Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-02-17
Recipr0citr'.

the people of the United States have had
with "Reciprocities, this subject IS
constantly recurring in our converse
tons, and Legislative aud Congresson
al proceedings. While the views OF the
people are to some extent unsettled,
those entertained ~ the people of this
State are unmistak cable. Living
in close proximity to the Cansdas, theii
opinions have become fixed against all
reciprocities.
The treaty with Canada which existed
eleven years, was the offspring o.
Southern ideas and was q one-sided al
fair altogether entirely favorable to
the Canadians, and unfavorable to us.
Yet, though the effects of the Recipro-
city were injurious, the treaty was faith
fully observed to the end, which came,
upon the proper notice for its termina
ton given by our government. Upon
the reciprocity the Canadians p.ospered
as they never before had done, and a
they grew fat and wealthy upon the
free use of our markets they were inso-
lent, and abused the power that had
favored them.
The civil war which was inaugurated
by the rebels of the South to overthrow
the government founed faithful allies
in Canada, even in the Canadian gov
eminent itself This may not be true OF
The Canadians in every instance, yet ii
is true that the friends of the United
81,
there, as in the Southern Confederacy.
The doors of Canada were thrown wide
open to the rebels and every one who
sought admission founed an asylum
there, and our worst eneme. were en-
tertained with the most generous and
distinguished hospitality. They turned
the cold shoulder upon the loyal peo-
pie of the North visiting them, or doing
business there, and treated us most shah
billy The soil of Canada was used by
the rebels to organic and fit out bands OF
robbers and mur,.erers, to pounce upo.
our defenceless villfg es, and the Cana
dian government defended their acts il.
protecting them afterwards, and in re
fus.ng to give them up. Now, while
the old reciprocity was an injury to US
and the Canadians exhibited their il :
gratitude for its adoption in taking
strong sides with our enemies, are We
under obligations to them, to renew it:
No, the people Of the United states an.
swer emphatically, we will not renew it
yet a portion are Of the opinion that !.
Reciprocity" may be framed which
will be reciprOcdUn its bearings. The oil
treaty permitted the admission into tn,
United states from Canada the sam.
merchandise free of duty, that was ad
mitted by Canada in returl. This mer
chandise was specified, AID consisted 0
the products of the field, forest and riv
ers Of what might be styled the raw
material. No manufactured article ex-
cept perhaps lumber by saving, flour
&C., was admissible either way. The re-
suit was that everything almost which
the Canadians had to sell, found mar
ket free Of duty in the United States,
while On the other hand, that whic
the people of this country had to sell to
the Canadians in return, was assessed
duty by that government. Consequen .
ly, or manufactured articles did not
find market there, and could not dc
so in competition with the imp ortations
of English manufactures, while the
prices of every thing mentioned in the
reciproc ty treaty, came up to the mar
ket value of these articles in tie UniteL
States, less he cost of transportation
These were the price, paid by US to the
Canadians for the Reciprocity.
1t did not pay. During the term OF
its continuance, the revenue collected in
the District of Vermont was barely suf
ficent to pay office expenses, when the
force of officers was much less than now
has been collected in this District alone
over five hundred thousand dol ars a.
nualy. The amount duties received
during the last year on the importation,
into Vermont was 1886, 675 90, while tn.
amount of duties received by the Cana
dian government upon merchandise re
ceived in Canada from the United
States, for the same time, would not b,
largely in excess of their collections
were the old reciprocity treaty still il
force.
The question arises whether Canada
controls our markets. or we theirs
which is dependent upon the other, i
either. One thing we do know, tina
the produce markets of Canada rise ant
fall with our own; ours is notinfiuencet
by theirs, if SO, the influence is not per
eeptible. The produce there at th.