The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-31
Raised in Relation to New Tariff
Law.
is DISCRIMINATION AGAINST BIG
STEAMSHIP LINES INTENDEDg
The Omission of the words "By Act of
Congress" Leaves an Important Part
of the New Law Open to Several Com
structions.

of the New Law Open to Several Com
structions.
Washington, August 3O.-Involved in
the question of the Interpretation of sec
ton ~ of the new tariff law with regard
to the 10 per cent discriminating duty on
foreign goods coming into the United
States from Canada or Mexico, which is
now before the attorney general for de-
cision, Is another question of equal If not
greater magnitude. This other question
has almost entirely escaped public notice,
but it is giving the treasury great con-
Germ. 1t was referred to the attorney
general by Secretary Gage for intepreta-
ton along with the other..features of Sec
tlon %, which are in controversy. 1t
involves the question Of whether the dis
eliminating on 10 per cent does not ap-
ply to all goods imported in foreign yes
sells landing at United States ports which
are not exempt from discriminating ton
mage by express treaty stipulations. The
question arises from another slight deyia-
tion from the language of previous pro-
visions in section 20, which, If made in
tentionally would seem to indicate that
1T was designed to discriminate against
three -fourths of all the big trans-Atlan-
tic and trans-Pacific steamship lines as
well as many South American lines. In
all previous laws the section CORE
spending to section 20 of the new law.
after providing for the 10 per cent dis
eliminating duty on goods imported lin
vessels not flying the United States flag.
provides that "this discriminating duty
shall not apply to goods, wares or mer-
chandise which shall be imported In ves-
sells not of the United States, entitled at
the time Of such importation, by treaty
per act of Congress- to be entered in
ports of the United States on the pay
ment of the same duties as shall be then
payable on goods, etc.. imported in YES
sells of the United States"
The new law omits ''acts of Congress-
and substitutes convention, so as to
make it read not exempt by "treaty or
1t is in pursuance of an act of Con-
gress (section 42S2), that Presidents in
the past have by proclamation exempted
the vessels of many countries from this
duty. The question now
before the attorney general is whether the
of the words ''act of Congress-"
does not repeal section 1928. II It does,
foreign lines now exempt by Presidential
confine the exemption
strictly to the vessels of countries with
which we have treaties guaranteeing such
The vessels of countries
which could not be affected by an ad-
verse decision, that is, countries with
which we have treaties covering this
specific subject are: Sweden, Germany,
Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Denmark,
Italy, Greece, Chile, Argentina, Hayti,
Hawaii, Holland and Turkey. Several of
ihese countries have no merchant marine
sailing to American ports. The countries
now enjoying exemption from discrimin-
sting duties either wholly or in part un-
Ter proclamations issued in pursuance of
section 1928 of the revised statutes are
Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal,
Japan, Nicaragua and Mexico. OF course
the largest class of vessels which might
be affected are the English lines which
come to the United States not only from
British, but the Oriental countries, In
lia, South America and in fact from
every country on the globe. If British
vessels should be thrown back upon their
treaty exemptions, which are contained in
The treaty of Washington, the goods of
al British sailing vessels from the ports
except the territorial possessions in Eu-
rope would have to pay the additional 10
per cent tax. More than that, all goods
shipped in vessels not the products or
of Great Britain S European
even though shipped from
English, Scotch or Irish ports, would be
subject to the discriminating duty as the
ireaty gives exemption to only such
goods. An adverse decision would,
affect the Cunard, the Anchor,
Arrow, Transatlantic, and other trans
Atlantic lines to that extent, the French
line, the Phelps line running to the Med
terranean ports, the two Portuguese
reight lines Except products of Portu-
gall, several of the South American lines,
including what are known as the Green
inc of steamers; the Japanese, the Cana
liam Pacific and the Oriental and Acct
lent steamers on the Pacific, besides
hundreds of tramp steamers. A curious
question would arise in the case of the
French line were an adverse decision
rendered. Before Gen. Grant issued his
proclamation exempting the cargoes of
French vessels by our treaty with France,
hey paid discriminating duty of 1915