The daily union., 1854-07-23
From the New York Journal Of Commerce
FISHERY AND, RECIPROCITY TREATY


This important measure which has been years be-
fore the public has by the joint counsel of the best and
wses nctionaries Of Great Britain the United States
and the British provinces been matured for final action
and is before Senate This treaty hardly be
expected TO equal benefits to all parties inter
ested but if it promises benefits to d that is enough
commend it favorable action The prominent provisions
THE NAVIGATION ST. LAWRENCE; FREEDOM
IN FISHING; MUTUAL EXCHANGE AGRICULTURAL
AND NATURAL PRODUCTS.
The free navigation of the St Lawrence has been under
rated in its benefits the United States The imped-
navigating the Gulf from its high latitude its
and gs have been greatly exaggerated The great lakes
and the river and Gulf Of St Lawrence extend half way
the continent and occupy that belt the globe
which has always furnished of the elements of COM
merce, and nearly all OF the navigation for the world
These lakes this river and Gulf correspond in location and
latitude with the North the Baltic the Mediterranean
and the Black of the Eastern continent and must
distant day, furnish to commerce vast amount Of
commodities and shipping.
There old merchants trading the lakes who have
witnessed the growth of this trade from few thousand
dollars conducted by few hundred Of shipping,
which supplied our military posts transported the Indian
annuite the salt for Ptsburg and single cargo for the
Northwest Fur Company trade which occupies
third of the tonnage of the Union and computed by hun
dreds of mions-a trade then furnished by few thou
sand settlers remote points, swelled five six
millions of inhabitants.
There young merchants who viii live to this
this population immensely increased Hence we
cannot afford to have this navigation longer sealed up
Mr. Galatin in one of his last productions, proposed
through columns yield the free navigation Of the
Columbia for that of the St Lawrence In that article he
said hat it has become almost the settled law Of nations
in Europe that rivers like the ST. Lawrence whose mouths
are in government and whose upper in
other should be free TO both y but IL this be right by
ternatona law still it is better to it by treaty than
by force
By our treaties in 1888 and 1918 a~rr protection for
the cod fishery was proyded but since these treaties
nnckere fishery has grown into importance
and by the of these treaties wellngh denied
all participation in this branch, these fish being caught
near the provincial coasts from which fishermen
excluded For this privilege concessions required and
| should be made.
The exchange of agricultural and natural products will
yield reciprocal benefits of equal value to both parties Sc
far the staples of the two counreswheat and flour
are concerned il is commercial agricultural ques
ton Both parties producing surplus that surplus mus
seek foreign market and it matters not to the producer
the farmer whether the surplus of both Canada and th
United States shall seek that market through the Hudson
or the ST Lawrence the interest of both the produce
and the carrier viii be promoted by throwing wide opel
| all the channels to a foreign market.
I Of the other articles of agriculture pork, corn tai
low, and lard well rice tobacco sugar, and cotton
all the provinces large consumers while the lower
provinces are large consumers also of breads Tufts
Fortunately for British America their treasures are in
condition to enable them remit their duties and plac
i these articles of prime necessity the free list while, o
the other hand large of their lumber
and our treasury also well spare the duty on this i'm
4 portant and necessary article.
Although our manufactured articles necessarily e1
cluded from the free list in the provinces yet ncdental
these will derive great benefit from the treaty The Brs
provinces contain population almost as numerous as di
our thirteen when they struck for freedom more pros
porous and wealthy and large consumers OF manufacture
Themselves scarcely abrcatng hob-na, they are no'
among our best for the fabrics in which we c1
eel and we excel in mos, of the fabrics required by
Young and prosperous country From skill in coars
and useful fabrics and from conguity shall s.
cure monopoly Of this trade whenever by receiving ti
staples of these provinces, lumber breadstuhs and hS
free of duty we supply ample funds and facilities for the
purposes
We are not Of objections TO the provisions OF tn
treaty from any quarter except may be to the two art
ces of lumber and coal and it is believed Canada wi
insist that the former and Nova Scotia that the latter
retained in the free list II happens that the nort
western frontier line has thrown upon Canada the mbe
cd regions with the exception of small portion in nor'
ern Michigan and Wisconsin while it has thrown upon
the vast prairie regions almost destitute of timber Hem
the Importance of this provision to both parties
Maine lumber State, is almost beyond the compctiiio
of Canada for our lumber market Besides she will fin
compensation for any loss of market In the exemption fro
duty at the mouth OF the St John of her timber from
t. hcnd-waters
Humanity pleads strongly with Pennsylvania for the a.