The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-09-07
A SENSIBLE cANucx.

Hon. Mr.. Laurier. y Leading Member a
the Dominion Parliament. S~es the
Errors His Countrymen Have Made and
Is Man Enough to Own Them aud sug.
gest = Change of Tactic.
TORONTO, Ont., Aug. 29-Hon. Mr.. Lau.
rier, leader Oe the opposition in the Do.
minion Parliament, has Just closed Q
series Of addresses to the electors Of On.
tario at St Thomas. Referring to Presi.
dent C!eveland's message, Mr.. LaurieP
said: president Cleveland, acting upon
what he conceived to be tho duty imposed
upon him by the American Senate, asks
power to retaliate by suspending the
bonding system. This would be worry
serious event. which, if it came, would
strike the city of st. Thomas as r.ucb,
perhaps more, than any other portion
of the Dominion, because it is made what
it is largely by the lines of railway which
come here from the United States. But,
after all, we are men and British men.
We shall not whine even il the American
people deem it advisabie-I do not say
their duty-to take such an untriendiy
course. No doubt some parties will suffer
in Canada, but no doubt, like British
men, it is our duty to find elsewhere what
we would lose. II we are met with
the state Of things with which we
are threatened, it is due to the
vicious policy of the Canadian Gov.
eminent in the administration OF tbs
rights secured TO Us by the treaty Of ISIS.
II the Canadian Government had followed
more friendly course there would not
have been any unfriendly feeling to-day.
We are threatened with the possibility OF
losing our carrying trade. II the carry.
ing trade is such loss to the country, is
not that the most potent argument that
the most unrestricted reciprocity of trade
would be Of very great advantage 10
the country! say this, and this
is a fact to which call the
attention Of my fellow-countrymen to.
day. It is high time we should re-.
verse the policy We have been following
toward the United States for the past
twenty-five years. 1t has not been alto
gether hostile to the United States, but it
has never been altogether friendly; it
has not been such as to bind us to those
on the other side OF the line, who speak
The same language and have the same
ability with u.s."
After referring to the war between the
North and the South and the unfriendli-
ness shown by Canada TO the North dur.
ing that great struggle, Mr.. Laurier said
Il remind you that again in the days OF
1878 we adopted another policy. the bragg
gadocio policy. We were told by Sir
Charles Upper that the government
would find way to compel the Yankees
to grant reciprocity. What did Sir
Cha,les Upper say in Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick and in the House of Conn
mons? He said he would compel the
United States to give us reciprocity.
Canada is the land of my birth, of my
love; Canada is the land of my
heart and it is enough for
me; but it is not equal 10 tho
United States in extent; 1t has not even
100000 people, and the Americans have
a population of 6O,oO00JO, and to say, as
as was SAID by the Conservative leaders
at that time, that we could compel that
great Nation to come down to their knees
and could force them to give us what they
have not been willing TO give us SO far.
was simply the greatest braggadociO that
has been enacted within nv lifetime.
Let us remain as we are politically,
but let us agree that it would be for
their benefit and for our benefit that there
should be no customs laws, but that We
should exchange our products from one
side of the line to the other. That is the
policy OF the Liberal party. For my part,
/ believe that we look no longer on them
with jealousy; that We ere glad OF their
success; that we are sincere friends and
brothers, and that we would have No diff.
fict,lty in arriving ct the object We nave
III view."