New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-16
THE RECIPROCITY TREATY.

THE RECIPROCITY TREATY.
In the interest of the Government of Canada,
q Member of the Provincial Parliament moved
on Wednesday the 9th inst. for certain cor.
respondence relating to the working of the
Reciprocity Treaty. The mover evidently only
understood enough of his subject to enable the
Finance Minister OF the Province to hang o
Ministerial defense upon the motion submitted
The sum of the charge made by the House
Committee, of which Mr.. Ward Is Chairman
is that, for the last four years, there has oeen
gradual departure by the Canadian uo'ern,
mcut. from the spirit Of the convention OF
1854. In proof of this, it has been shown WIN
tolerable clearness that the tax on most arl-
eles of manufacture from the Unlted S'a'eS
info Canada has been almost doubled
within the last eight years, and that under the
oraration of this increased tariff, and OF DIS
criminatipg duties in favor OF the importer oy
tbe st. Lawrence, our manufacturers and e&-
poriers had been placed at a serious dlsadvan-
tage. The figures quoted in these columns
showed the actual loss to be over - per cent
In other words, while we supplied ~ per cent
Of the imports of Canada ia 1855, We supplied
less than 80 per cent of those of lo6O-a re-
suit clearly due to the high and discriminating
duties in the Province.
Meanwhile, the treaty wss operating in a
way which could not fail to be every way
satisfactory to the Canadian producer; for
during six years the net gain to the Province
in the exchange of free goods between the
two countries was $50, ,250,7 793. The figures
deserve to be quoted at length. In 1855, the
Canadian produce admitted free into the
United States amounted TO $l6,476, c93, against
~, ,720, sci United States produce admitted
free to Canada. In 1856 Canada sent us free
Sl1, $40, ,6Si, against 81 909, ,55i; in 1857, Sl2,
SO, 3Os against s., ,6i2, ,030; in 1858, ll,5li,-
3Gi. against 81, ,56i, go; in 1859. Sl5,2S9, 01O,
against ;S7,IOG, II6; in 1862 2O,365, 500.
against :;7,O69,G $50. Altogether we admitted
free from Canada N these SIX years S9i,26c,.
3l3. while the Province received from us free
$44.0l7 ,060. These are tho figures which
represent the gain respectively Of the two
countries. We do not say that they present
any argument for on immediate abrogation OF
the treaty, even were that possible; nor do
we say that we ought not TO be content that
the colon.ts should have oil the benefit they
can from convention into which we entered
deliberately and with our eyes open. But
surely the Congressional Committee is justified
in preparing all the available facts to show
whether it will be advisable to renew the treaty
years hence in its present form. AZ far as
the light thus far thrown on the subject ena'
bes the public here to judge, it may be con-
sidered as q foregoue conclusion that the
treaty, 10 be acceptable for another term oi
ten years. must be enlarged 20 as to represent
something approaching to fair system of reci-
Procity.
II for example we take as we did IN i-b0,
2l3. .2o6, l46 more free produce from the Prov
ince than the Province took from us. il is surely
only fair that at least portion oi tins enor'
nous balance 10 the credit OF our neighbors
should be made up by a free admission OF some
Of our manufactures which are now subject 10
the Canadian impost of % per cent Ii can-
not be pretended that the difference Of thirteen
odd millions in favor of the colonists is repre-
seated in the exemption OF American vessels
/ from tolls on the Canadian canals. What il
ssked for is not cent for cent in striking
new bargain OF international trade; but some
thing approaching to fairness. The Canadian
Finance Minister reasons that De have
no right to object to tariff which IS rem
dered necessary by reason OF the rcSe-
nue. wants Of the country; and that
We complain with equal groundlc@ncss OF the
al celorem system Of duties which incidentally
fayors direct importation. To this there is but
one answer: that with constantly increasing
;mposts on our manufactures, and with tariff
which, applying 10 teas, sugars aud other i'm
portant articles of trade, makes it Impossible
for the New-York and Boston merchant to
compete in the Western Provincial market
with tho Montreal trader, as he could do when
the treaty was framed, and for several years
afterward, the question arises whether reel
prosity Of trade, in it, present shape, between
the two countries, is not IN u measure de-
lusion; and whether again these reyenus vents
of The Province, of which so much is said, are
not increasing at rate which promises to
make the Canadian tariff prohibitory before
many more years sha have expired. Surely,
the spirit OF the convention must be violated
sooner or later, if it is not now, at the pres-
ent rate of increase in the Customs taxes Of
the Province. And the Congressional Commit
L. e. r.,A.. ~