The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-03

WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENCE.


Special Dispatch to the Pos,-Inseiligencer.
UAr AS1INGTcN. Nov. 2-The arst
NV month OF the new Candian tariff
WY does not appeaf to have had the
depressing effect upon exports from the
United States into Canada that was an
Iscipated by some people. The report OF
the department OF trade and commerce in
Canada. covering the month of August.
lsss, and comparing with the correspond
ing months Of lss7 and 1896, has just reach
ed the treasury bureau of statistics. The
figures which It presents are especially in
teresting since they covsr the first month
of the operations Of the new tariff. which
gives TO goods coming into Canada from
Great Britain and certain British colonies
. per cent. advantage in tariff rates over
those coming from the United States.
The new Canadian tariff law. enacted in
1897. provided that when the customs tariff
Of any country is made as favorable TO
Canada as her own tariff rates. the duties
upon the products OF that country should
al once be lowered one-eighth. and after
the expiration or enc year, should be re-
duced another ore-eaghth- The cis per
cent reduction Went into operation August
l. 1857: and Was he'd TO effect goods coming
INTO canada from Great Britain, Germany,
Belgium and several other countries. thus
giving 10 most of the imports coming into
Canada an advantage OF 1sla per cent in
United States. which We're required 10 pay
the full rates named in the new law. Ad-
dstioaai legislation IN 1855 50 modified the
ACT that the reduction OF - per cent which
was TO take effect on August /. $685. is held
to relate only to goods coming into Can
ada from the United Kingdom. Bermuda.
BfltLsh West Indies, British Guiana, or
ANY other British colony or possession
the customs tariff Of which is on the whole
as favorable TO Canada as the British pref
eren;ial tariff is to such colony or posses
SION
This modification OF the tariff act Of 1897
thus gives to goods from Great Britain and
most of hsr colonies an advantage, on ana
after August l. 1898. of . per cent IN
rates OF duty over those from the United
States, or in other words. requires goods
from the United States 10 pay IS is per
cent higher tariff rates than those from
the countries in question IRE fgures
showing the imports into Canada during
August. the first month under the new
arrangement. are therefore especiali inter-
esting.
Il was expected that the imports from
Great Britain and her colonies In August.
1888. would be ahnormally large because OF
the fact that importers. knowing that they
would obtain better tariff rates In August
than IN June or July. would wherever prac-
ticable hold back their Imports until the
new rates should go into effect August !.
while no such condition would apply 10
goods from the United states. 1t was pre-
sumed, therefore. that whatever might be
the final effect upon the relative growth OF
those OF the month OF August would show
much greater gains for Great Britain than
for the United States.
The figures presented In the report IN
question. however do not justify this ex-
pectation. While the report does not state
the total amount of goods from Great
Britain imported into Canada during Au-
gust. 1t does give table containing guam
titles and values of principal articles OF
merchandise exported from Great Brita1 q
to British North America during tire
month of August 1885, compared with A.u-
gust, 1897 and 1886" The total value OF
these principal articles exported from
Great Britain to Canada in August. 1898.
was lila per cent. in excess Of the same
class OF articles exported to Canada In
August. 1897. when the tariff advs ntage
Was but 12ia per cent, and is actually less
than in August. 1896. when the tariff gave
no advantage TO articles from Great Brit
ain. On the other hand, the reports of the
bureau of statistics of our OVID govern
ment show that the exports FROM the Uni
ted States into Canada in August 1898,
We're 12la per cent. greater than in August
1897, and more than Is per cent. in excess
OF those of August. 1896
The fact that the advantages thus given
to goods imported into Canada from Great
Britain were expected 70 especially affect
lowing tables. which show the imports of
leading manufactures from the United
States and from Great Britain into Canada
in August 1875. compared with August,
1897 and 1886:
Imports OF Principal Manufactures Into
Canada from the United states in August
1896 1897 and 1875: