The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-06
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Toronto, Ont, June 6.-The conference
OF the boards of trade OF Canada has is
sued bold defiance to the steamship trust
and has served notice upon Pierpont Nor
gan and his associates that Canada will
take a hand in fighting the trust both on
the Atlantic, where it has gobbled the
chief Canadian line, the Dominion Steam
ship company, and on the Pacific, where
J. J. Hill is preparing to fight the Cana
dian Pacific for the passenger trade from
the orient TO Europe.
The delegates desire an all-British ser
vice around the world independent of the
trust and under the control OF the British
and Canadian governments. Incidentally
It is believed that such lines would at
tract large quantities of freight from the
northwestern states to Canadian export
channels.
The chief resolution dealing with the
matter was presented by President G. s.
Campbell of the Halifax Board of Trade.
The resolution read that the commercial
supremacy of Great Britain might be un
favorably affected by the steamship trust,
recently formed by American capitalists,
that 1t was the duty of Canada to assist
in retaining for England this commercial
marine supremacy, that in the Canadian
Pacific railway Canada possesses one
transcontinental line, and another line
under construction, through Canadian ter
.ritory, will also connect the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans, and that in the CONNER
cial contest between the British empire
and foreign countries the question of rapid
and efficient steamship service on both the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans is Of urgent
importance, that the esta blishment of a
fast Atlantic steamship line from Cana
dian port to a port In Great Britain
would assist trade in the Dominion, would
increase export trade, especially in per-
tshable products, would add greatly to the
volume of passenger travel through Cana
dian channels, would give an impetus to
shtpbuilding In Canada and would, with
the aid of the Canadian transcontinental
railways. bind the different portions Of
the empire more closely together; that
speed should be the first consideration In
the selection of ports of call and terminal
ports, and that the conadct ,oflthe enter
prise should be under the control Of the
Dominion government. 20, $50
The resolution as adopted was shorn OF
the reference to the transcontinental rail-
ways because the members did not wish
It to appear that the proposed line would
be under government control. It Is sig
nifcant, however, that London rumors
to-day connect the Canadian Pacific road
with the British shipping combination
headed by the Cunards, which it is as
serted will put 25-knot steamers on the
Canadian route.
Further resolutions were passed favor
ing the substituting of the proposed fast
line by Canada and asking for financial
support and cooperation from the i'm
pertal government.
There was a sharp debate over a. mo-
ton by G. B. Watt, big Montreal grain
exporter, that any subsidies or bonuses
to an antitrust line should be given only
on condition that the rates charged from
Canadian ports should be as low as those
from American ports for similar dis
tances, and as low as the rates charged
upon American products. Mr.. Watts
pointed out that Canadian railroads car
ried American goods lower than they
would Canadian, and they were enabled
TO do this on account of the bonuses and
subsidies they had received in Canada.
A number OF delegates interested in
shipping took the ground that this would
prevent the Canadian line from bidding
for American export freight in competi-
ton with the trust steamers and vote
being taken the resolution was rejected
BY a vote Of. 81 to 43.
Resolutions were passed favoring sub
sidies for direct lines to South Africa