New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-03
PRICE THREE CENTS.
TRADE ACROSS THE BORDER
THE PRESIDENT DIsAPPROyES OF THE
CONSULAR SEAL SYSTEM.
OFFERS NO SUFFICIENT SAFEGUARD
kEJN.,T SNT'f,CIING.
AGAINST SMUGGLING.

Washington, Feb 2.-The President to-day sent
in his message TO Congress on the Canadian bond
transit question. 1t began as follows:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:
ON the 23d Of July last The following resolution OF
tic House Of Representatives communicated to me:
Resolved That the President be requested to Inform
the House II incompatible with the public interests
wha. regulations In force concerning the transporta
ton Of imported merchandise In bond or duty paid and
products OF manufacture, Of the United States rom ono
por: in the United Canadian territory TO
another port therein under the provisions of section 3ooe
Of Revised whether further leg station thereon
l. advisable and especially whether care
inspection such merchandise should not be had &C
the frontiers OF the United states the departure and
such merchandise and whether the interests OF
the United States do require that each car containing
such merchandise while in Canadian territory be In the
custody and the surveillance OF an inspector OF the
United Customs Department. the cost Of such sur
vclancc to bc paid by the foreign carer Transporting
such merchandise.
The resolution Is limited in its scope to the subject
OF the transit OF merchandise from one port In the
United states through Canadian territory 10 another
port in tho United states under the provision OK
section 3.OO6 OF the Revised statutes; but nave
concluded that 4 review Of our treaty obligations u
any, and Of our legislation upon the whole subject
Of the transit OF goods from, to or through Canada
desirable and therefore address this message TO tha
Congress.
It should be known, before legislation IS pro-
roscd whether the United states IS under any treaty
the provisions of article 30 of the Treaty OF Wash
| ingon.
The President cites that article and says:
1t will be noticed that the provision IS here made:
FIRST for the transit in bond. without payment OK
duties, OF goods arriving at specified ports OF the
United States and Mt Others to BE- designated py 'hs
President destined for CaEada second. for the IRAN
sit from Canada to ports OF the United states "'o's
the payment Of duties, of merchandise for export
| Of diSp
madam norris destined for the United States, through
CANADIAN territory the United states without the
paymcnt Of duties to the Dominion government
lorh for the transit OF merchandise from the Uhited
-taes to Canadian ports for export Without tue pays
mcnt OF duties and fifth. for the transit of merchan-
disc without the payment OF duties, from the United
states, through Canada, to other places IN the on'"~
States. n
The first and second Ct these provisions were con-
cessons by the United states, and were maze sun'eoS
TO "such rules, regulations and cohdi'lohs ior u'o
,rotecton Of the revenue as the Government OF uie
inited states may from time to time prescribe
rho third four,h and fifth provisions OF the arucio
are concessions the part OF the DOMINION oi .an-
ada, and are made subject ITO such rules reguauohS
and conditions for the protection of the revenue as
tho Governments OF the said possessions may iroin
,,mo IN time prescribe" The first and second ana
the third and fourth Of these provisions are recp'oc
in their nature. The fifth, which proVides lor u'o
transit of merchandise from one point in he Chi,'o
,iut, through Canada, to another pOlH III the ri'e"
,tot., /, not nct by reciWo al provision LOT inc
Massage OF Canadian goods from one point Ill CahadA
n another pon I'm Canada through the United sta'ess
II this article Of the treaty IS in force the obeauons
assumed by the United states should be fdny ana
bonorably observed until such time as tnls "oNern-
ment shall free itself from them by methods pro-
vdd I'm the treaty or recognized by International aw'
II * however, no part of the obligation resting upon
the United States under the treaty that IL VIII use he
concessions made 10 IL by Canada Ihs 1oNeiti"ens
would undoubtedly meet its full duty by yieains' l"
an annie manner the concessions made BY IT 10
Canada. IL.
The ouesons whether we shall continue TO allow
merchandise TO DIS, from point In the Cnlted
States through Canadian territory, 10 ano'her po's
in the United States, and If So to what e&ac'iohs ana
examinations 1t hall lie subjected on e-enterihg QUIZ
territory are wholly within the power OF congress,
without reference 10 the quesu n whether ar'ci1
30 is is not In force.
The President reviews at length the leglslaH
ton of Congress, placing construction upon
article % of the treaty, and quotes Mr. Bayard
as holding that article 20 was unaffected py
| the abr6cation of the fisheries articles and was
still in force. In August, 1888, however, Alr.
Cleveland in a message to Congress expressed
his opinion Of the question in the following Ian
guage:
In any event. and whether the Law Of 1873 COM
strncs the treaty or II, section % OF sucu
| l have doubt terminated WIN tne PV>
ccediuGs taken by our Government 10 terminus
| articles Is TO o5 inclusive and article 80 OF the
| treaty. II by any language used In tne
Joint resolution It intended to relieve section
3 OF the act OF 1873, embodying article % OF the
| treaty. from its own limitations, or to save ths
article itself am entirely satisfied that the intentou
| mlscarred
| President Harrison says.
have asked the opinion of the Attorney-Generat
upon this question. and he Is OF the opinion thaa
| article 20 has been abrosated~
lie adds
But the question whether article % Is IN torcs
has less practical importance than has been sup
pyscd for It does not. II in force. place any re-
etralns upon the United states as TO the method
OF dealing with imported merchandise destined for the
| United states arriving Canadian port for trans
| portation TO the United States. OF merchandise
| passing through Canadian territory from one place
| in the United States 10 another lc would be no
nfracton either OF the letter OF the spirit Of the
| treaty. If we should stop. unload and carefully
| inspect every vehicle arriving at our border with
| such merchandise Nor,' the other hand. would
Canada violate her obligations under the treaty By
! like treatment Of merchandlse imported through the
port Of New York on its arrival in Canada.
He quotes and discusses at length the sections
| OF the Revised Statutes bearing on this SUBJ
| iect. and continues as follows:
II will be seen that the law permits merchandise ar
riyuc at the port, of New-Iork. Boston, Portland In
Maine and at other ports, specially designated oy the
secretary of the Treasury for places In the adacehe
British DR. vnces 10 be entered at the Custom House OF
the port where 1t Is landed and conveyed through the
,rritorv Of the United states without the payment
of duty under regulations TO b. prescribed by the sec'
rearv OF the Treasury. As these goods come imme'
dately and fully under the inspection OF our customs
officers at the principal ports. entered there ana
remain until they cross the border into canada iniy
undcr cur super, -ion, there is little or no danger In
volved "a revenue