Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-05
CANADIAN COMMERCE.
A Forthcoming Message on the Subject Of
Tramc Regulations.


Trafhc Regulations.
Shortly before Congress adjourned last sum
mer a resolution was passed by the House Of
Representatives relating to the control of and
regulations governing the shipment Of goods
over Canadian lines Of transportation to and
from the United States under the provisions Of
section 3O06, II. S. The resolution requested
the President to inform the House what regua-
tons were in force in connection with this class
OF traffic. and whether or not in his opinion,
such traffic should not be accompanied while in
Canada by customs officer Of the United
States, the expenses of such officer to be borne
by the carrier company. This resolution was
referred 10 the Treasury Department and an
investigation ordered, the results Of which are
embodied in report TO Secretary Foster,
which he will today submit to the President
II will be laid before the cabinet at its meeting
on Friday probably and be made the basis Of a
message to the House in reply TO the resolution
quoted.
II was doubtless the intention of the author
of the resolution TO include what is known as
the consular seal traffic between the United
States and Canada, that is, traffic coming into
the country without breaking bulk or inspec-
ton at the frontier, where the cars are closed
under the seal of the United States consul at
the port of shipment, usually Victoria or VAN
cred BY the terms of section 3006 So that the
report to the President will be composed of two
parts-one relating to the business referred to
In the terms of the resolution and the other 4
memorandum of the consular business, which
the President NAV use in his reply to the House
if he so desires. Ii is understood that the in
vestigation shows that the consular seal bnsi-
ness is rapidly growing in bulk and value, but
that the branch Of business regulated by the
statute quoted is not much, il any, greater than
when the law passed.
1t is understood that President Harrison will
report the facts to the House and having done
this leave TO Congress the duty of changing
existing regulations
Although he has decided views upon this sub
Ject and the law gives the executive authority
to impose new regulations amend the old
ones, the President has no intention of doing
more than he did in his message last month,
call the attention of Congress to the condition
of affairs. He was the more inclined to this
course, II is said, by the fact that the Canadian
Pacific railroad and it's connecting steamship
line from Victoria to San Francisco secured its
present privileges in regard to United States
business by proclamation issued by President
Cleveland.
Secretary Foster has given the subject much
study and has reached the conclusion that I'M
der all the conditions surrounding the case it
would not be wise to interfere with the consul
lar seal traffic originating in the United States
and destined to points III the United States.
Traffic originating outside this country and des-
tined to points within it might well be sub
jected to examination at the border. The
quadruplicate services required by the treasury
regulations announced in July, 1891, have, SO
the agents report, absolutely stopped all snug
ginS, SO that the revenues Of the government
suffer nothing from the consular seal System.