The Portland daily press., 1898-03-05

Mr.. SewelI of New Jersey, offered the
following provlso to section three, which
was adopted: That where the space for
construction of d railroad is limited the
United States District court shall require
the road first constructed to allow any
other railroad or tramway to pass over its
track or tracks, through such canyon,
pass or deflle on such equitable basis as
the said court may prescribe, and all snip
pers shall be entitled to equal aocommo-
dations as to the movement of their
freights, and without discrimination in
favor of any person and corporation.
The last paragraph of section ak re-
serving the right to the government to
purchase or take by proceedings OF con-
de1nnation any railroad, tramway or
wagon road at it's actual cash value pc,
ing in line of government ownership CT
railroads, was stricken out by on aye and
nay vote-4S to Z, the seven votes cast IN
favor of the paragraph being by Messrs.
Allen of Nebraska, Butler of North Caro-
lima, Harris of Kansas, Heitfield OF Idaho,
Nelson of Minnesota, Teller OF Colorado,
and Turner of Washington.
The reading and amending Of the bill
while long and tedious, was accomplished
without particularly important debate
until section thirteen was reached. This
provides for the extension to Canada OF
the bonding privileges in Alaskan trade
which Canada at the Port Of WrangelI IN
Alaska ON condition that certain conces-
sions are given this country by the
Dominion government, among them be-
ing the right of our fishermen to enter
Canadian ports for the purchase OF bait
or other supplies.
MIR. Turner of Washington, moved to
strike out that part Of the section which
relate to the entering of Canadian ports
by American fishermen. He did not, ne
said, made the motion because be was
hostile to the New England fisheries, but
he deemed it unfair to burden this meas
ure with demand upon the Dominion
government that it yield contention it
has made for hundred years.
Mr. Hale OF Maine inquired Ii Mr..
Turner did not think 1t would be OF ad-
vantage to the United States to OBTAIN
the fisheries concession from Canada
Mr.. Turner said it would be for ad-
vantage If we could obtain it but thought
it could not be obtained.
Mr.. Hansbrough of North Dakota, said
that the committee on public land was IN
possession of information that Canada
would accept the conditions imposed by
the section. He was firmly Of the opinion
| that the Dominion government Woula
yield on the fisheries question IN view OF
the concessions made to 1t by the bill. :
Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts expressed
the hope that Mr.. Turner would not In
sist on his motion. The fisheries question
was not local one to New England put
a national question, a question too par
ticularly applicable to the people OF the
Northwest where the fisheries interests
were annually becoming greater He felt
that the fisheries problem was OF immense
Importance to the people of the Northwest
and ought not to be stricken from the
measure.
In supporting and supplementing what
Mr. Hoar had said. Mr. Frye OF Maine
said that the pending bih was OF national
| importance. From a little town near
| where he lived in Maine, $500 people had
gone to Alaska and many more of course
had left the state for the KlOhdlke. he
thought there was never better oppof-
| tunity to secure concessions from tne
Canadian government than at the present
when the Canadians wanted something
from the United States He did not think
the motion ought to prevail because we
had long been giving Canada much and
receiving q little in return. Mr.. Frye
| thought IL it were not for the captlous-
ness of Canada, there would not b5 the
slightest trouble between this country
and Great Britain.
| Mr.. Wilson supported the contention OF
Mr.. Turner and thought 1t the height OF
| absurdity to attack the fisheries question
to bill providing for the encouragement
of railway construction in Alaska.
| Mr.. Carter agreed with Messrs. Hoar
and FRYE that the fisheries question, SO
| far as it was considered in his bill. was
of national impo1 tance. The fisheries in
dustry In Alaska and the Northwest now
yielded $1,000 per annum and was grow
! ing in importance every year. Concern
| ing the mineral sources Of Alaska, Mr..
| Carter said he was satisfied from the best
authorities that the output OF gold IN a
| year would be larger from that district
than from any other other part OF the
earth's surface. One authority estimated
that in Alaska gold TO the amount of
So 900, 600 year would be produced in a
comparatively short time. He said that
| if section thirteen should be adopted as
presented, Canada would be compelled to
abandon that alI-Canadian route and he
believed that this country would obtain
every concession which was demanded
of Canada by the pending section.
| Mr.. Turner's motion to strike out the
| fisheries portion of the section was de-
feated by yea and nay vote, "a to l6.
| The section was adopted without division
AS agreed to section thirteen is as follows
''That under the rules and regulations
to be prescribed by the secretary of the
| treasury, the privilege OF entering goods
| in warehouses and merchandise In bond
or of placing them in bonded warehouses
at the port of Wrangell, District OF Alaska
and of withdrawing the same for exporta
tion to any place in British Columbia, OF
the northwest territory without payment
of duty, is hereby granted to the govern
ment of the Dominion of Canada, and its
citizens or citizens of the United State;
so long as it shall appear to the satisfac-
tion of the President of the United States
who shall ascertain and declare the fact
by proclamation, that no exclusive priyi.
| lege of transporting through British
| Columbia or the Northwest, goods or pas
sengers arriving from OF destined from
other ports in Alaska is granted to any
person or corporation by the government
of the Dominion of Canada and that the
privilege has been duly accorded to re-
| sponsible persons or corporations operat
ing the transporting lines in British
Columbia or the Northwest territory OF
making direct connection with transpor
tation lines in Alaska aud the govern
ment of Canada has consented to, and Is
! on heha1f Of the ciEjZaU of the