New-York tribune., 1905-04-12
SHAW ON THE DRAWBACK.
Rapid Fire Correspondence zCith
Senator HanSbrOugh.
IFRoM rHE TRIBUNE BUREAU.

Washington, April 11.-Secretary Shaw and
Senator Hansbrough. Of North Dakota, are In
the midst Of a redhot rapid fire correspondence.
growing out of interview with the Senator
printed in The Tribune of April g. In which he
criticised the action Of the Secretary in granting
a drawback" on Canadian wheat which enters
into the composition of -four for export. SEN
ator Hansbrough asserts that the action Of the
Treasury Department is already having a harm
full effect upon the agricultural interests of the
Northwest The price of American hard wheat
has been reduced several cents a bushel. he
says. by reason Of the fact that Canadian wheat
for in exported flour is allowed to come in
practically duty free. and the only business in
terest that has been benefited by the operation
is the milling trade.
Secretary Shaw. in speaking Of the cOntro-
versy to-day. said
The price OF American wheat has not been
lowered nor will it be lowered by reason OF the
drawback ruling. The only people that can
possibly be hurt by the move are the Canadian
millers and Canadian wheat growers. The
millers of this country and the wheat growers
Of this country will reap the benefit of whatever
results occur. Whenever anything is done III
this world there are always persons 10 De 1ouhu
who Immediately expect the worst, as Wrote
a certain gentleman the other day in discussing
this subject. 1 told him that ne reminded me
Of a very estimabIe lady l once knew, who was
forever predicting disaster whenever she went
on q journey. She was very certain that switch
track would be twisted just as soon as she start
ed her trip. While any one of these accidents
might happen. 1 wrote this correspondent OF
mine the probability remote. and by con-
tinually dreadng dire things at the outset Of
her journeys the good lady robbed herself OF
a great deal Of enjoyment that she otherwise
might have taken.
II the way with this drawback
proposition. Just as soon as the announce
ment made 1 began to get all kinds Of
gloomy prophecies from all sorts of sources.
One milling paper up in Minneapolis said it
would hurt the flour interests; an agricultural
paper further West said it would ruin the farm
ers; London papers declared that it would in
jure the business of the United Kingdom,
and sheet printed in Canada became very in
dignant the ruthless manner in which we
were preparing to stamp out the trade of the
Dominion. No one was satisfied. Everybody
looked at the black side of the cloud and de-
clared that it had no silver lining. Senator
Hansbrough, who was quoted. in a rather re-
markable interview, took the gloOmest kind OF
view Of the matter. and jumped to the conclu-
sion that was trying TO enrich the miller at the
expense OF the farmer.
I do not believe that he said all the things
credited to him, for he knows the facts, and
could not assume such things as he is quoted as
believing.
Secretary Shaw wrote another letter to Sem
ator Hansbrough to-day. restating his position
on the drawback matter, and setting forth the
reasons both legal and economic, why he be-
Iieves the action of the department for the
hest interests of all classes of Americans that
are in any manner concerned in the wheat and
-four business.