The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-02-04
A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.

President Harrison Explains the Sub
ject Of Consular Sealing.
WASHINGTON. Feb. president Har-
rison has sent to congress his reply to
the resolution of Representative Hit
relative to the transportation of i'm
ported merchandise from one port
to another Of the United States ON
Canadian territory. The resolution
asks whether or not the interests of the
United States do not require that cars
carrying such merchandise while in
in Canadian territory should not be in
the custody and under the surveillance
of an inspector of the United States
customs department, the expense
thereof to be paid by the carrier trans
porting the merchandise. The presi-
dents reply, after reviewing the ques-
tion at length, gives his conclusions as
follows:
First That article - of the treaty Of Wash
ington has been abrngated.
Second That even If ths article were in
force there is no law in force TO execute II.
Third That when in force the treaty inn
posed no obligation upon the United States to
use the concessions as tn transit made by Can
ada and no limitation upon the powers of the
United States in dealing with merchandise inn
ported for the ust, OF our citizens through
Canadian porta. or passing from one place in
the United States to another through Canada,
upon the arrival of such merchandise at our
border.
Fourth That. therefore. treaty or no treaty
the question of scaling cars containing such
merchandise, and the treatment OF snch sealed
cars when they cross our border, is and alwa
has bs en- one TO be settled 10y our laws accord
ing TO our convenience and our interests we
may see them.
Fifth-That the law authorizing the sealing
OF cars in Canada containing foreign merchan-
disc imported from contiguous country docs
hot apply to merchandise imported by our own
ypeople from countries not contiguous and car
ried into Canada for delivery to such owners
Sixth-That the law did not contemplate
the passage of sealed cars to any place not n
port, nor the delivery of such cars to the owner
or consignee TO be opened by him without the
supervision of q revenue officer.
Seventh--That such a practice Is inconsist-
ent with the safety Of the revenue.
The statutes relating to the transportation
of merchandise between the United States and
the British possessions should be the subject
of revision. The treasury regulations have
given to these laws q construction and scope
that do not think was contemplated by con-
gress. A policy adapted to the new conditions
growing In part out OF the construction of the
Canadian Pacific railroad should be declared
and the business placed upon basis more just
to our people and to our transportation compa-
mics. III we continue the policy of supervising
rates and requiring that they shall be reason
able upon the railroads OF the United States
we cannot in fairness at the same time give
these unusual facilities for competition to
Canadian roads that are free TO pursue the
practices a. to cut rates and favored rates, that
we condemn and punish II practiced by our
own railroads.
transmit herewith the correspondence be-
tween the secretary of the treasury and the at
torney general upon some phases of this
question.