St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-03
President Harrison Submits
His Message on Consular
Sealing System.
Recommends the Revision of
the Statutes Relating
to It.
Canadian Roads Should Be
Treated the Same as Our
Own.
An Argument in Favor Of Co.
Operation in Rate MAX
ing.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Q. : President
Harrison sent to the house today his
message dealing with the subject of the
importation of foreign goods into the
United States across the Canadian Dor
der under consular seal. The president
discusses at length the treaty obliga-
lions which affect the subject growing
out of the provisions of article 90 of the
treaty of Washington, and arrives at
the following conclusions:
First. that article 20 of the treaty of
Washington has been abrogated. Sec
ond, that even if this article were in
force. there is no law in force to execute
it. Third, that when in force the treaty
imposed no obligation upon the United
States to use the concessions as to
transit made by Canada and no limita-
ton upon the powers of the United
States in dealing with merchandise i'm
ported for the use of our citizens
through Canadian ports. or passing
from one place in the United States to
another through Canada, upon the ar
rival OF such merchandise at our
border. Fourth, that, therefore, treaty
or no treaty, the. question OF seal
ing cars containing such mer-
chandiSe and the treatment of
such sealed cars when they cross
our border is and always has been one
to be settled by our laws according to
cur cOnvenienceS and our interests as
we may see them. Fifth, that the law
authorizing the sealing of cars in Can
ada containing foreign merchandise i'm
ported from contiguous country
Does Not Apply
to merchandise imported by our own
people from countries not contiguous
China and Japan, and carried to Can
ada for delivery to such owners. Sixth,
that the law did not contemplate the
passing of sealed cars to any place not a
port" nor the delivery of such cars to
the owner or cOnslgnee TO be opened by
film without the supervision OF rev.
enue officer Seventh, that such q
practice is inconsistent with the safety
OF the revenue.
The statutes relating to the trans
portation OF merchandise between the
United States and British possessions
should be the subject of revision. The
treaty regulations have given to these
laws construction and Il scope that L
do not think was contemplated by con-
gress. A policy adapted to the new
c0nqltlOnS growing IN parI out OF the
construction of the Canadian Pacific
railroad should be declared, and the
business placed upon basis moro just
to our people and to our transportation
companies. If we continue the policy
of supervising rates and requiring
that they shall be equal and reasonable
upon the railroads Of the United States.
we cannot, in fairness, at the same time
give these unusal facilities for COM
petition to Canadian roads that are
free to pursue the practices as to cut
rates and favored rates that we condemn
and punish if practiced by our own
railroads. l regret that circumstances
prevented an earlier examination by me
of these questions, but submit now these
views in the hope that they may lead
to a revision of the laws upon safer
and juster basis"