The Portland daily press., 1874-05-18
The Canadian Treaty.

The rumors concerning the negotiations
between our own and the Dominion Govern
ments, looking to the establishment OF
commercial treaty, are of especial interest
to this community. Our relations with
Canada are of so intimate a nature, ana
the advantages of a free interchange Oh
commodities with that nation are SO great 10
us that our people should spare no pa 10
encourage such an arrangement as is contem-
plated. Under the former reciprocity treaty
Portland did much OF the business between
the upper and lower provinces, and reaped
substantial advantages from the commerce.
The general theory of our tariff system con-
templates the collection of the revenue mainly
from luxuries and superfuities. Thus we
impose heavy duties upon wines, liquors.,
cigars, silks. precious stones, and other arti-
Giles of similar character, while upon sugar,
molasses, rice, tea and coffee, the tariff is
little or nothing. The burden of government
is thus made to fall upon the wealthy, or
those who indulge 10 luxuries, while the poor
are comparatively exempt In the matter of
Canadian productions, however, the present
system is entirely antagonistic to this theory
Here the taxes are imposed npon the necessi-
les of life,-corn, -four, oats, butter, lumber,
etc. Our provincial neighbors, having vast
area of new and fertile land, much of it
covered With lumber, were very ready to eX-
change their staple raw material tor our
manufactured articles. This trade was OF
great mutual advantage, but since the
abrogation of the treaty in 1866, they
have been driven to seek other sources
of supply, by building manufactures them
selves, or by importing from Europe. They
have been able to find substitutes for our
commodities, while we are compelled to pur-
chase theirs despite all distractions. Thus
the balance of trade was considerably in our
favor under the treaty, but now the average
excess of imports over exports is more than
100000 annually. This showing is in it.
self conclusive in favor of the restoration of
the treaty, as the natural advantages which
we have over Europe in competing for this
trade would rapidly restore the old relations
Under the treaty too a great part of The
foreign commerce of the upper provinces
passed through our seaports. After the re-
peal they at once sought direct communication
with Europe, expanding $2O,00O,O0O on the
Intercolonial railway, and much larger sums
in the enlargement of canals, the improve
ment of the navigation of the lakes and the
st. Lawrence, and the substituting of river
and ocean steamship lines. By these means
the foreign commerce of Canada, which fell
0,000, 600 the first year after the repeal of
the treaty, has been raised to an amount OF
$75,000,000 above the highest point reached
under the treaty. Yet so difficult and tedious
is the navigation of the st. Lawrence for the
part of the year when it is open, that lum-
Der intended for shipment to South America
can be brought over the Grand Trunk rail-
way, and shipped from Portland at a less
cost than if shipped directly from Montreal
or Quebec. There can be no doubt but that,
under the encouragements of suitable
treaty, large portion of that commerce
which has made Montreal great city can be
transferred to Portland, Boston and New
York.
The opposition to reciprocity comes chiefly
from the numbering interest, which objects to
the admission of Canadian lumber in equal
competition. Our nation is thus made to
present the curious spectacle of people
legislating in all possible ways to prevent
the extinction of our lumber forests,
and at the same time imposing a tariff
on Canadian lumber, which is, in fact,
direct premium on the consumption
of our own. The fact is, that we must
have Canadian lumber on account of an
actual lack in our own territory. In 1866,
before the abrogation of the treaty, we i'm
ported six and half millions of dollars worth,
and last year, despite the tariff, we imported
over eleven millions of dollars worth. We
are forced to forego vast and lucrative trade,
to see thriving foreign commerce diverted
from us and TO ignore favorable source of
supply of breadstnffs, all for the sake of ''pro-
tecting' an interest to which the steady in
crease of demand and decrease of supply is a
sufficient protection. There seems to be an
opportunity for the establishment of the
treaty, and it is to be hoped that our author
ties will avail themselves of it, especially if
we can obtain, in addition to all other bene-
fits, free access to the fisheries, for which,
under the treaty of Washington, we now
pay tribute. 81 1lsa