The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-04
INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS UNION.
Closer Trade Relations With british
Columbia Desirable.

Washington city. May Especial
Walter A. Donaldson. a member Of the
commission now engaged IN compiling
and revising the customs laws. and who
was the treasury representative at the
Worlds fair. Midwinter exposition and
NorthvveSf Interstate fair. IS much in
,erase ID IN A continental customs union.
The work fn which Mr.. Donaldson Is now
engaged tends TO strengthen hts IDEAS,
NfTi-h were first brought out AZ the
Worlds fair and later enlarged al san
Francisco and Tacoma. II was AZ the
latter place that the creates. necessity
FOR co,rnrneTciaa uTsion was manifest In
SPA king OF the work Of the government
officers al fhts fair and the deductions 70
be drawn from the experience obtained
Mr. Donaldson said:
"Our office was in Tacoma, wshich Is
Io,afed n the Puget Sound district. and
requests for Information and advtre We're
qulea numerous. The proximity of the
rttssrry,s house TO the frontier continuously
brings up this Interesting point Of de-
veloping international relations by re
cFprBraliy adjusting the regulations IN
zrrh manner as 20 facilitate C>onlTnerc bal
intercourse The dispositions ia the
higher adninjss ration circles Of Canada.
- far as | have been able 70 learn. IS I'm
favor II * xtrndiug privileged facilities 70
orr people. This IS Continually apparent
culiariy situated. being contiguous 70
British Columbia. which. although a por-
ton of the Dominion ~ Canada. SOW
ereiErrfy almosr autonomous. IS never
theless the military stronghold and com
merc1ai outpost on this coast of Great
Britain our Cllef rival fn acquiring prf-
macy IN the Pacific IL may zoe observed
fhat the xeograph al and political con-
difiouS ~ fne ;wo nations are s71rh that
they find themselves face % face IN tne
Northwest and thae they are now IN
direct cougges tttoa FOR supTs macy IN the
trade Of ehe Pacific and she Orient, 4n
s-iex u the radically altered condition n
Eastern Asia, consequent upon recent
events n wouli APPEAR 10 d. critically
oppyrruue 70 MAKE special FroTts, ~7f1-
or any loss of Zine. % nos only main
tain l.It enlarge our share % commerce
ir -fis quarter of the siooe. Mess tae
gf.st RIOT OF EsflEer sound f~a provided WIN
complete facilities for exT-a..itsously trans
assfnz the customs business 8rth as few
vaxatfosz hirfraac@s In the matter ot
lasTs or regulations thar are not Tow q
essential importance, 70 say HsotE4ng 81
sarta rhat may have heen chiefly Oh
s,r~l-tive. the FTansC9ntinesltSl trade VIII
cor,-lnue % s@ek me channels through
s-fA.h there - the minimum Of delay,
The d4~7rs~. - Puget SOUND Ho0sa a.
near % demand ths Haoet aTz1pie ss1Eo-
isssssnen apart from sac mere Ques5Aon
,,f collecting a certain amount ~ duty
TIE sraticzfcal element IN tfe Ierce2 i1izse
~ es,st Of cssaieS-fug the same is cSfuT3trA-
rIv4lv lrayuaseTlal and y ssnss INTO IA
ssrrsff-erre when she qussston o1 rTlsasr-
.ain5nR ana Increasing oar commercial
s-a-tts 10 kha zreaeest g,css4aie eXterf -
considered Mere statistical c--s4} ris~9sAs
wtth esher d.srrscss may be tnteFssSiEls;.
hfss they 80 nos cover the szot-ct er nsss<
,ne issue prsss1tsss.
II las ssEuck E.s thai y Is quite feast