The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-08

or formality amounts to little. The main end 60
be attained Is the renewal of some commercial
arrangement, which can be reached onlv by
resumption of negotiations, tending to the ad.
1ustment of mutually satisiac ory terms. To
enact the bill now before Congress- or auy other
bill, without consultation with representatives
Of the Provinces, will be futile; for it viii give
eject to but one view of the question, while
really useful legislation presupposes an arrange
ment resting upon mutual concessions and se-
curing mutual advantages. .,r
Although necessarily disposed to encourage a
cneerlul spirit among the provincIals, and to
hold up prospect of trade In other directions,
as an ultimate equivalent for the trade that will
be lost with the United States, Mr.. Gait frankly
ADMITS the present embarrassment which must
follow the cessation OF reciprocity. He.expresses
great re9ret at the failure OF the late negotia-
tlons, because" he is reported to have said II
believe we cannot suddenly change our GUS
TONERS without inconvenience, and because, as
practical man, cannot shut my eyes TO the
TACT that there viii be great disturbance OF
trade resulting from the termination of the
treaty" Undoubtedly; and from this great dis
tur6ance OF trade" our mercantile community
will suffer well as the people of the provinces.
II is not possible suddenly TO arrest a trade 40
vast as that which has grown up under the
treaty without producing inconvenience and
loss on both sides of the lakes. Comparatively.
OF course, the disturbance will be less SERIOUSLY
felt by this country than by Canada, because in
our case the amount of trade to be affected bears
q smaller proportion to our aggregate Of trade.
IL.
nevertheless suffer seriously and in the existing
position OF business matters, beset as they are
with uncertainty, we cannot prudently afford to
De lnainerent ,9i 70 trade amounting to sixty or
hr. Gait is mot without hope that the time
Is not remote when the United States will re-
store the trade to satisfactory footingn If
congress were not given over TO the negro, to
tne neglect OF The vast financial and commercial
problems which await solution, we too should
hope that lew months would suffice to estab-
hsh relations OF reciprocal trade more liberal in
tnelr nature, and consequently more fruitful of
pront, than the relation which is about to termi-
nate. Sooner or later, we are confident such a
result will be reached; and meanwhile perhaps
a little experience of tue evils as well as the
losses which the dlsarrangement of legitimate
commerce on the northern frontier will &C.
caslon, may help to bring some of our Congress
slonal oDstructiYes to their senses.
10 hasten this result, however, our business
people should exert themselves to impress upon
congress the importance of the interests at
stake, and the necessity of caring for them
promptly and practically. We have reasons for
believing that the Secretary of the Treasury ap.
pTecates the embarrassments to his Department.
and the injury to the revenue which will be in
eyltable If no arrangement be entered into. The
measure prepared Dy the Committee OF Ways and
Means is IN itself proof that that BODY at length
pesms to realize the necessity Of action. 1t is
therefore expedent for the commercial bodies
OF our cities to make themselves heard upon the
subject; as 1t Is also eXpedlent for those who are
familiar with the trade carried on under the
treaty, and who will be the first 10 iee the effects
OF lis discontlnuance, 20 exert themselves by
petition and otherwise to induce the Ways and
means Committee to revise its scheme and adapt
1t more judiciously to the purpose contemplated.
The Chamber of Commerce of this city might,
with particular propriety, take the lead In the
for having last year adopted arepors
IN lavor OF ne1al of the old treaty., with
notifications, its members may be supposed to
l, ok with more than common satisfaction upon
the liberal terms which the Provinces are now
prepared to sanction.