The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-02
The Basis for Friendly Settlement with
England.

the scheme.
The Basis for Friendly Settlement with
England.
FTOna the Times.
The report on reciprocity which has Just ema-
mated from the Treasury Department, and OF
which we had very imperfect synopsis by tele.
graph, is paper of far broader scope than we
had anticipated. Instead OF being merely a
digest of former treaties, or a summary of the
mutual benefits accruing from the Convention
OF 1854 we find that the report OF Mr. McCul-
lochs agent takes survey of the whole domain
OF international policy.
In helping us to a clear estimate of the trade
of the adjacent British Colonies, Mr.. Derby
boldly selzes the occasion to suggest that any
new commercial compact with the neighboring
provinces might well be utilized to bring to
friendly settlement the claims of the United
States against Great Britain tor her violation OF
her obligations as a neutral power during the
war; "Ii," says Mr.. McCulloch's agent, "Great
Britain desires to propitIate this country alter
all that has occurred, would it not be her true
policy to cede to us a portion of her remote
territories valuable 20 us, but OF little value
to hern
In more specific terms, MIR. Derby suggests the
cession to the United States of British Columbia
and Vancouvers Island. These colonies, he
points out, are settled in great part by Ameri-
cans and while they are too remote from Eng
land to be of any practical account to her, they
would form useful and ultimately profitable
adiuncts to our Pacific States. BY the surrender
of her sovereignty over those portions of her
dependencies on the Pacific which lie within the
temperate Zone it Is assumed that England
might find a solution OF the question of the Aid-
bdnld and other claims, preferable 10 q specie
payment, or repTisals for the ravages of her
cruisers" There is doubtless something in
this ingenious conception. If it has a weak
side, let us suggest that 1t lies in the fact that
the proposed Atlantic Confederation of Colonlcs
int nUp0 ultimately tO include within IL hpth
British Columbia and Yaucouver's Island, and
that to this end q conditional sale of the whole
OF the Hudson Bay COmpany's territories TO
Canada was concluded in England less than q
year ago. 1t may be, however, that the dele
gates now in Washington are empo Tered co treat
for the surrender suggested by Mr.. Derby, and
that, as consideration for a renewal of the Re-
CiproCty Treaty, we not only to get the entire
Island of San Juan, which has caused so much
trouble, but two additional colonies and thou
sand odd miles OF additional coast on the Pacific.
The precedent for such surrender, on CONNER
cial grounds, Mr. Derby finds IN the advice Just
rendered by England to Austria to give up
Venice as the best means Of reducing the stand,
ing armies OF Europe, and OF promoting nterna-
uonal trade,
We're Mr.. Derbys report not conceived in the
most friendly spirit towards those who seek for
a continuance of the treaty, it would be unfair
to attach so much Importance to his proposal to
readlust the balance of power OIL this continent.
But, lnasmuch rs he puts in good word tor the
provinces and for provincial commerce as often as
he offers one in behalf of his own country, it
may be assumed that he has some knowledge of
what would prove an acceptable basis of COM
promise. Indeed, ne declares that ''most OF the
views taken in this report have been confirmed
since 1t was written, by conference with some
OF the most able and influential men in the
provinces" These influential men, Mr. Derby
subsequently, indicates to be none other than
Ministers of Canada.
His outline OF a system of commercial Iegisa-
tion, which shall be common 10 the United
infn .fv,Sla l,,l IL.
in the desire OF the Provincial Delegates to make
a very material surrender of The privilege they
have heretofore enjoyed IN the making OF their
own tariffs. Through all the twelve years OF
this treaty, which terminates on the 18th OF
March, they have gone on increasing the duties
on almost every article we cared to export. This
enjoyment we gather from Mr.. Derby's report,
they are prepared to see curtaled to most sig
mhcant extent. And if they agree, as it would
appear this report contempiates, to withdraw
their great staple, htnlbeT from the free list in
the next convention, and nave IL taxed 81 per
thousand, board measure, we should infer that
the Provincial embassy has an unusually large
discretion.
The point which will shortly come to be of
most immediate interest, as these negotiations
progress, will be the attitude and disposition of
the British Government. We could readily be-
lieve that for her own account, England would
not stand in the way OF any fair bargain for
cedlng certain amount of Britsh-American ter
rltory 70 the United States-that is, provided we
wanted to duy. But as long as Great Britain
mainta aims colonies, pays for their protection
spends her money on them, sends them Gov
ernors, and performs generally the functions OF
an imperial power towards dependency, we
take it she will regard with some jealousy any
attempt on their part to discriminate against
her trade, in favor OF any other nation.
When the Colonial Legislatures set about re-
vision Of their tariffs which shall continue, or
peradyenture increase the duties on the great
British staples, such as fine cloth, ETC., and
which shall at the same time, lower or perhaps
abolish the duties on the leading staples of
another country, there is apt, we fear, to arise
clash OF Interests and conflict OF authority. The
question, 1t IS true, Is one tor the colonsts and
the parent Government to settle between them.
selves; but we may as well take account of the
difficulties which srlll lie IN the path of recipro-
city, even II this report from the Treasury Is
accepted by the delegaJ as it stands.
Ten Ugly Questions, Pertinent Even il I'M
pertinent.
From The WOrtd
Some years ago there was a member of the
House of Representatives from (what was then
a State, but what it is now nobody knows,
having, according to the Stevens-Sumner doc
.trine, committed suicide) Tennessee, who was
very much in the habit of asking questions OF a
character similar to the following and reflsno