Evening journal., 1893-01-06

President Harrison and Secretary of the
Treasury Foster Consider the Adjust
ment of Canadian and American Rail-
road Differences Arising From the Con-
suIar Seal Law--American Interest on
Both Sides.
WASHINGTON, jan 6.-Secretary
Foster went from the treasury yesterday
afternoon to the White House armed
with report prepared by Assistant
Secretary Spaulding on the question of
railroad traffic between the United States
and Canada under the consular seal.
ing law of 1864.
The President and the Secretary went
over the whole subject with great care
seeking for remedy that may be
applied to remove the irritation that has
been provoked among the managers of
American railways by the efforts of the
Canadian railways to turn the law to
their account by depriving the railways
in this country of much business to which
they consider themselves entitled and
which they feel that the law is enabling
the Canadians to rob them of.
The President took up this business
with the belief that q remedy could soon
be found, and that it could be applied SO
as o distress the Canadians without en-
barrassment to domestic interests. In
conversation with members of Congress
and others he has given the impression
that he would speedily .dnd a way to
check the draught of business from the
United States into Canada, and that the
Congr sss would help him promptly to
carry out any plan that he might formu
late or suggest in outline in a message
on the subject.
Difficulties of Adjustment.
After his talk with Secretary Foster his
desire to arrest the Canadians in their
course was not lessened, but the difficult
ties in the way of checking the business
habits of Americans who are interested
to some extent in the practices fostered
by Canadians had become much larger
than they were. Secretary Foster in his
report presented history of the origin
of the Consular sealing law of 1864, and
traced its operation from the time that
the sealing was DONE for the small bust
ness offered by the Consuls in person.
At that time there was no thought Of en-
ploying the privilege for business with
the Pacific coast. II was intended and
was supposed to be necessary for the
Lake traffic only.
Originally the act was one entitle d
can act to prevent smugglieg." The
precautions taken about the application
of the seal by the consul, and its removal
by an officer whose duty it became to see
that the manifest accompanying the
cargo was a true account of the goods
shipped under the seal, have never proved
inadeNuate to protect the Government
against loss of smuggling. AS a matter
of fact, the Government officers say that
the Canadians have been so we'll satisfied
with the advantages gained by the act
that they have been extremely careful
to see that it was strictly observed, even
going to the expense of employing men
to watch and maintain perfect obedience
to the requirements of the law.
Consular Inspection Outgrown.
The growth Of the railroad business be.
tween the Two countries has, however,
Outgrown the powers Of the Consular
officers to personally attend to the seal
ing of the cars or cargoes. Many years
ago the tratfice had become so great as
carried on under the Consular sealing
law, that the employees of the railroads
obtained the seals from the Consuls, ap-
piled them themselves, and put the Con,
sui to the trouble only of looking at the
certificate and signing it, In order to
carry out the law as it was intended to
be enforced. by the personal attention OF
the Consuls, a larger force of men and
larger appropriations of money would be
needed. The Congress would not make
the appropriations and so the old custom
of allowing the interested railroads to dc
the work and pay the fees, which went
into the Treasury and not into the pock
cts OF the Consul. was continued.
The Treasury and the President are not
possessed Of all the figures showing the
traffic between the United States and
Canada under the sealing law, but it il
to be very considerable. But as has beer
said, capital in the United States Ii
divided in interest between the two side,
of the question.
To Recommend a Modified Law.
The probability is that the Presiden
will recommend to Congress the modifi
cation of the law of 1864. The expecta
tion Is that the sealing in the United
States to points in the United States
through Canada be withdrawn.