The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-02-05
The Chiuese wall.

The meeting of our Board of Trade last night
and the debate on the subject of reciprocity
carried on by the merchants of Portland in
that meeting, indicate something OF the eager
ness felt by the people of Maine for a renewal
Of intimate commercial relations with Canada.
The meeting of last evening we hold to have
been one that in its conclusions gave express
sions OF the general wish of the people of the
State. 1t may objected that Bangor meet
ing, representing other interests than those
predominant in our Board of Trade, has arr
ed at different conclusions and recommehue'
different policy But the Bangor n1te'iiS Up
resented but one thing-iumoeT. N"3' !" "io
not represent that. If we are r'Sh'iS informed
the lumber dealers in other parts OF the State,
certainly in Portland, are not misled by those
narrow views of commercial policy which have
prompted the lumbermen of the Penobscot TO
desire a continuance of the absurd Chinese
wall which makes an arbitrary line between
contiguous territories barrier to the natural
course OF trade. The difference between par
tai and liberal view Of this question was seen
when the Legislature of 1864 passed resolve in
favor OF the abrogation of the treaty then ex-
listing with Canada. The one-sided view of the
matter had been SO persistenty urged upon
members that there was an overwhelming ma
Iority III favor not only of recommending
the repeal of the imperfect and inequitable ar
rangement then in force but of objecting to
renewal upon any terms whatever. A gentle
man from this city who had thorough knowl.
edge of all the phases of the lumber trade and
a perfect acquaintance with the details of that
business and tna UarinnS l,af
should weigh in adjusting the commerce of the
United States and Canada so as to protect
Maine interests from injurious competition.
made SO clear and convincing a statement of
the other side of the case as to completely rev.
oiutionize the prevailing opinion in the Legis-
lature. He showed that the kinds of lumber
imported from Canada were such as did not
compete with our home products-that Cana
da supplied what was necessary to com lement
our home production, and that the prosperity
Of Name lumbermen would not he injuriousy
affected by fair and truly reciprocal CONNER
c'al relations with the Provinces. The result
was that instead of favoring an entire ADAM
donment of the principle of reciprocity, the
esolye finally passed urged that new treaty
which would remove the objections that had
been developed by experience, and more per-
fectly secure the objects had in view when the
present treaty was entered into,' should be
negotiated.
The interests of Bangor Portland and all
parts Of the State are identical There has
been an attempt, it is true, 20 array the agri-
cultural industry of Maine against reciprocity
as has been done already in Vermont, but here
the movement has not been successful Our
farmers are aware that their prosperity is de-
pendent in very large measure upon the
prosperity of commerce and manufactures, and
they know, too, that the leading agricultural
products Of Canada are not those which are
likely 10 come into competition with their own
They, in common with the rest of the people
of the State, demaud that the wall of CONNER
cial restriction-one of the most odious of the
relics of barbarism shall fall before an en-
lightened public sentiment.