Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-02-19
Gov. Page and Che Reciprocity Treaty.

AT the annual meeting of the Vermont State
Agricultural Society, last month, one of its man.
ayers introduced q series of resolutions which
were adopted, to the effect that the society had
" seen with regret a disposition among some Of
our leading politicians, including our own chief
magistrate, to seek restoration of the recently
abrogated reciprocity treaty with the Dominion
If Canadl;' and further expressing the unalter-
able opposition of the society, (which evidently
and properly considered itself speaking in the
matter for the farmers Of vermont) to reciprocity
Of trade with Canada, in any form. OF course,
Mr. Colbnrn, who offered, and the directors
who adopted the resolutions, did well, if they
thought there was need, to express the repug
nance Of the farmers of Vermont to competition
with Canadian agricultural products, which is
what is meant by opposition ON their part 10 re-
ciprocity in trade. But it was hardly well to
arraign our Governor without some sufficient
cause, and when undertaking to do SO, it would
have been well to keep within the limit of plain
and demonstrable truth.
Now in point of fact, the gentlemen of the
Agricultural Society have not seen a disposition
on the part Of our own chief magistrate to seek a
restoration Of the old reciprocity treaty with Ca
NADIA, because he has shown no such disposition.
% But didn't he 20 for reciprocity treaty in his
last Message to the legisature2' we think we hear
somebody ask. Softly, friend-to go for reel
prvcitV treaty, is not necessarily to go for g the
recently abrogated treaty" The old treaty was
a very unfair one. Unequal when first nego-
ciated, it was made still more 50 by the subse-
quent legislation of the Canadian government.
1t was odious to the great mass of our citizens,
and was abrogated with the entire approval of
all Who among the politicians may be seek
ing the restoration Of that treaty, we do not
know but we undertake to say that the Gov
ernor is not one of them. Certainly no public
word or act of his authorizes so grave charge.
Bat what did the Governor say in his mes
sage on reciprocity Simply this Having set
forth the need Of increased facilities md enlarged
avenues Of commerce and communication with
the great West, he showed the feasibility and
importance to Vermont of the proposed ship Ca
nal from the ST. Lawrence to Lake Champaign;
stated that there was reason to believe that Cam
ada would construct the ship canal, if new
treaty could be negotiated and asked if it would
not be well to make point of the canal, in the
pending negotiations for new treaty. That was
what the Governor said, and we see nothing in it
deserving a rebuke. But furthermore, during
the session Of the Legislature last fall, Governor
Page expressly authorized the statement that he
did not intend to be understood as advocating
reciprocity in trade Such statement was
made on the floor of the House, by Gen. Grout
Of Barton. The speech containing it was pub
lishel, and though we are bound to presume that
it had not been seen by the members of the State
Agricultural Society present at the annual meet
ing, it is a question whether they ought not, be-
fore undertaking to censure the Governor in
widely published resolutions to have made sure
that he held the position imputed to him
Some Of our readers doubtless have read the
speech Of General Grout, to which we have allu-
ded. 1t has been lying on our table for two or
three months awaiting an admission to our col
umns, which has been repeatedly postponed by
the pressure Of other matters. We COPY 1t to-
day, and ask attention not only to the portion
alluded to above, but in general to its clear ex-
hibit Of the Importance to Vermont Of the ship
canal, and the desirabilty Of some definite COM
meruial arrangement between the two countries,
which shall secure to Us the privileges we now
enjoy only by the sufersnce of our neighbors.