The San Francisco call., 1897-04-21
REBATES ON BAGS
AND TIN PLATE
The Senate Memorializsd
by the Chamber of
Commerce.
A Compass Swinging Station
Decided to Be a Pressing
Necessity.
Need of Eikins' Bill for the American
Merchant M Mlrine-Delay in
China Mails.

The regular quarterly meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce was held yester-
day afternoon. All matters to come be-
fore the meeting had been prearranged
and memorials TO Congress were drafted
and carried through with the regularity
of clockwork.
First TO be brought before the meeting
was the question of a rebate on tinplstes
used in canning. Julian Sonntar, the
chairman of the tariff committee ap-
pointed by the recent tariff conference,
stated that the matter had been drawn 10
his attention by several communications,
the nature and purport of which he pro-
ceeded TO reveal. The result was the
adopt on of the following mem orial to
Congress by unanimous vote:
To the Honorable Senate of the United States
GENTLEMEN: The Cham ber of Commerce of
San Francisc co respectfully urges upon your
honorable body the continued permission in
plate imported and used in the export can
ming trade. 1t is a concession to the great
and growing canning industry OF the Pacific
Coast which will not work injury to the
American tin manufacturer. Ii denied the
benefit of a drawback thereon it will tend TO
destroy our salmon-canning industry, as our
com mpetitors therein in British Colum bia use
the imported tin free of duty ana can thus
under ell US. Our fruii-capning industry needs
lnlS concession ana IL granted IL Will, with In
creased output, draw more heavily on Ameri-
can plate in addition. The amount of the
duty thus remitted is of little conse quence 10
the American manufacturers, while at present
OF vital moment TO us. For these reasons we
pray the honorable Senate to grant us this
boon, and with assurances of our high respect
su oscri be ourselves your obedient servants,
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SAN FRANCISCO.
A the request of Captain w. L. Merry,
who made an earnest argument 10 the et
feet that most of the accidents occurring
on this coast are the result of badly ad-
justed compasses, the following communi-
cation anent the establishment Of a com
pass swinging station was ordered sent 10
the Secretary OF the Navy:
To Hon. John d. Iona Secretary of the NAM.
Washington, D. C.-sIR: The Chamber of Com
merce oi San Francisco respe ct:ully refers to
you the lncosed correspondence with the ad-
miral commanding the Mare Island naval
station, and requests that If mpati BILE with
the public service the anchors, chains and
buoys necessary 10 establish a COMPASS swing
ing station at the port OF San Fran ci co may be
loaned this chamber for this purpose only. 1t
is intended to have selection for the station
mace by the officers of the United States Coast
and Geodetic Survey and the officers in charge
OF the Branch photographic Office at this port
and the officer in charge of the Twelfth Light
house District, with the purpose of establish
ing the station where it will be available Tor
naval as we'll us merchant vessels, and out of
the general course of navigation. The
provement is one greatly needed Dy the ship
ping on this coast, and we entertain the hope
that the BILE Secretary OF the Navy Will
grant us this aid 10 navigation in the public
interest With assurances OF our n igh esteem,
we have the honor 10 subscribe ourselves your
obedient servants,
The CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SAN Francisco.
A memorial was also drafted and will
be sent to Congress petitioning the enac-
tion OF the proposed bill introduced into
the Senate by Senator Elkins for the re-
habiIitation of the Anne rican commercial
marine in the foreign trade. Reference
was made to its glorious past and its
ignoble present condition, and it was en-
phatically asserted that the passage of
such bill would give an impetus to do
mestic manufacturing interests and thus
in great measure aid in the return of
prosperity to the country.
Another memorial 10 the Senate one
which means great deal to the farming
interests of this coast, was with regard to
the question OF a rebate on grain bags,
and created a deal of favora BILE discussion.
1t was adopted unanimously and was in re-
ality the most important action at the
session. The memorial reads in full as
follows:
To the Honorable Senate of the United States
GENTLEMEN: The agricultural interests of the
Pacific Coast have suffered from the severe de-
preston OF the past four years equally with
other portions of our common country and in
one respect have borne a burden from which
other sections have been exempt. We sllude
TO The use OF sacks In shipping cereal products
for export, amounting to about 80 cen per
ton, including extra labor. Were the Nicara.
qua canal completed this item would have
saved our farmers about $640,000 in the
past year, and with prospects OF an export sur
plus ior 1897 of 100000 tons about $780,
900. 1t is the desire of this Cham Der OF Com
merce to aid the Pacific Coast wheal-groWer
from part OF this exceptional burden. and to
this end we respectfully urge upon your hon.
orable body that a rebate equal 10 the full
amount oil the duty be allowed on all SACKS
used for the export OF wheat and bariey
Even then the Pacific Coast wheat-grower will
be Mt O disadvantage with Eastern competl ors
owing to increased distance, cost and time in
reaching European markets, which can only
be elimina ted when short cheap water route
to consuming markets can be reached throu gh
the canal. Confident that the United States
Sen ate will favorably consider VIII at appears
TO us as a ia ir and reasonable request we have
the honor 10 subscribe ourselves, with great
respect your fellow-oitizens,
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SAN Francisco
II was resolved that the standing com.
mittee on foreign commerce and revenue
laws be requested to call the attention of
San Francisco merchants to the sdyisa-
bility of increasing their commerce with
the west coast of South America and with
Southern Africa. and request their CO.
operation in an effort to reach these mar.
kets, both OF which were represented tn
be full of promise.
Chairman Hugh Craig said that ha baa