Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-07-02
FREE TRADE IN CANADA.

Maine were resolving in convention in IA
vor of Free Trade, another convention
was being held in Montreal to devise ways
and means to bring back to the Dominion
the French Canadians who have emigrated
from that country to this. The statement
was made in the meeting that the number
of that people who have come to settle in
this country is 100000. This estimate
is we believe far below the reality,
for these emigrants are found in the States
from the St. Croix to the Rocky Noun
tains. and the aggregate must be beyond
what the Canadians are willing to place it.
Now, then, here is country ruled by
British Free Trade, the same principle
which the democrats of Maine placed in
their State platform at Portland the other
day, and as the practical result we find
that it has driven 100000 of native pop
ulation over the border, and those who
are left are beseeching the government to
hold out inducements for them to return
and take measures. to prevent others fol-
lowing their footsteps in the direction OF
the United States. If British Free Trade
is blessing why are the farmers, labor
ers, mechanics, ready to abandon a
country where it prevails to remove to a
country where protective tariff exists,
where taxation is high and a deprecated
currency has driven out gold and silver ]?
Do they know which is the best country
for them? We think their judgment may
be- trusted on that point. They have tried
British Free Trade as it exists in the Can
adas and found that it kept them in pov
erty, albeit the theory is SO beautiful
when explained in Free Trade tracts
and by Free Trade speakers. They have
come to the United States, and here
we find them in our factories, shops,
fields, offices and counting rooms. content
ed and prosperous, from which no offers
that the Dominion government can make
will draw them. All accounts agree that
the Canadian people in this country are
good citizens, just the kind of material
any country needs to make it prosperous,
for they are industrious, plain in their liv-
ing, of good habits as class and saving
of their earnings.
These, be it remembered. are only the
natives. If the Canadas were to take into
account the European emigrants that land
upon their shores and would remain there
if British Free Trade would allow them,
but march directly over into the United
States where tariff and high taxation
prevail, they would have much larger
loss to bewail than their figures at Mon
treal show. From time to time we see in
the Canadian papers articles expressing
surprise that the European emigrants do
not tarry in the Dominion, but when they
see their native born citizens packing up
and leaving, there ought to be no wonder
that foreigners. who also have felt the
crushing effect of British pauper labor on
the industrial classes, steer straight for the
United States and make homes here.
If the people of this country desire to
second the efforts of the Canadians to get
back their native population, they have
only to adopt the Free Trade platform of
the Maine democracy. That will send
them back, and some of the best and most
useful of our native Americans with them.
1t would transfer our Maine shipyards to
the Provinces, where our vessels could be
built at pauper prices for labor and with
out taxation, and for similar reasons trans
fer our manufactures over there and slim
ulate Canadian agriculture at the expense
of our own. The fact that this Canadian
convention has just been held to consider
plans to bring back its citizens who have
been carried off by the operation of British
Free Trade is stunning stroke to the Maine
democracy. The Canadians hail the Maine
platform with sincere pleasure. as they
well might if it could obtain popular sup
port, for it would do more if adopted as
the policy of the United States to build up
the Canadas than the Canadas can do for
themselves, unless they cut away from the
shackles OF British Free Trade and cast
their lot with this government.
The alleged virtues of madstones are dis
credited by scientific men. The only efficacy
they can have Is that of being imperfect cup
ping glasses, they being generally porous
coralities which will adhere to a raw wound.
Still, the Lynchburg (ya.) Republican tells
name it gives, was lately bitten by mecca
sin snake, and before he could get any means
Of help, his bitten leg was very badly