Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1893-02-11
A SPECIAL MESSAGE.
1t is SEM to Congress by the
President,
And Relates to the-Importstion OF Foreign
Goods Across the Canadian EorGer
Under Consular seal-The Law
Needs Revision.

Neeus heffSiOu.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3-President Har-
rison yesterday sent to congress his re-
ply to the resolution of Representative
HIT relating to the regulations gov
erning the transportation OF imported
merchandise from one part of the
United States to another over Canadian
territory. The resolution asks whether
or not the interests of the United States
do not require that cars carrying such
merchandise while in Canadian terri.
tory should be in the custody and under
the supervision Of an inspector of tie
United States customs department, the
expense thereof to be paid by the car
rier transporting the merchandise. The
president says:
The resolution Is limited in its scope to the
subject OF transit Of merchandise from one part
IN the United States through Canadian terri
tory, to another port in the United States un.
der The provision Of Section 3,0j OF the revised
statutes but have concluded that review Of
our treaty obligations II any, and Of our legisla
ton upon the whole subject Of the transit or
therefore add this message TO the congress 1t
shout be known, before nov legislation is pro-
posed, whether the United States is under any
treaty Obligations Of article 20 OF the treaty Of
Washington
The question whether we shall continue to al
low merchandise TO pass fro IN one point in the
United States, through Canadian territory, 10
another point in the United States, and if so to
what exnctons and examinations II shall he
subject on reentering our territory, are wholly
within the power OF congress without reference
10 the question whether article 20 Is or Is not in
force
The president reviews at length the legisla
ton Of congress placing q construction upon
| article ~ OF the treaty and adds: have asked
the opinion Of the attorney general upon this
question and he Is OF the opinion that article 20
has been abrogated
But the question whether article 20 is In force
hiss less practical Importance than has been
su postd-fJr II does not, II in force, place any
restraints upon the United States as to the
method Of dealing with imported merchandise
destined for the Unitei States arriving at Ca
madam port for transportation to the United
States, OF merchandise passing through Cana.
dian territory from one place in the United
States to another
II would be no infraction either Of the letter
u
unload, and carefully inspect every vehicle ar
irving at our border viii such mer thsndi;c
Nor, on the other hand, would Canada Violate
her obligations under the treaty b; a Ike treat
ment Of merchandise imported through the port
OF New York on its arrival In Canada L. will
lie seen that the law permits merchandise ARR
wing OF the Forts Of New York, Boston, Port.
land Nc, and OF other points specially desig
mated by the secretary OF the treasury, for
places in the adjacent British provinces to be
entered at the custom house Of the port where
II Is landed and conveyed through the territory
OF the United States without the payment OF
duty under regulations TO be prescribed b. the
secretary OF the treasury As these goods come
Immediately and full y under the inspection OF
our custom officers a. the principal Ior,s are
entered there and remain until they cross our
border into Canada, fully under our super
vision there is little or no danger involved in.
our revenue.
IA TO merchandise imported into the United
States from contiguous foreign country, it is
provided by Section 3lo2 that the inspection on
the port OF arrival In the United states be
avoided II the vehicle In which the same arrives
has been sealed or closed by some otlcer Of the
United States duly authorized Ut some point IN
the contiguous country, It is important to be
noticed that merchandise thu! this section re-
fers to is derived in Section 3loo US merchant Sc
etc, imported into the United States from any
contiguous foreign country"
A practice has grown up OF allowing merchan
disc from China and Japan, purchased and i'm
ported from those countries by our own citizens
and landed at ports in the Dominion OF Canada,
10 be there loaded into the cars which. being
sealed by an o1!csr OF the United States OF
some one supposed 10 represent: him, are for
warded through the territory of Canada across
the entire continent and allowed 20 eros our
frontier without other inspection than an exam
ination Of the seals. The practice OF sealing
such merchandise, notwithstanding II has been
allowed by the treasurer for some years, think
Is unauthorized
come now 10 discuss another element 81 this
international nfair, namely: The transportl.
ton OF merchandise from one port in the
United States to another port therein, over
the territory of Canada,
In practice, the car, II the seal is found in the
border to be intact. is passed to places not
ports" and is opened and unloaded b. The con.
signee no oilicer being present
The question is, are the regulations such as TO
provide proper safeguards against fra d, or are
they such as TO make fraud easy to those who
have the dlspost on to commit il:
The following are the conclusions at which
have arrived:
First, that article % OF the treaty Of Wash.
ington has been abrogatei
Second, that even IL this article were in force
there is no law in force to execute it,
Third tina. when in force, ths treaty imposed
no obligation upon the United States to Use the
concessions as to transit merchandise by Cana
da and no Limitation uron the powers of the
United States In dealing with merch ,ndise i'm
ported for the Use OF our citizens through Cana.
da ports or passing from one place in the
United States TO another through Canada, upon
the arrival Of such merchandise at or Border
Fourth. that, therefore the treaty or no
treaty, the question Of sealing cars containing
such merchandise and the treatment of such
sealed cars when they cross our border, is and
always has been one to b. settled by our laws
according TO our convenience md our interests
as We may see them 1T
Fifth. that the law authorizing the sealing of
ears In Canada containing foreign mcrch' II iise
imported from contiguous country, does not
apply 10 merchandise imported b. our own pco
pie from countries not contiguous and carried
through Canad, for delivery to such owners.
Sixth that the law did not contemplate the
passing OF sealed cars TO any place not port"
nor the delivery Of such cars to the owner or
consignee 70 be opened by him without the SUI
pervison Of q revenue officer,
Seventh, that such practice Is inconsistent
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 beet Of
revision The treasury regulations have given
TO these laws construction and scope that
do not think was contemplated by congress
policy adopted TO the new conditions growing in
par, out OF the construction Of the Canadian Pa.
cihc railway shou d be declared ~ the bust
ness placed upon o basis more j,s, 10 our poo.
pie and to our transportation companies.
Waut to Go Back.
ZANHsYIlLE. O., Feb. 3.-Abont fifty