The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-05-25
ABOUT A FREE PORT.


meeting tonight take up the question
OF free port, and the -urse of its dis
cussion may amount to petition to the
president to close Skagway as sub
port of entry. 1t cannot, OF course, be
told in advance, what shape the recon-
mendations of the committee will take,
nor what the chamber may decide to
do in regard to the matter, The sub.
ject is one OF such serious moment that
the chamber, as it has in the past, is
liable to move with due elaboration.
But the work of the chamber and the
friends it has made is already becoming
apparent. The Iron Age of May 10th
gives O couple of columns of its valuable
space to Skagway. In the course OF
this article the local correspondent OF
this magazine, Mr.. D. G. Brownell,
says under date of May 10th:
1--WE are somlwhat agitated and
alarmed at the repeated reports that
our Canadian boundary commission is
liable to grant port to the Canadians
at some place near us-namely, Haines
Mission pyramid Harbor) or the de-
funct Dyea. If a port is granted at all
we feel that our interests should be
considered first, when, am sure, the
majority Of our people would vote to
let them have the port of Skagway,
rather than either of the above places.
This is the natural entrance to the
great Yukon country, and the American
people haue occupied and developed it,
and II port is granted them we should
have some benefit in the way Of reduc-
ed tariff, or free trade, or have at least
free zone established.
If port is not granted them, and
our interest continues to suffer by the
barriers which they have erected, then
we should close this port to them until
such time as they are willing to give us
fair deal.
"They will tell you that they treat
US as well as we treat them, but such is
not the case. Canadians buy goods in
bond through the American territory
to Bennett. 40 miles from Skagway.
where they are delivered, without any
trouble or interruption from our gov
eminent. On the other hand, if mer-
chant at Circle City, Alaska, buys goods
in the American market and desires
them shipped through this port down
the Yukon to American territory. he is
compelled to deposit cash bond equiv
alenG to the amount of duty at the first
custom house, and Is told to apply at
Dawson and get the return of hi money.
When he arrives at Dawson and puts
in his claim for the money, he is told he
will have to get his money at the line
where the goods are delivered. When
he gets to the boundary his goods are
released, and he is told he will have to
60 back to Dawson to get his money.
This would cost more usually than the
bond amounted to, and the Canadian
officials are that much richer
This country has an enormous fu-
ture. Onr legislators in congress have
no conception of the damage they are
likely to do to our American trade if
they grant Canada's request without
making or providing liberal concessions
to us.
American manufacturers and bus
mess men generally should stand by us
and assist us in bringing to bear influ-
ence enough to get proper adjustment
OF the boundary question, SO that we
may have an equal show with our neigh
bors across tho line.
Should Pyramid Harbor be granted
the Canadians. Skagway would at once
become thing of the past, as rail-
road would at once be built from there
pyramid Harbor), thus doing away
with the necessity of sending goods in
bond through this port. We have an
average Of one ocean steamer day,
with carrying capacity of 300 to 1900
tons each, and the usual passenger ac>
commOdations of such size vessels"
The above contains some points that
the members of the chamber of COM
MERGE may do well to carry with them
to the meeting this evening.
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