The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-19

The various commercial bodies of the
Puget sound cities and the Washington
delegation In congress should enter
prompt ana vigorous protest against the
action Of the treasury department in
issuing a special permit TO the British
tramp steamer Alpha 10 carry Anerl-
can freight and passengers to the Amer
lean town Of Nome. and against the
like action Of the postoffice department
In giving TO the same tramp steamer n
mall contract between two American
seacoast towns. This Is not only a
radically unfair discrimination against
American ship-owners and American
ports, but II constitutes a direct evasion,
II not an absolute violation. of the man
datory provisions of the law which pro-
hibits foreign built or foreign owned
vessels from engaging in the American
coastwise trade.
For this violation OF law there is not
a shadow of excuse or justification.
There are American steamships by the
dozen. already owned or chartered by
the various American transportation
companies, ready for departure to the /.
Cape Nome gold fields as soon as nav
igation opens In the northern waters.
Not one OF these companies. under the
law. can operate a foreign bnils vessel
In that trade, Not a single foreign built
vessel could. by any form OF evasion Of
Tho statute. be permitted tc sail from
Seattle direct To Cape Nome Yet the
treasury department lends Itself 20
scheme by which legitimate coastwise
trade is diverted from an American
port TO a foreign one. under cover OF a
statute designed TO prevent precisely
fhis very thing.
When this protest Ia presented to tho
treasury department. It would certainly
be advisable To learn what Influences
were behind this unprecedented action.
and who recommended that the de-
partment lend itself 10 an evasion OF
the shipping laws The Aipha's port
of departure is Vancouver Col Dud-
ley. the American consul at tina. point.
Is credited by the Province newspaper
with having rendered his services 10 the
Vancouver ship-owners 10 aid IN secur-
ing for them the establishment OF a
port II entry nj Cape Nome. Col Dud-
les denies the use OF the language at
tributed 10 him, tits unfortunate pre-
Vloaa record, whom he used the weight
of his Official position TO endeavor 10 al
vert the Klondike trade from seattle 10
Vancouver has rendered Il natural that
suspicion should attach to him In this
connection. Hts deulals are OF specific
language. He admits that he Expressed
a willingness Co telegraph 10 washing
ton on behalf 81 the Canadian ship
charterers. The record viii show II he
did 81 telegraph. and precisely what h.
said.
The situation IN which he has inter
es,ed himself on behalf of the Canadian
oharseroro 90 English tramp steamers
Is this, There viii b. an irnmrnse
amount % freight and passenger trA,el
within few weeks between tho Amer
lean ports Of tho Pacific coast and cape
Nome This is dlstncuvely coastuIs e
trade, In which. under the laws % me
country. vessels OF foreign register can
not engage. In preparation for t0is
trade, the various American transports -
tson companies. nearly an ~ whom
make Seattle their point - departure
have puchased or butt a large aeet 20
Ntssels Tar greater In the assreEats than
vii the American steamships which wore
plying IN the FaciAc ten wears aEo. This
reet Is aNundantly able to handle an ~
th's coestw,se trade. even 70 It's proper
tions should exceed the mcst sansuine
present expectations. Under The law
an of these vessels ere uuder the Amer
loan hsg and - Amer. an buud
II r. proposed with 80 AID or the
treasury department t7 send a portion
81 the American freight and passengers
destined Tor the American town Of
Ncmc by rah from Seattle 10 vancou-
yer and thsrc tranship them 10 British
vcSsels chartered ey canadian camra-
Eles for transportation 20 CAPE Nome
The present obstacle IN the way ~ this
scheme for evasion 81 the shipping laws
Is that Nome is not port ~ entry for
foreign ships No legitimate reason ex-
lists why i, should be mads a port OF
entry. The demand Tor il comes from
csnadian chip oharterers. who wish u