The times., 1898-02-13
THE YUKON GOLD FIELDS.
A Bill Providing Reciprocity With
Canada.

| Representative Lacey. OF Iowa. chalr-
man of the Public Lands Committee OF
| the House. and Senator HansbrOugh.
of North Dakota. chairman OF the cor
| responding Senate committee, are at
work upon a bill TO secure reciprocity
with Canada in certain particulars Of
considerable interest 10 the East, as
well as 10 the KlOndike region for
which it is particularly intended.
In fact. such bill as an emergency
measure has already passed the House.
but the Senate committee will go over
the subject more carefully and prob
ably amend the House bill materially
An opportunity for securing some
concessions from Canada is likely TO
come about through the attempt Of the
Dominion government TO establish an
all-Canadian route to the klondikc,
which will be available the year round.
To do this. they must secure from this
Government 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 Stickeen River was
closed.
A bill is now before the Canadian par
lament granting 4.500. 900 acres of land
TO a Canadian railroad company re-
Gently organized to construct railroad
from GlenOra. the head of navigation
of the Stickeen River-which empties
into the Pacific ocean through our
thirty-mile strip to Lake Teslin.
whence navigation through the Yukon
to the Klondike region would be easy.
1t will then be possible for the klon-
dixie business to go over the Canadian
Pacific to Vancouver. by steamer along
the coast northWGrd To this river and
10 its head of navigation. and thence
by rail to the naYigable sources of the
Yukon. The Canadian bill proposes
also to give such a railroad line COM
plete monopoly in the Canadian north
west for five years. By commercial
treaty between the TWO countries, yes
sells of either are allowed the freedom
Of the naVigable streams without tariff
interference except as to a very few
classes of merchandise. such IS gun
powder and other eXplOS YES. Now the
Canadian government desires the bond
ing privilege so extended that miners
may fit themselves out and take
coasting vessel to Wrangel. in Ameri-
can territory. and thus cross the mar
row strip belonging to this Govern
ment.
1t has occurred to the chairmen Of
the two committees named that. be-
fore this privilege is granted. reciprocal
favors should be extended 10 this
country The cities both in Washing
ton and in Alaska. are eager to get their
share of this trade, and Dyea is regard
ed as the natural entrepot of the klon-
dixie region. This Government will
probably ask that Canada shall accord
the bonding privileges to American
fishermen on the Atlantic coast, SO thar
they may transmit fresh fish over Ca
madam railroads. They will also ask
Canada to re!inquish the right to coliec'
duties on the miners outfits under $500
pounds per capita, which is about one
years supply. On these outfits the Do
minion is now collecting an ad valOrem
duty of 50 per cent. Since they are ask
ing perpetual free trade on the Stickeen
river. it is thought to be no more than
fair that free trade should be accorded
American miners going acr css the bJUn-
Diary line at Dyea. Then it will also be
stipulated that. if any other railroad
line is projected through American and
Canadian territory, it shall not be de-
barred by the monopoly offered to the
Canadian line now projected. This
subject is likely to attract considerable
attention in Congress and at the Treas
ury and State Departments.