The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-15
DOORS TO THE KLONDIKE r
HOUSE COMMITTEE THINKS THEY
SHOULD ALL BE OPEN
VIII Seek to Secure Recfprocitv
With Canada in the Matter of
supplies Sent Over the Various
Routes-Lacey and Hansbrouch
at Work on an Emergency Bill.
Washington Bureau St. Paul Globe, }
CorcoFan Buiidinq. {
Special to The St. Paul Globe

Special to The ST. Paul Globe.
WASHINGTON. Feb 14.-Represen-
tative Lacey Rep., Iowa), chairman Of
the public lands committee of the
mouse, and Senator Hansbrough Rep..
North Dakota), chairman of the CORE
spending senate committee are at
work upon a bill to secure reciprocity
with canada in certain particulars of
considerable interest to the Eastern
and Central states, as well as to the
hlondlke region, for which it is partic-
ularly intended In fact, such bill as
an emergency measure has already
passed the house, and Senator Hans
brough today offered an amendment to
the Alaska homestead bill, which some
what foreshadowed the features
which he proposed to cover in his
new bill The senate commit
tee will go over the subject more
carefully, and probably amend the
house bill materially. An opportunity
for securing some concessions from
Canada is likely to come about through
the attempt of the Dominion govern
ment to establish an all-Canadian
route to the Klondike, which will be
available the year round. To do this
they must secure from the United
States the bonding privilege through
the thirty-mile strip on the Pacific
coast, through which they would have
to pass for eight months of the year
when the Stikine river was closed
A bill is now before the Canadian
parliament granting 4,500, 600 acres of
land to a Canadian company recently
organized to construct a railroad from
Glenora, the head of navigation of the
Stikine river-which empties into the
Pacific ocean through our thirty-miie
strip-to Lake Teslin, whence naviga-
tion through the Yukon to the Kl0n-
n nfrt(, 4
then be possible for the Klondike busi-
ness to go over the Canadian Pacific to
Vancouver by steamer, along the coast
northWard to this river and to its head
of navigation, and thence by rail to the
navigable sources of the Yukon The
Canadian bill proposes also to give
such railroad line a complete mon
opoly in the Canadian northwest for
five years By commercial treaty be-
tween the two countries vessels of
either are allowed the freedom of the
navigable streams without tariff inter-
ference, except as to very few
classes of merchandise, such as gun
powder and other explosives. Now the
Canadian government desire the
bonding. privilege SO extended to them
that miners may fit themselves out and
take a coasting vessel to Wrangel, in
our territory, and thus cross the mar
row strip belonging to the United
States.
1t has occurred to the chairmen OF
the two committees named, that, before
this privilege is granted, reciprocal
faVors should be extended to the United
States. Our cities, both in Washington
and in Alaska, are eager to get theil
share of this trade, and Dyea is regard
ed as the natural entrepOt of the KlOn-
dixie region. The United States gov
ernment will ask that Canada shall ac.
cord the bonding privilege to American
fishermen on the Atlantic coast, so that
they may transmit fresh fish over
Canadian railroads. They will also ask
Carada to relinquish the right to col
lect duties on the miners outfits under