The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
AMrn1oArrrasELsAxp nA11RoIDs
me Csnsdias Pscinc rsaiIrosa IL FAKE q
nrnnf invader Of Our ConatinR Trade.

The Csnadian Racfnc HaiIreaa IL LiFe =
Great Invader or Our coastisE Trade.
To THE EDITOR OF TIL sUN-Sir! The fol-
lowing telegram from Ottawa, Canada, was
published in THE Sun Of this date:
oun VESSELS AND CANADIAN ronTs.
OTTAWA, March AT ~toniehts session OF the
House q member OF the Opposition called attention
OF the Government to . report from washington say
ing that the Canadian Government would hereafter
allow American vessels to transport merchandise
from one Canadian port to another. and inquired II
the report was correct, The Premier. in reply. said
that there was no truth in the report.
1t win DO observed that Sir wilfrid Laurier.
tho Premier Of the Dominion, declares upon the
floor Of Parliament, as leader Of tho Govern
ment, that Canada will not permit American
vessels to engage in her coasting trade. In other
words, that che will not allow an American YES
sol to carry Q cargo of merchandise from Niagara
to Toronto. Kingston or Montreal, or vice versa.
The American vessel owner cannot offer any
reasonable objection to the policy of Sir Will
frid, but he can with Justice demand that his
own Government shall give his vessels the same
protection that Canada extends to hors.
Our Government permits Canadian railways,
without givinF any consideration. to transport
merchandise from Buffalo to Detroit, Chicago.
Milwaukee. st. Paul. Duluth. or from Boston or
New York to San Francisco. and vice versa.
This policy 10 not only unjust to our railways,
but to our vessels also.
The withdrawal of the bonding privileges
cannot give Canada or Great Britain any Just
cause for offence. Sir Wilfrid's declaration
removes every possible reason for complaint on
the part Of Great Britain II we reserve our coast
ing trade for our own vessels and railways.
We have lately compelled the shareholders OF
the Union Pacific Railway to refund. with heavy
f~kAaAAN n I1A. ~AlA - l.,-A I-N - ~N--
struct It as the pioneer transcontinental rail.
way. not only of America, but of the world, and
yet we not only permit. but authorize and aid,
O very heavily subsidized alien line. exempted
forever from taxation, to divert traffic which
tho Union Pacific created and developed. II the
Government did right in exactinR the fun
pound OF flesh. It certainly Is doing wrong In
permitting tho Canadian Pacific to engage in
our ~coasting trade to the injury of the Union
Pacific and our other transcontinental lines.
The fact that the New York Central pays an.
nually 81, 800, 900 for taxos upon 1000 miles of
railways. or at the rate of $3.50 per milo, while
the Canadian Pacific. with 5000 miles in Can.
ada, does not pay one dollar, shows that per
petual exemption from taxation alone Is an
enormous subsidy.
When Mr.. Stewards prophecy that our com.
merce in the Pacific would exceed in value that
of the Atlantic" 10 verified. as 1t will be. we
shall realize the criminal folly of forcing our
transcontincntal lines to contribute $50, OOO,0 900
in traffic earnings annually to save the Canadian
Pacific from bankruptcy.
Our contributions for the last ten years in
traffic earnings toward maintaining for Great
Britain access to her Pacific colonies through
North America. in the event of the closing of the
Suez Canal mot less than $780, 600. OoO) would
have paid the cost of constructing the Nicaragua
Canal and also q canal from the Atlantic to the
Gulf Of Mexico through northern Florida.
The speech made by Senator Hoar. in reply to
Senator Elkins. was unadulterated rot. The
abolition of tho bonding privileges is in no
sense a declaration of war. but simply notice to
Great Britain that in the future she must pro-
vide for the maintenance of the Canadian Pa
cifc, rs our voluntary contribution for that
purpose is withdrawn.
Some osour pious anti.jingo statesmen read
the command, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
myself" Thou shalt love thy neighbor far
better than thyself," and therefore they are
ready to aid the Spanish tyrant or the British
lion at the expense of our own citizens.
If Sir Wilfrid Lnurier was Secretary Of the
United States Treasury, he would find o way to
prevent the Canadian Pacific Railway from
poaching upon our domestic commerce. His
motto is Canada for Canadians" and not Can.
ada for the other fellows. May his tribe in
crease and multiply in this country as woll as
In Canada. FRANCIS WAYLAND GLEN.
BROOKLYN, March 4, 1898.