Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-03-16
THE RECIPROCITY BILL.
SPEECH OF MR. MORRILL, OF VERMONT, IL THE
HOUSE, MARCH 9Th, 1866.

American Provinces has become necessary 10
consequence Of the termination Of the Recipr5c-
ty Treaty, which takes place on the lsta % the
present month. The treaty was an III omenei
me from the start, having been hrst exiorted
from US by the armed raid upon our fishermen,
n 1852, made by the combined armaments Of
the Provinces, and led on by the imperial Gov
srnnent; and, second, won from Us oy the de-
lusion that favors would beget fraternity. We
are too old to be again deluded, and. being quite
able to withstand q bite, We shall be unlAy 10
yield to growl. For eleven long years The
unitei States. oyerfowing with generosity, have
granted to these Provinces what their own
mother e1untry has long since Teaned them
from, that Is to say, privileges not granted to
others. Heucs.orth we shall treat them as
friends, unless they entitle themselves to be
treated as iavorites or provoke that treatment
AWARDED to enemies. By the present OIL We
grant certain privileges provided ample equiv
alents are obtained. n the main, however, In
creased revenue has been our object.
The rates Of duty which the Committee Of
Ways and Means nave proposed in this bill are
such as il is believed vi. afnd revenue, and
Will not in any case prove pr1hibitorv. In other
words. weeKpsct to take as much Of their lum-
Der, coal, and barley as heretofore. but before
a sale can be allowed alongside Of American
TE9lucl.s Llt DEANllt-G must 10 AaH- aN III Lu 2
price equal at leas; 10 our taxes. and often much
greater. Even with these terms, 8 commission
sent 10 China or Peru, will disclose no other
market so valuable When We abandoned a.
duties On lumber under the treaty the effect WIS
not to reduce the price in American markets.
but the value Of lumber increased in the Prov
iuces Reversing our action. It is not impose
bic that our revenue may be increased witn--,
much additional cost 10 the consumer. Lumlc-
being an article Of universal necessity and ~
capable Of any increase IN quantity, only moi
crate duties have been proposed 1t the pres
ent zine we seek rather 10 diminish than 20 u-.-
tipiy objects Of taxation; and while lumber lur-
ing the war might easily have contributed O. .l-
eral revenue. it is net now proposed 20 .evg any
internal duties upon IL; therefore We have OILY
offered a scale Of moderate duties u is-0l-t
policy to make building materials cheap Wool
as a building material is used to some elfe1; .g
all, and exclusively used by men o. mlisra--
means. and the lower qualities for fencing bye
poses are indispensable TO laIl oFle--. l-s
reasons for exempting It from the burdens D..
taxation appear TO be ample Articles lbs,
we're embraced in the reciprocity treaty have --
the most part been treated in all tari1s ilr Oh.
last ten years with neglect, ard the present -.
!. therefore the more Eeediul-
Such articles as the Committee Of Way i-l
Means have PROPOSED 10 place in the free LIST
ONLY four in IumieI-are those which they
would most likely deem il wise 10 place there a,
any time unless the e1igeucies Of the Treasury
imperiously demand larger supplies.
Ii IL proposed % a1nit bitumiuols coal from
the British Provinces, IN consideration Of certain
privileges 10 be extended 10 the United states.
az fifty cents per ton, while froU all other i..-
ces under existing laws il viii be charged : o.
per ton The present internal duty Of sr1 cent?
per to and the two and halt per ceut. on t-a
gross receipts Of railroads for freight, amount.
ing on the average to at least twice as Uu-l
more, it may De hoped Will at an early Dag 1f
removed.
Coal is a raw material, AID for ever7 ton .-
iron made At least three tons Of blum lels &C.
two Of anthracite coal are consumed. IL is --s
motive power Of railroads and steamboats,, -s
well as Of manufacturing establishments. 80
tax iron AMI all other mauufacJures when pre-
duced and sold, and We tax railr0sis and steam
boats on their business. Can We not aL1rl o.
have our coal free II Is. too, article Of ul.-
versal consumption, required in our rigorous Cd
mate in large quantities by those unable 90 s.oila
themselves IN heavy and abundant woo.--s Or
thick and costly furs; by the poor As well as The
rich. There are hardly more reasons for 8 r-L
Oh coal than upon 6reEooi. In addition 20 Ri.
cur own coal fields unsurpassed n eZis-,
and quality b any IN the world.
When the reciprocity treaty Wss male o ..F
tariff prevailed in Canada, AMI England, only
eight years previously, had adopted the doc
Jrine Of free trade. Great expectations were
held cut by the negotltor, Lord Elgin. feeling
the not unwilling hopes OF our people, % an lu-
creased demand for American manufactures;
out suddenly tie Canadas adopted the
principles Of protection ami largely in
creased their tariff on manufactures. The
imperial Government did not veto these acts,
and these great expectations were nipped IN the
bud. The United States, never expecting o.
ini in the Provinces market fer the prolu--
tsons OF its agriculture, nor Of It's mines, flr-
ssts, or fisheries. al once found their manufl--
lures also practically excluded. But now.
making no compact, We yet tender a law con.
,eding certain privileges. If this shall not b.
net by a corresponding Hberality, sufficiently
Indicated in the conditions embodied in the bil.
We have the right and it will De our duty. o.
change the terms Of the present bill for such
viii be most advantageous 10 Us, regardless O.
The interests Of others.
The bill proposes to grant the free Use Of Lake
Michigan as well As the Sault Ste Marie canal
10 British subjects If the use Of the s. Law
renee and the Welland and other canals shall
De- continued TO Us in return. The tolls We pay
6rm much the largest share Of tie tolls Of the
Neliand canal, and It's use, though much more
requent, IS hardly much more important % rs
han lie the 81. Mares TO them. The st Law
'ence has been very little used BY Us, and the
light to navigate Lake Michigan appears TO be
-ery large equivalent.
1t has often been supposed that the traffc
arried on over the Canadian railroads, trans
IL 8
nd the same with regard TO the railroads Of the
'nited States and British merchandise INTENDED
Or the Provinces, was conducted under the nv
isions Of the reciprocity treaty, but that is net
be fact all this has been done for twenty years
least under Treasury regulations Il has
ecu deemed far better that il should rest upon
ositive law, and, therefore. the system has
cen incorporated into this bill THIS will IN
ire the accommodations We now have for travel
nd treights TO and from the West However
seful TO Us this outlet may be, a ship-canaI
round the falls on the American side A. Bu-
10 is needed, and also from the St. Lawrence
Lake Champlain and thence to the Hudson.
hen this line Of improvement shall be c.,r,-
eted, and, so far as my vote is Concerned.
4 ready at all times to give them my support.
cheap water communication will have been
cured that will be commensurate with the wants
the future commerce Of the West, however
eat that may be.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, it seems to me. ALTHOUGH
had great repugnance to the reciprocity
esty, that We might dlstill something out Of it
'rthy Of our consideration. | did believe
ere were some things IN the reciprocity treaty
aieh 1t might be worth while rrt TO repudiate.
lose only IN the first section Of the bin retain
y smack Of the recprocIiy treaty The last
d Of the bill, TO be sure, allows the Province
eoncede certain privileges or not to 90 It, as
ey may please. In my judgment they VIII
t do it. But supposed It was wise fJr Us 10
axe fair offer; then if they 90 not DO it we
uld come forward with such legislation here
er as the judgment Of Congress might devise
It in the outset it did occur TO me as emf
ntly proper that we should present a far pro-
sition 10 these Provinces. In consideration n
minority Of the country, who still believe in
reciprocity treaty, It was wise that we should
sent a fair and moderate proposition such as
.mbodiei in this bill.
let we warn gentlemen if this bill i not
sed, that after the 18th Of March y5u vii
Ie this state Of things all the animals
tie, sheep, horses, and hogs-raised in the
ladss will still come in free Of duty. And
ther anomalous Coalition Of things vii ex-