Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-04-29
FOREIGNERS ARE KICKING.
Object to the Increased Tonnage Tax
Provided For by the War Rev
enue Rill.

Washington, April 2S.-Foreign govern
ments. through their representatives in
Washington. are beginning to show much
concern over that feature of the war tariff
bill. now before congress. which increases
the tonnage tax on transatlantic ship
ping to 20 cents per ton. 1t is said this
increase is about 600 per cent, the present
rate being about cents per ton, and that
nearly the entire burden of the 600 per
cent increase falls upon the transatlantic
shipping Of Great Britain, Germany.
France and one or two other commercial
nations.
A leading diplomatic official stated to-
day that. roughly speaking, the Atlantic
trade was carried on by about 100 Ameri-
can steamships and about 1000 British.
French, German and other foreign steam
ships, SO that the heavy tonnage tax
would be practically insignificant as against
American steamships. while it would be
very onerous against foreign shipping.
A transatlantic liner of 10000 tons, he
said. would pay, at 20 cents per ton, 5000
every time it entered an American port.
Thus far, however, no official action has
been taken On the subject by foreign ma
tions, and it does not seem likely that such
official action is possible, as the heavy
tonnage tax is considered war expedierit
which foreign shipping must bear so long
as they use American ports. There are
intima:ions. however, that it may have the
effect of diverting shipping away from
American ports to Halifax. Montreal and
other Canadian ports.
In other respects the war tariff bill at
tracts little attention in foreign quarters
as the main increase of taxation Is on ar
ticles of domestic consumption, while du-
ties on foreign imports remain practically
unchanged.
London, April 2S.-Charles Macarthur.
member of parliament for the Exchange
division of Liverpool, pointed out in the
house of commons to-day that the bill be-
fore the United States congress providing
for increasing of the tonnage tax on Ship
ping will be injurious to the British trade
and shipping. Mr.. Balfohr replied that
the government would do all it could to
protect the interests of ship owners.
A deputation of members of parliament,
representing the shipping constituencies,
waited upon the president of the board of
trade Mr.. c. T. Ritchie, and emphasized
the Importance of the proposed increase in
the tonnage tax, declaring that ship own
ers and traders were greatly alarmed at
the measure. One delegate said his firm
alone would be mulcted an additional $50,
600 yearly.
Mr.. Ritchie replied that the government
was fully alive to the Importance of the
matter. They had communicated with the
British ambassador at Washington and
with the, European powers on the sub
ject. and, the president of the board of
trade added, joint representations will be
made on the subject pointing out the oner-
BUSINESS of the proposed measure on Eu-
ropean trade.
Sir Julian Pauncefote the British ambaS-
sador to the United States, has been in
structed. it is understood here. to make
representations to the Washington govern
! ment respecting the question of tonnage
taxes. France and Germany are commun.
icating with Great Britain on the subject.
New York, April 2S.-The Evening Posts
! London correspondent cables to that pa.
per to-day as follows:
"Englishmen have received with very
| wry faces the proposals before congress
| respecting tonnage dues. The bill is re-
| ceived with such newspaper headlines a:
Yankee Cuteness: The World, and Espe
cially England, to Pay for the War
Liverpool and other English shipowners
| grumble greatly. They say this moment
of increasing Anglo-American accord is o
all moments the least opportune and spe
cially penaliZing to British shipping. be.
cause. inasmuch as the Continental coun
| tries do not levy like dues, and, therefore
are exempt, the tax will chiefly affect Brit
| ish and Canadian vessels.
| Other shipowners resignedly reflect thai
| the extra dues will be simply added to the
| freiGhts. The government is being ap
+! preached by the Liverpool members OF
| parliament with a view of representations
| to Washington"