The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-21
RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA
Debate on the Subject in the Dominion
House OF Common.


House of Common.
OTTAWA, Ont, March 20.--A motion in the
House OF Commons yesterday for the cores
pondenee In the possession of the government
on the question OF q renewal OF reciprocity
with tho United States was followed by Mr..
Ross, OF Mddlesex, with a speech advocating
such an arrangement. He took the ground
that Canada required large markets for her
surplus products that production within the
Dominion is increasing more rapidly than
consumption that the reciprocity treaty Of
1854 had proved Of advantage 10 this country
and that the Dominion ought 10 seek another,
especially as the Washington treaty, about TO
be abrogated, viii afford leverage for a re-
newal Of that treaty. Mr.. White, Of Card
well, replied 10 Mr.. Ross In fluent off hand
speech, replete with information and argu-
mentatlyely strong. He characterized Mr..
Rosss speech as an inopp0rtune one, because
II tended TO create the impression that Canada
could not get along commercially without re-
einrocal trade-the very impression which,
given 10 the United States, would make il ut
terly impossible to reach q satisfactory basis OF
negotiation. MFR, White then rapidly traced
the efforts which the government Of Canada
had made 20 obtain treaty In 1865 and again
in 1874, when the late Hon. George Brown was
sent 70 Washington TO open negotiations, and
he pointed our how, ON both of those occasions,
although the Dominion offered terms Of the
most liberal character, It's offers we're rejected,
chiefly because Of the belief Of the American
people that Canada could be coerced into
policy on their own terms. The tariff act now
IN existence contains staudiug notice TO the
United States that when she is ready 70 enter
into reciprocal trade relations the Dominion Is
prepared to meet her half way--a declaration
thas whenever Congress abolished duties on
natural pfoducts GEe Canadian government
w0ald. BY al ufapr ii Council, without wait
Ing for the sanction Of Parliament, adopt the
same course Mr.. White then pointed out
how continuously this country had pfogpered
without reciprocity; how rev markets had
been opened, and how, by means Of policy
such as Is now IN force, the Dominion is en-
abled 20 offer the United States something In
return Tor tho abrogatoB Of duties. Continu-
ing, he said: Already we have accomplished
something IN the direction OF reciprocity. We
have taught the United States that their mar
keig nre net indispensable 70 us, We have
proved or ability 10 prosper greatly without
them. We have had recently declaration by
the Detroit Board of Trade In favor OF a new
treaty We have had an agitation in Congress
for the abEogation of duties on many natural
products, among others on lumber. and we
have had the abolition by them OF the differ
ontiai duly on tea. While the national policy
was Ia its experimental stage, while the op-
position weFe declaring day after day that the
people Of Canada would reserve that policy on
the hrst opportunity afforded them, the United
States naturally refrained from taking any
steps IN she direction OF reciprocity, because
they looked forward 70 the time when the old
order of things In which our markets we're
open 70 them and their markets closed 20 us,
would be restored. Bat now that tine national
policy has become tho confirmed basis Of all
our hlcal legislation, there Is reasonable
hope that the United States will devote more
attention % the snbjset Of reciprocal trade
relations with Canada"