New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-21

The debate in the DOMINION Iailihche ""
Monday night was significant as revealing the
attitude of political parties in relation to reel
procity of trade with the United States. The
Liberals are anxious to secure Tor canada all
the commercial advantages of her own contl-
nent They have no difficulty in proving that
the na tural market for her surplus products Is
the United States, aud consequently advocate
the reopening of negotiations for renewal oil
the Reciprocity Treaty. The Conservatives, on
the other hand, assume that there Is no reason
to expect that the United States Governments
will sanction reciprocity on the basis oil an eI-
change of natural products, or on any terms ac-
ceptable to Canada. They contend. therefore,
that il will not be dignifed for the Dominion
Government to take the initiative in any steps
toward reciprocity. They hold that the true
course for the Dominion is TO develop itk own
industries by means of n high tariff and rail-
way extension rather than TO make Tree trade
overtures which will inevitably be rejected.
This is a free rendering of the speeches in this
desultory debate but tho relations of the parties
to reciprocity are correctly indicated.
Now the position of the Conservatives seems
TO lis entirely logical. The Dominion cannot
reasonably expect the removal of the customs
line under the present circumstances. 1t was
nine years ago that the Canadian proposals for
reciprocity were repulsed, and in the interval
nothing has occurred to modify public opinion
on that question In the United States. Why
should this country renounce an economic pol
icy under which it has prospered as no other
nation in history has prospered beforef The
customs line on the southwest frontier may be
removed SO as to facilitate the exchange of pro-
mi tO
open market for American manufactures. On
the northern frontier there are common pro-
ducts and similar conditions of soil, climate and
natural resources; and the Dominion, more
over. is dependency of free trade Power,
from which the manufactures OF the United
States have required systematic protection.
The customs line OH that frontier is, therefore,
an essential element of the economic policy of
this country, and there is no disposition on this
side to modify it at present. No sooner, more
over, were the people OF the Dominion con-
WINGED that a renewal of reciprocity was not to
be expected for many years than they dellber-
ately adopted the high-tarif system for them
selves; and under 1t they have already ac-
qured q surplus of revenue and materially I'M
proved their position. The Conservatives, who
advocated the high tariff, have every reason to
believe that the people of the Dominion are
favorably impressed with the economic results
of that policy, so far as they are themselves
affected by 1t. Since, therefore, there is no
chance for reciprocity on the part of the United
States, and lack of interest in the Dominion,
the leaders OF the Government party are just
flied in misunderstanding the reopeniHg of
negotiations,
This question has an important bearing upon
the future destiny of Canada. Professor Gold
win Smith was convinced ten years ago that the
annexation of the Provinces to the United
States was inevitable. DR.. Bender takes the
same view in an article in the current number
of The North american Review. He contends
that while there is no systematic agitation for
annexation afoot, there are q million of Irish
Canadians who secretly favor 1t, the French
Canadians are wholly uninfuenccd by imperial
considerations, republicanism Is growing more
popular every day, and the masses already feel
that their fortunes are involved in the fate of
the northern continent. He considers the
prosperity of the Provinces to be dependent
upon their intimate commercial relations with
the United States, and looks upon the nj gra-
ton of thousands Of Canadians across the
border every year as preliminary to the an
nexation of the territory itself q little later.
This Is Canadian view of annexation. which
will probably be ridiculed by political leaders
in Toronto and Ottawa. Protestations of 10y
atty to the mother State are never wanting in
the Provincial and Dominion Parliaments, and
in the absence Of leaders and agitators annex
alton may seem to them an impractcable sug-
gestion. Yet the presence in the United States
of million or more of British and French Can
adams who have crossed the border must exert
o powerful influence upon the few millions
who have been left behind. 1t must be operat-
ing. as Dr. Bender says. as mighty moral
force in the interest of peace and closer COM
munion.
Now Americans will welcome the annexation
OF the Canadian Provinces If it can ever oe ac-