New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-14


similar tariff policy has been adopted Ever
since she was forced 70 acknowledge the lnde-
pendence Of the United States, Great britain mas
steadily preserved the policy OF allowing her prn
cpal colonies to work out their own development
according to the headings of specific national wants
and specific national cxperiesces Inc pont n,d
Is strenuously maintaining, the policy of protec-
ton. and is also loudest in its professions OF 10y
atty TO Great Britain II Is also bs% 10 yy,sb
Imperial Confederation-a scheme which Challenges
the attention of the United States.
1NFrRMrTIEs OF THE DOMINION GOVERNMENT
In an article contributed to The Contemporary
Review Of July, 1887, Professor Goodwin Smith
says: In its internal structure the Dominion is
Federation, and the relation Of each Province to
the Dominion is that OF an American State to the
Federal Government But the Canadian Union
is in its structural features greatly inferior to that
Union which constitutes US nation The Con
stitution Of Canada is merely the statutory enact
ment of Great Britain, country OF
which she is practically independent, and
this so-called constitution has never been SUD
mitted to the Canadian people foS ratification
Questions amendatory OF the Organic act are
freely discussed in the House of Commons OF the
Dominion, and can be passed upon without any
reference to the British Parliament, and without
The foImalty Of Q ratifying popular vote. 1t also
appears to be within the power OF the several
provinces to nullify the constitutional y powers
Of the Dominion As an Illustration; the on a,ssrn s
madam Pacific Railway Company gave it the ex ,
sive right to build branch lines within specified Inn
its, but the Commons" Of little Manitoba found
that commercial interests required branch lines TO
Minnesota, so they set about multiplying tnat
enactment Sir John A. Macdonald, the Canadian
Premier, at first strenuously refused consent 10
this arran cement, but he was finally compelled
20 succumb, at the same time agreeing 10 pay
TO the Canadian Pacific the sum OF slo'ooo'ooo
for the loss Of its monopoly.
Another baneful feature OF the Canadian Gov-
eminent is the practice Of continually apProprlat,
ing money to different see,ons T 1RS I anpe 1s
10 be nothing more nor less than system OF pre-
miums TO allay popular discoptent
POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Patterned after the British Government but
without it's traditional safeguards. the Dominion
Government is essentially political party Gov
eminent The party in power absolutely con-
trolls both the legislative and executive branches
of the Government. The leader Of that party, who
is elected Prime Minister by the Commons, is lor
the time being autocrat OF the country. In many
cases party interest prevents members from vot
ing according to their convictions ana the IN
teresis Of their constituencies. virtually, ieglS
lativc power is lodged exclusively In the House
of Commons, which alone is elective. This char
acterizes both the Dominion Government and the
provincial governments. As the Prime Minister
Is the leader Of the Commons, the Executive
dominates the legislative in important particulars
According TO our ideas, this is the very antthess
Of responsible government Sir John Macdonald
is to-day the virtual autocrat OF Canada oola-
win Smith charactcrizes the Dominion Government
as Federal Republic with false 'front.' OF
Monarchy To an American citizen it looks like
n fierce democracy with monarchical leather IN
its cap, and q somewhat idolatrous fondness for
The Canadians declare that their Government
is more pliable than that of the United States
This is undoubtedly true. An illustration of the
pliabilty Of the Canadian system may be IN
stanced by imagining Secretary Bayard as the
political autocrat OF the United States going to
The Speaker of the House Of Representatives some
morning and handing to him bill to amend the
Constitution of the United States to be put
through as party measure. with an appropriation
bin in favor OF sections likely to object and then
stepping over to the Senate and informing the
President thereof that when the bill came TO thai
Canadian Senate is not elective, and really eX-
ercscs no independent legislative power. The sue
cessful notification OF an act Of the Dominion gov
eminent bv the Province Of Manitoba also furnishes
on illustration OF governmental pliahty which docs
not excite the envy OF the United States.
RELATIONS SUSTAINED TO THE UNITED STATES.
The historic origin OF the hostile attitude as
sumed by the Dominion Of Canada toward the
United States has already been noticed. Moved
by such traditional prejudices the Canadians ar
rayed themselves against the United States during
our war of 1912 with Great Britain, and during
our late civil war they threw the entrc morei
force of their sympathies on the side OF the dSso-
luton of the Union, apparently with the idea that
the disruption of this country would tend rel
atively at least, TO advance BRUSH influence ana
power on this continent. Such conduct has not OF
course tended to elicit kindly feeling toward
Canada in any section Of our reunited country,
The last mentioned manifestation of Canadian hos
tility the more wounding to the feelings oil inc
peope of this country from the fact that occurred
at a time when Cannda was enjying the full bene-
fits of the Transit Trade complete RECIPROCITY
of Transportation by rail- and the advantages OF
free competition by the St Lawrence Rlver anu
canals in the commerce Of our northwestern otateS
and that reciprocity treaty with respect 70 trade
between the two countries was in force, although
H. had proved TO be much more benehciai to Canaua
than TO the United States. 1t appeared as though
the Canadians had allowed traditional poLltlcaii
onimosities which the people Of this country had
long since consigned TO the monldy past 10 LEAD
them so far as to overlap even the oic , %
sound Judgment and Of self-interest Inc I'M
mediate result of such action was that the hec-
procity treaty Of S55 was abrogated IN looo
1s @i rlO arrangements has tended again to
the resentment Of our people and 10 su9geso oEe
adoption of general line OF specinc c;t;1epa
md TO vindcate the honor and dignity OF TINS
country. The more important OF these recent ma'-
tiers of complaint will here be mentioneu'
VIOLATION OF THE TRANSIT TRADE
After the Canadian Pacific Hallway was COM
oleted in $50 the Dominion Government refused
10 allow grain produced in Manitoba TO De Trans
ported over American railroads in bond to Mon
trcaI The movement of several million bushels OF
Grain is thus restrained. This is Pageant VIOLA
ton of the privilege of the Transit Trade under
which reciprocal arrangement the RAILROADS. on Os'l-
ada have proited ten times as much as raliroaus
Of the United States The Transit Trade mas
also been of enormous advantage to the commences,
and industrial interests OF Canada Inc retuS %a
of the Dominion Government to allow grain TO De
trapsportrd in bond over American rairoaas ma
not been openly announced, but IL mas peeI gaii AZ
ont snrreptitiously. The Ottawa authorizes 1e-
clare that no instructions have been issued 10 ,e
oiicias in Manitoba TO prevent the traIhc anu que
customs officials in Manitoba declare tlia1 no III
structions have been issued to them whereby they
can issue the necessary certificates such conoucs
Is dsrreditable TO the Dominion Government, sh h
- n,h, 70 no met by proper retaliation on tho
rart of the Government of the United States
REFUSAL TO REoIPRocATE IN AIDING VESSELS
:. f-sa-t IN DISTRESS.
On the 4th of February, 1885, the Hon. newton
w Nutting, of New-York, brought to the ATTENTION
Of the House of Representatives the iace
that the Dominion Government sun re.useS
49,. tho offer made by the United States
bv act Of June 10, 1873 TO allow Sah Gaaa