The daily morning Alaskan. (Skagway, Alaska) 1899-1904, 1900-08-22
CANADIAN SHIPPING TAX.

The Victoria Colonist pretends to see In
the movement to levy tax on foreign
ships discharging freight in Skagwav an
attempt to shut out Canadian shipping
and an effort to get the Yukon trade for
American cities. The Colonst of recent
date says:
"News comes from Skagwav that the
city council OF that CITY propose to place a
special tax upon foreign vessels entering
that port. The object OF this Is to drive
Canadian ships out of the northern trade
and thus secure a monopoly of 1t for the
United States vessels, and it is doubtless
hoped, the bulk of the trade for the United
States cities"
Forthwith the Colonist threatens the
naughty Skagwavans with an all Cana
dian railway.
1t might be we'll for the Colonist to,
know that this all Canadian ralwav
spook has ceased to convex any terrors to
Skagwav. 1t has become too familiar and
has been made to do service in the cause OF
too MANY different interests to induce ehllIs
to follow its appearance every time It IS
dragged forth bv Canadian organ.
Skapway will not swerve one iota from
the course that seems to its conscience
just on account of this ghost that has been
used in all the controversies between the
Americans and Canadians in all matters
pertaining to Alaska and the Yukon.
Our people know that a road costing
less than than three millions of dollars has
nothing to fear in the way of competition
with one half dozen or more times as
expensive and dozen times as long.
However, why should not the canadian
ships that do business in Alaska be COM
PEELED to contribute their share to the run.
ming expense of Skagwav1 They get the
same privileges and courtesies at Skagwav
that are extended to American ships. 1t
costs them not one cent more at the custom
house than it does American ships, and the
domestic craft has to pay taxes In addition
to the charges to help maintain an Amer>
lean city, county and state government.
Do Skagwavans, do Americans owe more
to Canadian shipping than to their own?
Should we tax American ships, and per-
nit Canadian ships working alongside of
them with equal privileges and opportun-
titles 20 free of taxation2
Let's see how Canadians work 1t. A
Canadian ship goes into home port free
of cost, while an American ship is charged
harbor dues, sick mariners fund dues
entry fees, clearance fees, pilotage and for
bill of health,
To illustrate, we will compare the
charges against the Danube at Skagwav
and the Dirigo at Vancouver. The Dan
ube is charged at Skagwav on each trip
for entry 81. so; for clearance ST. 50; bill of
health 20 cents; for permit to proceed, 20
cents, or $40 for each "trip, or about $I35
per annum, counting rs trips in the year.
In addition 1t is charged 3 cents per ton on
its net registered tonnage for the first five
trips year. On subsequent voyages this
tonnage is omitted. On SOL tons register,
therefore, the Danube pays $84,I5 annual
tonnage tax. Total charges for one wear
on the basis of rs trips per year, S2Io.I3.
1t costs the Dirigo $4S every time she
stops at Vancouver, for the various charges
heretofore enumerated. To stop at Van
cover, therefore, both coming and going,
the Dirigo would contribute $4,000 an
nuallv to the Canadian government on the
basis of rs trips. The difference is just
fzI8o.85 in Canada's favor.
1t is for striving to have many such
determinations evened up that the Vic
torla papers call Skagwayans unreasonable
people.
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