The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-14
while 10000 non Of orr exnorts would

while 20,000,000 of our exports would
be subjected to hostile foreign action"
After showing the balance of trade
IN favor of the United States with
Germany. France, Norway, Sweden,
N Netherlands, Belgium and Japan, the
81. Paul congressman declared that the
chief danger to- this country from the
proposed plan is from Great Britain,
which is the greatest maritime nation
in the world and also our heaviest GUS
toner in, HORTICULTURAL shipments.
The maritime interests Of Great
Britain are vastly more powerful, con-
tended Mr.. Stevens. than her agricul-
.tural resources in the politics of the
nation, and he propheSied the imme-
date abrQgation of existing treaties
and the passage of legislation now adj
vocated by Joseph Chamberlain favor
ing cfosefErelations with the, colonies.
Great Britain Would RetaiIiate
Last year, continued Mr.. Stevens,
go per cent of our foreign freightage
was carried In British bottoms, and it
lis estimated that British vessels last
year carried SIS per cent of the tonnage
liable to be affected by the proposed
! discrimination against indirect trade.
Our exportsi to Great Britain and her
colonies for the year ending June 30,
1904, were nearly $750,000,000, or 81
per cent of our total exports. The.
maritime interests of Great Britain are
of the greatest Importance to the well
fare and safety of the empire, and hos
tile action against it would be resented
by the British government, people and
press quicker than any other business
interest Defensive retaIiatory4 meas.
;,lres would be Immediately adopted
which would injure the people and.
business of Great Britain the least and
ourselves the most. aCoag s,fj - 49,
I sThe agitation for closer colonial
( trade relations is already on in the
British parliament. Hostile action by
the American. government would pro-
yoke immediate and drastic action
against American imports. Canada has
the capacity to furnish the same class
OF; products as has, the Northwest
Any discrimination in their favor
I. would abnormaliy develop their capa-
biiities at the expense of the Aueri-.
can, and would lower the Competitive
prices to be obtained Shy our exports.
st. Paul men who have visited Eng
sland during the past year unite in say
ing that there is a growing sentiment
in favor, of closer colonial relations
/ This government is in a position to
prevent discrimination by Great Brit
ain in favor of Canadian products
and to protect the great agricultural
interests Of the Northwest"
Existing Statute Protection
/ The congressman concluded by de-
claring that in the existing condition
was the best means of defending the
agricultural interests from. hostile. dis
examination; for a statute, on the books
since 1817, permits the infection of a
discriminating tariff on cargoes
brought by indirect trade. 1t has sim
ply been suspended by proyiso Of
treaties owitf other nations, and II
Great Britain or any other nation at
tempts toqdiscriminate against our ag-
acknowledgements then the old rule can
be invoked and enforced in the spirit
in which it was enacted nearly CEN
fury ago. EeIsc
Congressman Stevens quoted lead
ing sNorth Dakota man, who had said
that in This belief a discriminating
tariff on the merchant marine would
depreciates the agricultural and real es-
tate interests of that state at least
third of their spresent value. e
There was "a brief discussion of the
address on Congressman Stevens, and
on motion Of r. A. Kirk a committee
was named 10 frame a memorial in
connection with Mr.. Stevens. to be adj
dressed to the merchant marine com.
mission at ifs meeting in November. y
1t was proposed by Mr.. Kirk to make
the memorial the result of joint action
by the Twin City chambers, but Will
liam Pitt Murray's amendment, which
was carried, limited the effort to the
st. Paul chamber. The active Coop
Grafton of the commercial bodies Of
the Northwestern cities, including Min
neapolis, Duluth, Winona and. Fargo,
will be invited