The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-26

SEATTLE, WEDNESDAY, JAN. ~.



1t appears at last to have dawned
upon the Canadian merchants that IL IL
the distinct purpose OF the United
States 10 give no advantage In the mat
ter of Klondike customs duties With
out a compensating return privilege. IL
has been supposed by them. and 1t has
been loudly proclaimed. that arrange
ments had been made whereby cana
dian goods destined for the Northwest
Territory could b.. sent across American
soil free Of duty. The foundation Tor
this statement Is a recent news dispatch
from Washington which declared that
the treasury department had decided to
accede To Canadian demands and revise
the present regulations by which fun
duties are imposed, or other expenses
added equal in amount To the full tarin.
The dispatch was not authoritative,
and. so far as we have been able to
is strong reason To believe that the
treasury officials are alive 10 the situa-
ton. and that they win not knowingly
restrict an opportunity for great COM
mercial Vantage To the merchants of
the United States. IL has been stated
that il is the purpose of the Washing
ton government To issue In a few days
a full official statement OF the customs
laws and regulations of the two coun-
tries II is To be supposed that the de-
lay has been caused, in part at least,
by negotiation and the adjustment of
differences between the Ottawa and
Washington authorities.
What is it that the Canadians de-
mand? They would require an enforce
ment of their tariff duties to the very
letter. fancying that the result would
be- to drive many Americans TO their
cities for the purchase OF supplies. They
propose also To require the United States
government 10 open up, for their full
benefit. a channel OF traffic across its
own territory. under a provision Of the
tariff laws inserted for emergent pur-
poses and tn allow either country
freedom of trade with It's own natural
customers and it's own countrymen.
The United States. following tha letter
o. the law. voluntarily took the first
step toward grant of the bonding priv
ilcge by establishing the SUPPORT at
pyea- But the whole situation is SO
unusual. and the equities are so OBJ
viously I'm favor Of this government.
that we think the United States Is not
required. either in fairness or reason
or by the spirit Of the reciprocal statute.
10 permit transit of Canadian goods
across Its soil on the Dyea and Skaguay
trails without expense or emolument 10
any one.
The Canadian merchants are now
making threats that they will appeal
To the authorities TO withdraw the Gus
toms officers mt Lake Tagish and thus
prevent ingress by the trails. or course.
ter by the stlckeen. having the right 81
free navigation Of that river Without
raising the technical question that free
navigation means free navigation and
does not carry with IL the right II pas
sage by sled or otherw ise over the
frozen river and along the banks around
distractions. Il IS easy te see that al
least until midsummer II would IN, nee
essary for Canadian vessels to land
psassengers on American soil at the
mouth ri the stIekeen. where they
would encounter American customs of-
fieers, We leave 1t to the Canadians
themselves to guess " hat these officers
would he instructed TO io
The menaclns attitude az the ln-
ceusea Victoria enj Vat sser jabbess
viii rot lead e. sefeas let national
complication Thes ~e ~ clearly as
Ne the logical sad laes.saaie geuse-
qaence og pursuance Is their Cercsf-
ened policy II Tire White CbHNoa1 ard
adjaceu, trails arr closed. So w,ll as the
stickeen The result weula r. tha;
passage would b. shu, Of T. both
Americans and Canadians. ard. So far
as the Northwest territory is concerned