb Jul hAthAJ obAAS"NANH'
and our legislation on the whole subject
of the transit of goods from, to and
through Canada. He says that in article
20 OF the treaty OF Washington, provision
Is made:
First, for the transit In bond, without
the m OF duties, OF goods arriving
at specified ports of the United States and
at Others TO be designated by the Presi-
dent destined for Canada.
Second, for the transit from Canada to
ports OF the United States without the
payment OF duties, OF merchandise for ex-
Third. for the transit OF merchandise
arriving ut Canadian ports, destined for
the United States, through Canadian ter
ritory to the United States, without the
payment OF duties to the Dominion gov
eminent.
Fourth, for the transit of merchandise
from the United States to Canadian ports
for export, without the payment OF du-
ties.
Fifth, for the transit of merchandise
without the payment OF duties from the
United States through Canada, TO other
places in the United States.
The President says the -tirst and second
provisions were
Concessions by the United states
and were made subject to regulations for
protection OF revenue prescribed by the
United States government.
The third, fourth and fifth provisions
are concessions on the part of Canada and
were made subject to regulations Tor pro-
tecting the revenue prescribed by both
governments.
The first. second, third and fourth pro-
visions are reciprocal in their nature.
The fifth is not met by a reciprocal pro-
vision forlthe passage OF Canadian goods
from one point in Canada TO another
point in Canada through the United
States.
III this article OF the treaty is in force
the obligations assumed by the United
States should be honorably observed IN
til this government can properly free IL.
self from them. 1t is, however, no part OF
the obligation resting upon the United
States that IL will use the concession
made to il by Canada.
The question whether we shall continue
to allow merchandise to pass from one
point in the United States, through
Canadian territory, to another point In
the United States and to what exactions
and examinations il shall be subjected on
re-entering our territory, are wholly
within the power OF Congress, without
reference to the question whether article
% is or is not in force.
The President reviews the legislation OF
Congress construing' Article % OF the
treaty and states that in 1888 Mr.. Cleve-
land, in a message to Congress, expressed
the opinion that article % terminated
with the proceedings taken by our gov
ernment TO terminate articles IL to 20,
inclusive. and article 30 of the treaty.
Mr.. Harrison also says that the attorney
general is of the opinion that article %
mas been abrogated. He adds that even il
article % is in force 1T
Does Not Place Any Restraints
upon tine United States as to the method
of dealing with imported merchandise
destined for the United States, or of mer-
chandise passing through Canadian ter
ritory from one place in the United States
to another.
II would be no infraction, either OF the
latter or Of the spirit Of the treaty, IL we
should stop, unload and inspect every
vehicle arriving at our border with such
merchandise. Nor would Canada violate
her treaty obligations by like treatment
of merchandise imported through the
port OF New York on its arrival in Cana
da. The President finds that merchan-
disc arriving Mt New York, Boston, Port
land, Me-, and other ports designated by
the secretary of the treasury, for places in
the British provinces, and conveyed
through United States territory without
payment OF duty comes fully under the
inspection and supervision of our custom
officers and there is little or no danger
involved to our revenue.
As to merchandise imported into the
United States from n continuous foreign
country, it is provided that the inspection
ut the first port OF arrival in the United
States may be avoided II the vehicle in
which the same arrives has been sealed or
closed by some authorized officer OF the
United States in the contiguous country.
The President refers to the practice Of al
lowing merchandise from China and
Japan by our citizens, and lande in Can
ada, to be there loaded into cars, which.
being
Sealed by an onicer
Of the United States or some one supposed
TO represent him, are forwarded through
Canada across the continent and allowed
to cross our frontier without other in
spection thar examination OF the seals.
He says the American consul cannot
and does not compare the manifest with
the contents OF the cars or attach the
seals. The practice OF sealing such mer-
ehandise, the President thinks, is unau-
thorized. Such merchandise, he says, Is
not imported from a contiguous country
and the practice referred to not only
equalizes the advantages OF Canadian sea-
ports with our own in importation OF
goods for our domestic consumption, but
makes the Canadian ports favored ports Of
entry. The President discusses the trans
portation of merchandise from one "port'
in the United States TO another port"
therein over the territory of Canada. He
does not consider the present practice of
merely inspecting the lock or seal, with
out verifying the contents of the car, an
adequate protection against the surrep-
titious introduction into the cars OF duti-
able articles.
The President sums up a. follows:
First, article ~ OF the treaty OF Wash
ington has been abrogated. Second, even
IL this article were in force there is no law
In force TO execute IL.
Third, when in force, the treaty inn
posed no obligation upon the United
States to use the concessions as TO transit
made by Canada, and no limitations upon
the powers OF the United States in deal
ing with merchandise imported for the
use of our citizens through Canadian
ports, or passing from one place In the
United States 90 another through Canada.
upon the arrival OF
such Merchandise at Our Border.
Fourth. therefore, treaty or no treaty
the question OF sealing cars containing
such merchandise and the treatment OF