The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-04
/ NAY Be SHUT OUT
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
the freight traffic diverted to the Ca
madam Pacific already amounts to
nearly or quite 10000, 900 tons a year,
and represents a loss of earnings to the
American roads of not less than $780,.
100000 to $25.000,00O in money every
twelve months. Statistics Of passenger
traffic are not so complete, but its vol
ume is likewise shown to be large. The
American lines have not lost a pound
of traffic on account Of lack Of facili-
ties for handling 1t. 1t has not been
lost to them because of unwillingness
to handle 1t at fair rates.
In this country nearly two-thirds of
the gross earnings are paid out in OPP
Grating expenses. Practically, the whole
Of this expense is for wages in some
department. For every dollar spent,
therefore, the American workmen gets
IS cents. 1t is obvious, therefore. that
every time the foreign roads divert
from the American roads s21,O00,000 Of
traffic they take $140O0,000 directly out
of the pockets of American workmen.
Furthermore, Mr.. Clough showed, the
Canadian Pacific does not fit into the
system which national legislation in
this country has devised for preventing
the use Of unjust determinations be-
tween persons and places In the con-
duct of the railroad transportation bus
mess. Congress may prevent it from
discriminating between points wholly
in the United States, but it cannot pre-
vent a rebate being given for the haul
on Canadian soil before re-entry into
American territory. If such discrimi-
nation be discovered, congress is I'm
able to punish the offense.
ON A WATER BASIS.
To work out fair Naturalization to
the American roads for the burdens of
the protective tariff system put upon
them, Mr.. Clough suggested several
ways. The simplest and most practical
bic way would be to put transportation
by rail on the same footing as transport
tation by water. There is no good rea-
son, he stated, why both kinds of trans
portation should not be upon the same
basis, and every reason why both
should.
Another method, perfectly fair, would
be the imposition Of a duty upon goods
passing across Canadian territory, in
transit, at a scale sufficient to eQuaiiZe
the conditions made by the American
tariff. 1t would not be difficult to fix
such a scale 1t might be on the ad
Valorem basis or according to quantity.
Either would be perfectly practicable
and would abolish the unjust discrim-
ination against the rail transportation
business now exercised by our govern
ment
''It is not expected that the privilege
Of competing for the American trade
will be totally withdrawn from the Ca
madam roads at once" said Mr.. Clough.
posed change of policy in this regard
may we'll be given. But the early with
drawal of the privilege should be ar
ranged without delay. In the mean
time there are some details Of this
competition as now carried on which
ought to have immediate attention.
PRACTICE Is ILLEGAL.
"There Is no reason why railway
equipment, liable to very substantial
customs duties, should be suffered to
enter United States territory free. Yet,
outside Of law or even Of departmental
regulation, the practice has crept in
of suffering cars, both freight and pas
senger, to cross the frontier without the
slightest question being raised. This
practice, plainly Illegal has had the
effect of putting into regular services
over thousands Of miles of road in this
country, freight and passenger cars
owned in foreign countries, and which
have never paid a dollar of duty. The
lawmaking power of the government
has never consented to such practice.
1t should be stopped Immediately. No
freight or passenger car should be per-
mitted to enter our territory without
payment Of the duties which the tariff
imposes upon imported articles. The
American roads are forbidden to bring
into the country either cars or the ma
terials from which cars are made with
out paying duties. Why should the Ca
madam roads be allowed to bring their
equipment across the boundary free?
The laws have not provided for any
such additional favor to the foreigner.
The practice has grown up in the face
of the law"