The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-15

of the contract labor law as offering an
other analogy. Laborers unlawfully COM
ing to the United States must be deported
they came
Mr.. Hamin also devoted some attention
to the old Cape of Good Hope" statute to
show that the object of those discriminating
duties was to compel direct trade with the
United States and eliminate the profits of
the middle man; Mr.. Hamlin argued that
the statute, as shown by its history, related
only TO vessels, and ventured the assertion
that it had been placed in the statute al the
instigation of vessel owners.
To this, however, the attorney general de-
INJURED, saying re understood that Senator
Elkins was its author. And If vessels only
were meant. why, he asked, was contiguous
territory mentioned?
Mr. Carlisle at this point interrupted to
urge that the word vessel whether for our
ports or those of contiguous territory, quail
flied the whole section.
In conclusion MIR. Hamlin spoke of the
vast Importance of the construction Of the
stat,,ta r. would REQUIRE an hour he said
for him to begin to tell Of the interests
which would be affected by an adverse ruI-
ing. And though such a ruling might ulti-
mately be reversed by the courts the rul-
ing itself would do an immense amount of
injury. The West Northwest, North and
Northeast, he said, were just beginning to
wake up to recognition of the far-reach-
ing character of this question. He asked
that those opposed TO this suggested taxa
ton be given the benefit OF any doubt.
Joseph Nmmo, Of New York, who is con-
nected with the Bureau of Statistics, asked
Of the subject 1t had been war OF the
transportation interests of the United
States and Canada since 1S4S. Canada had,
he said deported herself not only as gov
eminent but as a railroad and canal cor
poration. To the craftness of politics she
had ADDED the tricks of business. She had
built the Canadian Pacific a cost of S2l5,-
900 coo to divert American commerce from
American ships and American railroads. he
confessed that he did not know how this
coRtroverted clause had got into the stat
ute but he thought it was q cunningly de-
vised plan to stop the present evil
Mr.. Carlisle. who had been called into the
case only last night, in closing the hearing
said that if Section % did not apply only to
tie vessels he agreed with Mr.. Hamlin that
But he contended that the whole statute
related only to goods imported in vessels
of the United States" The old statute did
not meet all the requirements While it
imposed the discriminating duties of cargoes
In vessels not of the United States Except
where treaty stipulations exempted them)
coming directly to United States ports, 1t
did not touch goods brought in such vessels
to contiguous territory and then shipped
to the United States. He argued that the
clause had been inserted to prevent Just
such roundabout importatiOnS Which now
escaped the discriminating tax. He quoted
from Senator Allisons explanation that the
amendment made no change in the existing
statute, except as to such goods coming INTO
the United States from contiguous terri
tory which escaped the discriminating duty.
Mr.. McKenna asked if the last clause of
the statute, exempting such goods imported
into the usual course of the retail trade,
did not initiate against Mr.. Carlisle's con-
structon, to which the latter responded
that the words ''such goods" must refer to
goods imported in vessels not of the United
States.
After Mr. Carlisle concluded the attorney
general pointed out that there must have
been in the minds of the Legislators who
framed the clause meaning for the sub
stitution of the words came into for
Imported when applied to contiguous ter
ritory.
Mr.. Carlisle asked if goods in bond from
China could be considered goods imported
from Canada.
The attorney general said they were not
importations. Then, Mr.. Carlisle said that
fact furnished an adequate explanation. If
such goods were not importations, then the
words "came into would have to be used.
The attorney general gave Mr.. Carlisle
and Mr.. Hamlin until Wednesday next to
file their briefs.