The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-06-02
Provincial Confederation.
ST. JOHN, N. b., May 90, 1896

Provincial Confederation.
ST. JOHN, N. b., May 30, 1896
To the Editor of the Press: sis gt
Some business matters have brought me
here, just as the great question of the Bri-
fish Provinces is submitted to the people of
New Brunswick. The elections are now COM
ing of, not, as with us, all at the same time,
but on different days in different counties.
The time in each county is fixed by the officer
who gives the notice; and as the right of suf-
frage is based upon taxable property, and a
man can vote in each county in which he pays
taxes to given amount, the elections in the
several counties occur on different days, SO
that men owning property in different coun-
ties can vote in each. 0
Tuesday evening I attended meeting of
the Confederate" or Unionists," as they are
called here. They have elected all their can
didates, in every county, so far, and are there
fore in high spirits. Of their triumph there
can be no longer any doubt. Their meeting
here was very large and enthusiastic, though
their election in this city is not until Wednes-
day of next week. The candidates for the
House Of Assembly were the speakers for the
evening. Mr.. Wilmct, and Mr.. Wetmore
both Of whom were chosen as anti-confeder-
ates at the last election, have changed their,
views and their.party relations, and are both
OF them now "Union" candidates for re-elec-
ton. Their speeches were mainly in justif-
cation Of their course, and forcibly reminded
me of speeches at one time common with us
when political changes were frequent.
The principal speakers were Hon. Samuel H.
Tilley, and Hon. John q. Gray. They dis
cussed the question of confederation in an
able and statesmanlike manner; and some of
the views they expressed are worthy of much
consideration by the people of the United
States. Though our former reciprocity treaty
should have been so modified as to nut the
people of the Provinces on an equality with
us, with our domestic taxation, there NAV be
danger that refusal to enter INTO any recip-
rocal relations of trade and commerce with
them will result in raising formidable rival
in some OF our most lucrative branches of in
dustry. At any rate, this is the view enter
tanned by such men as Mr.. Tilley, and Mr..
Gray, who will stand among the foremost men
In the new confederation. Without attempt
ing to deny that reciprocity was an advantage
TO them, as well as to us, they profess to be-
heve that they may SO take advantage of the
present relative position of the two coun-
tries as to make their condition better than
it was under the reciprocity treaty.
The inter-colonial railway, uniting st. John
with Montreal and Quebec, is a component
part of the confederation scheme. If one sue
ceeds, the other follows. The governments of
the Provinces are pledged to 1t; and the home
government is bound to aid id its construction.
This will connect the Canadas with the sea-
board, by line all within British territory.
and at port always accessible, and already
having most extensive commercial connec-
tons. The Canadas embrace extensive grain
growing lands, and are also, like New Bruins
wick, adapted to the raising of cattle. The
materials for ship timber, and all other kinds
of lumber, are abundant and the facilities for
manufacturing are great. Here arc all the
elements of productive industry, commerce
and trade, domestic and foreign. The United
States are burdened with a large debt, requir-
ing high tariff, and a heavy excise tax. The
Provinces win have but small debt, allowing
them to make the internal taxation light, and
SO to adjust their tariff as to facilitate and in
crease their foreign trade. The nine millions
annually paid by the maritime Provinces to
the United States for -four, will hereafter be
paid to the Canadas. And the high prices of
labor and of supplies in the United States
will enable the lumber dealers in st. John to
undersell us in the West India markets, and
thus give them the control of the sugar and
molasses trade, fnot in the States, at least in
the Canadas and the other Provinces. Thus
will agricultural, manufacturing, and lumber
ing business be stimulated and encouraged,
and an immense traffic, now carried on be-
tween the Provinces and the United States,
through Portland, Boston, and other cities,
viii be diverted to st John, and find its con-
nection with other countries there.
Such, in briet, are the views entertained by
Tue leading men in the Provinces. We may
no' ADMIT their soundness in all respects. But
'iA' 'ney are important enough to demand
our attention, no one can doubt. That the
spirl' u modern enterprise Is gradually taking
hold OF the Canadas, and of New Bruuswick.
is evident. Ii the markets of the United
States are closed against it, it win find mar
kets elsewhere, making for itself new chan
nels And it may be well worth our wb,le 70
inquire whether we cannot again estab-
lish reciprocal relations, so guarded as to pro
tect our own industry against unequal compe-
tition, and yet so liberal as to draw Provincial
industry to onr markets, to our mutual advan-
tage, thus rendering even more intimate rela-
tons possible, if not probable. d.
The World illustrates what Matthew Ar