The herald., 1898-03-03

the United States should restore Its ship
ping and stop the aggression OF the can
adian Pacific"
When Mr.. Elkins referred TO the mill
tary advantages of the Canadian Pacific
and its two Observation-Disclosures and Es-
qu.malt-Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts inter-
rupted him with the facetious remark that
the senator need have no apprehension OF
the British guns at those points, as they
would endanger Americans only In the
event of their kicking, as If any trouble
should occur, Americans would be be-
hind those guns. In reply to question
from Lindsay concerning the statement
that the Canadian Pacific was carrying
passengers from New York to Vancouver
for $50. Mr.. Ellxins said American roads had
received permission from the interstate
commerce commission to compete with the
Canadian Pacific in passenger rates, but
the Canadian Pacific had declared its In
tention of reducing the fare to $2S.
In response to a question by Wilson or
Washington as to the effect the establish
ment of the consular seals at Vancouver
would have upon the trade of the ports OF
Tacoma and Seattle, Elkins replied that 1t
would fill those ports with trade and 1t
would at the Same time increase the busi-
ness of our railroads and reduce railroad
charges. Concerning the incorporation OF
section p into the present tariff law. Ell
kins said that he had been widely given
credit for that section. He said, however,
that wiser men than he had placed that eX-
cellent section in the bill Some papers,
Elkins said, desired to have his connection
with that famous section investigated.
II did not" said Elkins. "have the honor
of drafting that section or of placing it in
the bill. Its author stands for American
interests and ! stand with him.
In response to inquiries, Elkins explained
that Secretary Window was just about to
issue an order abolishing consular seals at
Vancouver when his sudden and tragic
death occurred in New York and that Pres
ident Harrison's statement regarding the
subject which he had quoted was made just
as he was about to retire from office.
''Why does not Mckinley take action?"
inquired Lindsay.
II wish the senator would ask him." re-
piled Elkins.'' why he does not act. Per-
haps they will, in time, but do not know
III" inquired Platt of Connecticut, "the
Canadian Pacific were subject to the long
and short haul clause of the interstate
commerce law, would it be able to take
away the business of our railroads."
1T would not" replied Elkins.
The senator has struck the point of this
entire matter. While our railroads are
hampered by that law the Canadian Pa
cific is free from its restrictions"
In the course of a brief reply to Elkins
Hoar expressed some regret that Elllins
had brought into the discussion of the
pending bill so much matter that was ap-
parently irrelevant He agreed with Ell
kins that if the executive departments of
the government had the power they ought
to exercise it to prevent Canada from i'm
posing upon this country or its business in
terests. He also agreed with him that the
destruction of the seal herds was re-
proach to civilization and that the denial
of the privileges of hospitality to our fish
ermen was a reproach. He held, too, that
Canada ought not to enjoin the bonding
privilege. which the United States did not
also have, and he perfectly agreed with Mr..
Elkins that the business of supplying
American citizens in Alaska ought not in
any way to be burdened by Canadian mon
opoly. He expressed the belief, however.
that Elkins ought not to have taken adj
vantage of the desire on the part of the
senate to accomplish these objects by in
Producing into the discussion a collateral
matter.
Hoar said that he did not agree with FL
kins as to the danger on account of the
Canadian Pacific in time of war. AS
matter of fact these 1000 miles of railroad
would be hostage in case of hostilities.
But, independent of this factor, the United
States would be entirely capable of taking
care of themselves. If they had done so
in the war of the revolution and in the war
of 1872 they certainly could do so now. He
did not believe in encouraging the talk of
possible hostilities with a friendly power
and wanted especially to discourage all
ideas of danger from the guns supposed to
be pointing in our direction from Halifax
and Esquimalt
He would agree, however, that the be-
havior of Canada had often been unjust.
irritating and unfair, and nc hoped that
the time would come when justice would
be done and equality established, and he
was especially sorry that Mr.. Elkins should
have raised this railroad question while
the effort to secure this end was being
made.
Nelson of Minnesota followed Hoar with
a sharp though short protest against Mr..
Elkins' proposition. on the ground that it
was aimed at the interests of the farmers
of the northwest. We have, he said, other
interests than those of the railroad trunk
lines. At the farther end of Lake Superior
there is located a great empire of five or
six million farmers and the interests of
those farmers are of far higher considera-
ton than are the interests of the rail-
roads, however important they may be to
their owners. Continuing, he said that the
Canadian Pacific had brought to these
farmers a reduction amounting to an aver
age of about 10 cents a bushel on the trans
portation of their products to the Atlantic
seaboard Why, he asked, should this ad-
vantage be destroyed in the interest of a
few stockholders and bondholderS in these
NEST of whom resided abroad?
The question as it presented itself to him
was whether these railroads should be
made to pay large dividends to their for
eien owners, or whether we should afford
adequate protection to these farmers in
the northwest
1t was the duty of congress, he con-
tinued, to look after the interests of this
vast community and the interests of the
people of New England, rather than the
interests of the coupon clipping foreign
ers who hold the stocks and bonds of the
trunk lines. He asserted that Mr.. Elkins'
proposition was a blow at the American
farmer and to get him into the caldron
of the railroad and there to roast and
singe him without mercy.
Mr.. Chiffon, in a few words, said that
Mr.. Elkins was proceeding on a miscon-
ception and that the Canadian Pacific rates
were not subject to the law controlling the
long and short haul. He also said that re-
cent supreme court decisions made it pos
sble for the American roads to reduce
their rates so as to compete with this line
without regard to the long and short haul
clause.
AT 5:42 the senate adjourned.
INT rrrrE YY0Yror