Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-12

This morning there assembled in the banquet
hall Of the Arlington Hotel about one hundred
men representing the boards of trade and other
commercial bodies Of the country. who meet in
pursuance to a call for a national ship canal
convention issued on the Esd Of last month by
the chamber Of commerce Of Duluth Mimi.
The purpose Of the convention is to secure
the passage by Congress Of bill appro-
priating sum for the survey OF q route for a
proposed deep water ship canal connecting the
great lakes and the Atlantic. The call for the
convention sets forth that from q military point
Of view IL Is Of the utmost importance that
this connection should be made through
American territory, but no decisive action
looking TO the construction Of such a canal has
ever been taken. During the past year, how
ever. public attention has been sharply drawn
to the matter by the controversy between the
governments Of the Omitted States and the
dominion Of Canada over the discriminate
ing tolls levied by the latter upon American
commerce passing through the Welsnd canal,
and the passage Of the so-called retaliation act
imposing corresponding tolls upon Canadian
commerce using the Sault canal. Instead Of
receding from o position which is mani
testify in violation Of treaty stipulations, the
dominion government ia Fastening by every
means in its power the enlargement Of the St.
Lawrence canals and the construction Of a
Canadian canal at the Sault, with the evil
dent intention Of presently closing the Welland
and St. Lawrence canals to American
commerce. either directly or by the
imposition Of prohibitive tolls The people Of
the United States are thus brought face to face
with the fact that within five years at most the
merchant ships of Canada, and British men-of-
war as well, will have an bpen way between
the ocean and the lakes. while the Erie
canal with but six feet Of water will constitute
the only water way between Lakes Erie and
nv~Ac - 49,. A. - A.
for both the commerce and the navy that sails
beneath the American flag.
All commercial associations, including indus
trial unions and farmers organizations, and
also all incorporated municipalities, were in
vited to appoint each five delegates to this
invited by special communication to attend the
convention and to appoint five citizens Of his
state as delegates at large.
ORGANIZING THE CONVENTION.
The convention was called to order at II 80
by Secretary 8. A. Thompson Of the Duluth
(Minn) chamber Of commerce, who read the
call for the convention and called for nomina-
tons for temporary chairman.
Mr.. Wheeler thereupon nominated Mai. NJ
r. Baldwin, president of the Duluth chamber
of commerce and member-elect to the Fifty
third Congress from the sixth Minnesota dis
trict.
Maj. Baldwin was unanimously elected, and
in returning his thanks for the honor conferred
upon him said that he would depart from the
usual custom Of presiding officers in delivering
a lengthy address and merely state the neces-
sity of the canal from local standpoint. He
remarked that Duluth was for a time
perhaps best known here as Proctor
Knots zenith city of the great unsalted sea- ~
But it was more than that now, and Duluth
would have the canal if it had to provide the
necessary 800, 1000. 900, yet it did seem
that Congress could well afford to ap-
propriate sum sufficient to make
the necessary surveys for the proposed canal.
Duluth was the point of delivery of country
producing annually $50 900 900 bushels Of
wheat and 5000 900 barrels of -four. and by the
construction Of the canal the producer would
receive an advance Of at least 10 cents on each
bushel.
On the motion Of Mr.. Davenport Of Pennsyl-
vania Mr.. s. A. Thompson OF Duluth was
elected temporary secretary.
COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.
After the following committee on credentials
had been appointed the convention adjourned
until 2 o'clock to await the report of the COM
mittee-S A. Davenport, Pennsylvania; F. F.
Wheeler, New York; Thomas Garfield Mime
sota Antonio Joseph. New Mexico, and Harri-
son Allen, North Dakota.
There win be meeting this evening at 8
o'clock, which will be public in its character.