The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-03
The Commercial interests Of Port
land with Canada.


To the Editor Of the Press:
The Hon. Erastus Wiman came from New
York to Portland and GRATED to an attentive
audience at the Falmouth Hotel, upon the
advantages to be derived from reciprocity Of
trade 4. e. free trade) with Canada. His
speech contains many things which disclose
how English" he Is, but OF them later on.
A comparison Of the trade between the
United States and the Dominion of Canada
Il. e. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince
Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba and
Northwest territory in 1866, when reciproei-
ty ceased, after II years existence, and for
the year ending June 80, A. d., 1887, shows
how disadvantageous 60 us was reciprocity.
We imported from Canada in 1866 merchan-
disc valued at S54,704,97T, and exported to
Canada goods valued at S29,356, 1858. The
balance OF trade against us was S25, ,34S, ,414.
In 1887 we imported from that forlorn do
minion S36, 100, and sold to them $780,
100, 1917, showing balance against us Of only
81, ,3S7, ,912 Our exports to Canada under our
present tariff have slightly increased. invali-
dating the theory Of free traders that protec-
tion prevents expectation. Under our pres
ent tariff the imports from Canada have di-
minished S1s,517,766 per annum. Canada
has increased somewhat in population and
business since 1866, and probably II reci-
procity had been continued until now we
should have been importing from Canada
500, 900, 900 per annum, in excess Of our ex-
ports instead of $5,3S7,912, considerable
portion of which $1O0,OO0,O00 would have
been goods originally imported by the Cana
dians from Great Britain. and frauduleutly
sent over the line to the United States.
The total value of all merchandise import
ed by Portland from the Dominion of Cana
da Il. e. along the whole line from Nova Sco-
tia to the Paci6c) amounted for the year end
ing June 80, 1887, to S299,667. The value Of
the exports from Portland to Canada for
that year Q880 was only Sl3,335
The trade OF the three towns adjoining
Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Deering and Fal-
mouth, Is worth more to the city than the en-
tire trade Of Canada.
But il Is said by the advocates of free
trade that under reciprocity our Portland
trade would be greatly Increased. / notice
that under reciprocity the total value Of all
goods imported at Portland from July /, 1865,
to March II, 1866, period OF eight and one
half months, amounted TO but S213,179 How
much Of this came from Canada l cannot
learn.
Before city can import it must have Inn
porting merchants. Our merchants will not
import goods Ii they can buy them cheaper
Of the larger importing merchants OF our
| great cities.
If Portland wants to increase her trade
| she must look for customers nearer home.
| When Maine is great and prosperous State
| Portland will be great and prosperous city,
| and nor sooner. The season Of 1888 was un-
| favorable to the farmers OF Maine. Portland
| feels the disaster as well asl the farmers.
Maine farmers supplied Portland with beef
| a few wears ago. Now Chicago supplies
| Portland with beef, and more than a thOus-
| and men In Portland and vicinity have been
| driven from the business. The pork busi-
ness has measurably suffered the same fate
| In consequence Of the sharp competition
with the West, which our people expect, and
have trade with the West to Offset some
what this disadvantage.
But let loose upon the markets OF Maine,
Canadian potatoes which Mr.. Wlman con-
temptuously speaks Of, hay, lumber. veget-
ables, horses, cattle, sheep, butter, and you
will reduce the farmers OF Maine to the
poverty Of the Canucks and Portland will
suffer correspondingly.
The United States cannot, under Iecipro-
city, protect herself against fraudulent i'm
portations of European goods through Cana
dian custom houses, over which we can have
no control, much less can we follow the
goods to see IL they come into the United
States free Of duty. Reciprocity would be a
nice thing for Canadian merchants operating
with the merchants Of our large cities. No,
| MIR. Wiman, you were not speaking so much
| for Portland. as for New York.
Free trade with Canada means free trade
WIN L. b. DENSETT.