New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-03

either compare the manifest with the contents Of the
cars or attach the seals The agents OF the transpora
ton companies furnished by the consul with the
seals and place THIN upon the cars
Tho practice Of scaling such merchandise notwith-
standing II has been allowed by the Treasury TO- some
wears think f. Unauthorized. such mere handiSe Is
not imported from "contignons corntry' but rom
Cbipo or Japan Ii has never lccomc subject u the
Canadian revenue laws az importation from ''pa"
10 Canada but by o; tc treaty o. hy IN" courtesy
Of that Coy eminent has bcon treajel rs suH'Vl 10
the revenue laws OF the tinted States from the time
Of landing at the Canadian port. Our treasury sea-
has been placed upon it Canada only gives ~ passage
7, "a no more an importation nom Canada than Is
tranload Of wheat that starts from Detroit ana Is
Transported through Canada to another port VI 'i'
United States.
The practice to which have referred not only
vo,,,ec tho advantages OF Canadian seaPort' with
onr own I'm the importation OF goods for on" doncSc
consumpion but makes the Canad an port la'o''u
norts OF entry The deteniioaS under TINS SHs''" AT
fbe Canadian ports are les than when the mcrchahuSe
f. landed at a port Of the United states u Nv tut
wardcd In bond another port therein
como now to discuss another clement Of 'ins
International traffic, namely. the transportation VI
merchandise from sport III me 'h'eu 80
IL. another port" therein, over the "rr''oiS "a van
oda This traffic is enormous III It's dimc"''onS' anu
very great interests have grown up III ue NV"
State In connection with II. ction 3.oo0 an'ho'Hes
al, traffic .uIicct To such rules. regulations ana
conditions rs the secretary of the Treasury may P'
scribe But tn important Limitation IS rom Po''
IN mort Section 1907 Of the Revised o'''"'''
which exempts sealed from certain ices pr'9v
the terms Of the preceding s'cton-lro" p,'
.nor, II seems tc me that sections Iooo anu
o o. contemplate the delivery Of the sealed cars AZ
. aror,p of the United States, there to be eNaHih'o
by n revenue officer and their contents >'''' Luz
IN practice the II TIE seal j. 'ounu !" ''ie '
=. he intact Is passed TO places not ports anu i
IL.
nrescnt The bill manifest accompanying 'ne
orcbo ndi.c and the unlrOkcn seal on The car HAY
,,rn,sh prir,o facic evidence that the amount anu
kind of merchandise named in the Wamles' III" S,'"
IN bc ctrtalned In the cal cane from po'. i" INV
J-n,ted States but certainly 1t WAS not m'ehueu '"'
Tho merchandise should TO the owner without 1t"
rcia oscer,ainm,n Of The ctrr' spohoeice pe'"eoh
.h hill and the actual contents Of tie car.
The question Is, are the regulations SUI" 10 ~
nroyide safeguards against irauo' OF are 'ieS ~
a. 70 make fraud easy TO those WHO have me u'el
s,,,oo % commit It, If all carrying ihis nlef-
,handise are carefully and honestly inspected W '
o,r, NJ ,adng and are securely closed during 'he
transit tho revenue would be secure for the proper
lading Of these cars Is not :ubJect 10 ouN ii"
ran only Re psrpelrated by introducing pfouuc's "o
sh.ct 10 fire. entry In practice the seals ana LOCKS
provided by the Treasury Department do not give
s.curi,v that these cars the long transit IN "hich
they are free from observation by o'hccrs VI II"
revenue may not be opened and dunape ii'r'"'F
dse added The duplication OF the seals "sco' ooi
posed OF wire and lead, Is easy anu 'he op''"'e "
locks scarcely less
~ however the cars when they arrive IN the
~ nfted states, either at the point "here VI"
boundary is crossed at some other port Oh the
United states. subject to the Inspection Oi IL
revenue officer before delivery to the consignee or
owner the manifest could he verified. The inspec-
tion however, is row limited TO an examination or
the lock or seal The car is not weighed or opened
to verify its contents. l do not think this is an
adequate protection against the surrepuiouS INTRO.
duction into the cars. while on foreign territory oil
dutiable articles. 1t will be seen by the letter OF
the Secretary OF the Treasury that gTsin the prod
nc, Of the United states is now largely transported IN
American vessels TO Canadian lake ports, and after
being there placed in elevators is sent East IN cars
sealed by agents of the Treasury No observation
is taken OF this grain until its arrival In CANADA
where only the amount and grade noted by n
Treasury agent and like amount in grade ana guam
tity Though may not be the identical grain) Is by
such agent billed and sealed in cars for carriage to
the United States. do not find any statute
authorizing this practice Section 3.oO6 which author
ICES this interstate trade through Canada, Is limited
to merchandise passing from port' to port" OF
the United States. and plainly means that such mer
chsndlse shall be taken IN by our revenue Officers Mt
sport Of the United states starting point
The following arc the conclusions at woieh have
arrived
First. That article 30 OF the Treaty OF Washington
second. That If this article were in force there
is no law In force to execute II.
Third. That when In force the treaty imposed no
obligation upon the United states TO the
sioils to transit made by Canada and no limitation
upon powers OF the United States in dealing With
through Canadian ports. or passing from one place in
Ule United states u another through Canada, upon
the arrival Of such MERCHANDISE at cur border.
Fourth. That therefore treaty no treaty The
question of sealing cars containing such merchandise
and the Of such sealed when they
border Is and always has been one to be settled by
our laws according TO our convenience and our interests
as we may see them.
Fifth. That TIE law authorizing the sealing Of cars
from contiguous country does not apply TO merchsn
disc imported by own people from countries not
contiguous and carried through Canada for delivery TO
sixth. That the law did not contemplate the passing
Of sealed cars TO any place not port nor the de
livery Of such cars TO ne owner or cOpsisnee 10 De
o Ra1 " ''''''N' '''''" V
seventh. That such practice is inconsistent with
the safety Of The ,,s RECOMMENDATION o, NOR
chandise between the United States and the British
possessions should be tho subject Of revision; Inc
construction and scope that do not think was con
tempated by Congress. A policy adapted TO the new
80. aSada Fc 6s s G shd G BE- and
the business placed basis more Just TO our people
and TO our transportation companies II we continue
the policy OF supervising rates and requiring mat tney
shall be equal and reasonable upon the railroads OF the
United States we cannot in fairness at the same time
give these unusual facilities for competition TO Cana
dian roads that free pursue the practices as
punish II practisod by DIR own railroads.
regret that circumstances prevented an earlier ex-
these Views in the hope that they may lead to
vision OF the law upon safer and 1user basis
transmit herewith the correspondence between
this Secretary Of the Treasury and the AttorneyGen.
sra' up0" '0'"0 p'"''' BENJAMIN HARRISON.
Executive Mansion, Feb. p 1898.