Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-19
THE TEN PER CENT DUTY
E1-Secretary Carlisle on Section % of the
Tariff Acs.
As Representative Of an E.,,cr,
Railway He Submits "a Brief 10
the Attorney Gencrps.

fx-secretary Carlisle has submitted .,
attorney General McKenna n hri-f con-
'"ihlhg nus views on section - of The pa,,,
.aiii ACT relating &c the imposition of tn.
~ per cent discriminating duty ON po,as
imported from foreign countries througn
c'husuous territory. Mr.. Carlisl. renr.-
SCENTS the Boston and Maine railroad ana
appeared with former Assistant S,.,rat,,-y
Hamlin, representing the associated hoard
OF trade. at the Merchants Association az
Boston
MT carlisle contends that there are Only
three possible constructions of The Law
According TO the first of these constru,-
tons IL was designed to encourage Ano--
lcan shipping interests by discriminating
ss. sooes produced I'm non-contiguutls
countries ana brought into a contiguous
country Ey vessels rot of the intel
Statesend thence imported into the United
states A cons iderabe portion of The briaf
Is devoted 10 a dlscUssion of this nron,s,
uch, IN the course of which the facts N
correction with the origin and euae tmcnr
OF the section as il now stands are stataI
anu commented upon. He concludes that
the act relates to all goods actually inn
ported in vessels not OF the United Stat.s
ana rot entitled 10 the benefits of CONNER
clai treaties, and, secondly. TO all goods
which, neing the product of a non-contig-
uous country, are imported into a contis-
uous country in vessels not of the United
States. ana thence imported into this coun-
try. in wholesale quantities
Mr.. Carlisle contends that IL the fore
gong is not the true meaning of th. Sec
ton as amended, then the only other ad-
nilsslple construction of the language Of
the section is that the provision was fe-
signed to discriminate against the whole
sale trade between the people of the Unit
ed states and the peoples of Mexico AMI
canada ia goods produced in non-contIy-
uous countries and imported into this
~ fire.,
tention on this point is that the discrin-
mating duty applies 20 all goods imported
IN vessels not of the United States and NOT
emitted to the benefits of treaty stipula-
tons; ana, secondly, to all goods produced
IN non-contiguous country i'm wholesale
quantities, no matter what may have been
the character Of the vessel I'm which they
were brought to such contiguous country.
According TO this construction, the object
OF the law was to discriminate against
goods imported into Canada and hell
there in store or in bonded warehouses TO
be afterward thrown upon the markets of
the United States in wholesale quantities.
which would make our law as to all these
goods conform 10 the existing law of Cam
ada in relation to tea and green coffee i'm
ported from the United States into Canada.
The third possible construction is that
IL imposes a discriminating duty of 10 per
cent upon all goods, duiiable and free.
which are the Product of non-conuguous
countries, and which merely pass through
the territory or jurisdiction of Mexico or
Canada on their way to the United States
from their places of departure for the
United States. This construction. he in
sists, is wholly unreasonable and contrary
to the real intention of Congress. Ii would
impose the discriminating duty upon goods
simply because they are carried through a
contiguous country; il would remedy 10
existing evil; il would infiict immense in
jury upon our railroad and other transport
tation interests, without any corresponding
benefit to the masses of the people. AMI
would undoubtedly provoke retaliation or
the part of the dominion government.