The Portland daily press., 1898-09-02
.DON'T TROUBLE Us"
Plea Of Americans Before Arbitra'
tiOn Commission.
EACH WANTS HIS ESPECIAL IN.
DUSTRY LET ALONE.
Claim That Removal of Tariff Would
Ruin Them-Boston Chamber of Com
meroe in Favor of Reciprocity.

Ruin Them-Boston Chamber of Com
merce in Favor of Reciprocity.
| Quebec, September Lit has been ths
busiest and most important day so far II
the Quebec conference. During the fore
noon the representatives Of four leading
interests of the United States were heare
by the United States commissioners, sand
at 2 p. m., the joint session began ano
lasted until late in the evening. The
three Important industries which were
heard this morning were the lumber In
dustrY, the New England fisheries and
Che pulp paper industry. The men
representing these industries all talked
for the same thing, viz: That the present
duties affecting their respective In
dustries be not changed. They asked the
American commissioners not to enter in
to any agreement with the Canadian gov
ernment whereby their own lines Of trade
| would be disturbed. The Boston Chamber
of Commerce also was given hearing
before the American commissioners.
They asked for modification of the
| trade relations with Canada and that
relations as near to absolute reciprocity
as possible be secured. After the hearing
the Boston men said:
"What we desi re is chance to sell our
man ufactured goods in the Canadian
market. We believe in asking this Of the
Quebec conference. We are speaking the
sentiments of zoo, 900 workingmen along
the Canadian border OF tho United States.
In Massachusetts, alone we manufacture
S905, ,000, 00O OF goods each year and we
want a market for these goods. We do
not fear competition for we have the
greater wealth and facilities on our side -
The manufacturers of the New Eng
land States were particularly desirious Of
getting their goods into Nova Scotia and
Eastsrn Canadian markets.
But these were the only representatives
from the United States who asked for
general reciprocal relations. The Glouces-
ter fishermen desired the laws governing
their industry to remain unchanged. He
said they could not afford to do away
with the present duty of Canadian fish
for the privilege of frea entry into the
New Foundland waters for bait 40
establish free trade In the Atlantic fsh-
cries now," Ee said, would mean the
certain transferring of the american
fishing industry to the Canadian
The United States lumber industry,
represented by Smith S. Randall Of
Maine, Charles w. Goodyear of Buffalo,
and s. I. Mcknight Of Minneapolis
asked for the same action on the part of
the conference. The present duties i'm
posed upon Canadian lumber should re-
main. 10 remove the duties would well
nigh destroy the industry In the United
States, and to lower them would mean
serious injury to the American interests.
Hon. Warner Miller, representing tbs
pulp paper interests made q similar argu-
ment. He asked that the tariff on pulp
and paper remain as now fixed.
The American commissioners listened
to the arguments as presented, but gave
no inttnation as to what action would
be taken concerning any OF the subjects
BY the joint commission.
1t Is said that in the joint session today
the Alaskan boundary question has con-
tinued to be the subject Of discussion
The attitude of the delegations who
have appeared here In oposition to any
steps IN the way OF reciprocity cause some
OF the Canadians to predict that the COM
mtssioneFs will be unable to accomplish
all they have undertaken to do. They
say that Canada wants reciprocity above
all things and that the United States does
not desire this, but mostly wishes to ad-
Just few troublesome questions, leaving
the general trade relations as tney are.
None OF the commissioners will talk up
on this point.