Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-06-19
Reciprocity.

Almost every body viii eoncede, We sup
pose, that a commercial treaty with tn,
Dominion of Canada might lie drawn. tn,
advantages Of which would be truly rccip.
roeal. 1t would be one which this coun-
try would be willing to make, not from any
favor to Canada, but from regard to its owr
Interests. OF course there would be adyan-
tages for the Dominion also, or 1t could not
be expected to be party to it. But the
only reason why the United States should
consent to a treaty of that kind would
be that We could make something by it :
and it ought not to be an objection to this.
any more than to any other commercial
transaction, that somebody else was to make
something by it too.
What all the detailsof the proposed treaty,
draft of which has been drawn up by rep
resentatives of the governments of the two
countries, are, we do not know; but We
learn through gentleman who has been in
position to know all about it, that the
Dominion positively agrees, as one of the
conditions, to build the Caughnawaga Ship
Canal, provided New York will enlarge the
Champlain Canal New York IS nor en-
larging the Champlain Canal, and will. IN
doubtedly, enlarge it still further in the fu-
ture. We learn that the free list was
adopted exactly as suggested by Secre-
tary Fish; that the clauses concerning
the fisheries meet even the exacting
views of Gen. Butler that the transporta-
tion clauses have been substantially drawn
up by the Western Senators most interested
IN securing the best outlet to the seaboard
for the great northwest and, in short, that
every concession asked by the United States
has been granted By the Dominion embas-
sailors. Can it be doubted that such
treaty would be beneficial to this country ?
Yet there Is some opposition to the treaty,
and to any treaty, coming from inter
ests in this country which fear
that they will not share in the benefits ac- |
cruing to the nation at large 1t seems to
be assumed, on the part of such, that any |
Commercial Treaty would be but the renew
al of the old Reciprocity Treaty. Now we
do not understand that anybody proposes to
renew the old treaty The new treaty is
new one, and is to be discussed on its own
merits
The Vermont farmers are asked to oppose
treaty, as necessarily injurious to their
interests. So in the early days of railroads,
the farmers were appealed to to oppose
charters, on the ground that horses
would become extinct when everybody
travelled by rail, and the price of oats
would fall to nothing We believe a true
and fair reciprocity treaty would be posi-
tive benefit to the farmers of Vermont. The ,
prices of farm produce in Canada, under
he opening of new and profitable markets {
or them since the abrogation of the old
reaty, have become much more nearly !
quail to prices on this side the line. than ;
hey We're when the old treaty was made
ND when 1t ended-sO nearly equal. in fact ,
hat they could not affect much our priees :
all were put in the free list. The prices |
or Canada produce might and probably i
Would rise; but our prices would not fall :
III much. il any. '''-- :
on the other hand, by a treaty which 9
mould also bring with it the shin canal =
rom the st. Lawrence. our farmers would :
' :, III cheaper rates, the things of which =
~ are buyers and consumers, and not pro- =
ulcers. The Western wheat and the Can =
ua lumber would reach us more easily y
ND cheaply, and to the immense adra1, a.
age oil all The Nova Scotia coal wonId
ONE IN, to regulate the monopoly prices
'nieh are now so often extortionate. And u
nth cheaper breadstufis and cheancr in amu 81
er, and cheaper iron and cbeaner c co Ia
nd with great fleets of steam be, eoai: SO
thousand tons each, coming inte OF
IKE loaded with grain for New Fn., ou1 fe
nd Tor expectation, and RETURNING f;.ha m
'ould come cheap freights 10 the C, st
est for our marble and slate. and ,,ana a' to
'ctures; and conseq uent Immense s,;.n MANU- so
manufacture throughout Vernon, nus do
70 Champlain Valley conseq ueut inc,s ana =
population ; consequent increased mas de
sts and higher prices for everything ~. hi
ermonf farmer has to eel. Some other imnnr NC an
mt considerations affecting this ouesf;nn 90
may consider hereafter. H frt