New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-24
age value of domestic produce exported to Can
ada was $14, 800, 600; whereas during tho Sc

age value of domestic produce exported to Can
ada was $14, 800. 600; whereas during the Sc
cond four years tho average declined to $12,-
933. 900. OF articles manufactured in the United
States, the values exported to Canada fell from
81, 185, SIG in 1859 to $3.50, S02 in 1s52-63
Of course, the currency complications incident
to the war contributed to this result; but o
much more powerful cause has been the devel-
opment of home manufactures in Canada under
succession Of tariff changes, each more mimi
cal than its predecessor to the manufacturing
industry of the United States. With regard to
foreign exports, the reduction has been yet more
remarkable. Years ago, Canadian merchants
relied to q large extent upon Ncw-York
and other Of our sea-bOard cities for
supply of foreign goods. This class of
our exports, which in 1854 represented
Sc, 100. 3333 and in 1855 not less than
Ss,769, $50 dwindled to 81 ,56O,3 in 1862, and
in 1868 to LAOS, ll3. sit is Obvious" says
the Treasury document, "that the Canadian
supply of foreign goods is no longer purchased
in the importing cities of the United States, as
before the treaty; and the statistics of goods
entering Canada, through the United States,
under bond, show that to be the mode OF receipt
substituted for the former. These bonded goods
nearly all enter at Portland, and pass over the
railroads through Vermont" Thus, the facili-
ties We have afforded our neghbors, instead Of
securing to American importers the profits Of
an extended trade, have worked to our detri.
ment. More than this-our neghbors, instead
Of recprocating the courtesy, have repaid us
with discriminating legislation, designed to
foster the st. Lawrence route, and to build up
the foreign trade of Montreal at the cost Of
New-York importers.
| What, then, becomes of the Democratic advO-
cacy of Reciprocity The abstract arguments
for an unreStrained commercial interchange
are oonfuted by the practical lessons of expert
ence The United States have had reciprocity
only in name. The accommodation we granted
has Injured to our loss. And the most important
of the Provinces included within the treaty has
met us with Customs duties more and more
unlayorabe, and with discriminating legisa-
ton most trying to the patience and injurious
to the interests Of our mercantile men.
The World, which for time deprecated OPP
position to the renewal Of the treaty, has taken
more comprehensive ground. 1t still pleads for
commercial union with the Provinces as mat
ter Of principle; but it nevertheless so states
the case against Canada rs to exclude the idea
of renewing the treaty without radical change
of position Oh the part of that Province. To
show this, we quote The UorlFs language:
"TLc present treaty Of reciprocity. regulating our
commerce It'll the FIVE Provinces might IN the present
unsettled condition OF own Affairs, have remained
undsturbod but for the tmed and unjnstifable lesis
lation Of Canada. IL met with some opposition and
dcnuncailon but was not the less the act Of the Prov
nces ~ 4 whole 1t reverted to the principle OF pro
lection cxcu-vencss In nearly every particular not
specially named In the treaty. Bv discriminating legs
aton II remey ed from and transferred to Montreal
the chief trade In goods II foreign origin establishing
TIE Toronto Leader candiely admits "A virtual lis
elimination between the two routes by which Upper
Canada has been 10 the habit Of reaching the ocean
IL made considerable reduction in tolls vessels
going down the ST. Lawrence, against those going To
our lake ports 1t enacted heavy duties on our manu-
acures For whatever purpose this done the reye
of Canada suffered from that source and the duties,
by stimulating system or homo production and the
sale Of our manufactures, were greatly diminished
In other words, Canada has violated tine
spirit of the compact, and-apart from all other
onsiderations-thereby justiiies the action of
Congress in abrogating the treaty.
The Uorid therefore applies itself to the dis
covery OF another basis for free commercial in
tercourse. What shall it be A mere reduc.
ton of duties will not Suffice for the protective
legislation Of Canada has produced a manufat-
turing interest with which our manufacturers,
burdened as they are with taxation consequent
upon the war; would find it difficult to compete.
ANY revision of the treaty not fundamentally
affecting tho relations of the, Provinces to the
United States, would fail to meet the wants
arising out of our altered circumstances.
Let us, then, see the nostrum propounded by
Tie World 1t is neither more nor less than a
Zollvercin-a commercial union by which tie
/ Provinces and the United States shall jointly
establish "systcm of free import. export, and
transit" Under such a system, there would be
no custom-houses except on the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts and Oh the Mexican frontier; the
net revenue from Withdrawing the German
union as an example-wOuld be distributed i'll
proportion to population.
There is one grave objection to this plant
is not practicable. The Provinces, as such,
could not agree to it if they would. Their re-
lation as Colonies to Great Britain renders it
impossible for them to discriminate as against
the products Of that country. The utmost Can
ada has been able to accomplish is, to reconcile
the English manufacturers to the high duties