Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-14
,spro1A1 rrLEeaAM TO THE prspArcH.l


w1LNINGToN, DEL, December 13.-
There was notable gathering ofrepresenta-
tive men in Institute hall tonight, upon
the occasion of a public meeting of the
Board of Trade of this city, to listen to de-
bate between Erastus Wiman, of New
York, and General James H. Wilson, of
this city. Henry G. Ganse. Vice President
of the Harlan and HollIngsworth Company,
presided; and the stage was filed with
leading business men and politicians.
Senators Gray and Higgins and ex-Secre-
tary of State Bsyard were among the most
earnest listeners. Mr.. Bayard was greeted
with applause as he stepped on the plat
form, and so were the speakers.
Mr.. wiman was introduced by Mr.. Ganse,
and he explained, by large map of Can
ada, which also showed the great CONNER
cial border line, just what The question at
issue was. He also announced that the sub
ject for consideration was: "What govern
mental policy on the part of the Govern
ments of the United States and Canada
would be best calculated to bring about the
establishment of the fullest and most desir-
able relations between the two countrles?'
| LONG AND ENIhOOlAoI1Cs
General Wilson was then introduced and
| opened the discussion proper. He spoke
for three-quarters of an hour. and was
warmly greeted. Mr.. Wiman then re-
piled.
The Hon. Benjamin Butterworth, of
| Ohio, aud Charles Emory Smith, of Phil
aoelphia, who had been announced to
| speak, did not appear.
General Wilson took the broad ground
that a commercial or customs union would
not solve the problem. He declared that the
law of any national growth seemed to be ac-
cretion, not colonization, and quoted history
10 prove it. The doctrine of manifest
destiny has commended itself to every
thoughtful student of history. 1t has not
ceased to work for the glory ofthe American
name, and cannot cease or be defeated OF Its
| end and aim until the American flag
floats over every foot of the North American
continent 1t is as impossible to suspend
this law as it is to make the waters of the
| st. Lawrence and Lake Ontario flow back
ward over the Falls of Niagara. He said
| in conclusion:
| ST do not hesitate to say that our true
| policy is to invite the British provinces in
North America to come into the glorious
Union as States and Territories, on the
assurance that our Government will assume
the public debt of the Dominion and
of the Independent provinces. This would
give them every privilege and blessing they
now enjoy, except such as are connected
with hereditary titles, and would give them
in addition the inestimable boon of free and
unrestricted trade with 100000 of the
most enlightened, the most progressive and
the most wealthy people in the world.
WHAT wIMAN DwELT ON.
Mr.. Wiman, in his remarks, dwelt on
the great resources of Canada, the
the United States, the wonderful de-
velopment of the Northwest, the ne
cessity of doing something to extend the
commerce both of Canada and the United
States, and the possibilities of extending
the commerce of the United States through
the great stretches of country to the North.
| He then said:
"When one recalls how great are these
possibilities, and how utterly insig-
nifcant are the impediments in the
way of this extension of trade, it
would seem as if these United
States were asleep, SO little do they appear
to apprehend the advantages that may
come from an obliteration of the barriers
that now limit their trade This barrier con-
sists Of barbed wire fence 4, 900 miles long,
In the shape OF a customs line over which
one brother cannot trade with another
brother for a bushel of potatoes without the
Intervention of the Government. Over
this berbed wire fence is col
Iected the Insignificant sum of
81, ,000, 900 per year. perfectly unnecessary
taxation to the burdens of Canada, without
any compensating advantage whatever.
This S5,0OO0 600 divided among 65-
O00, 900 people in the United States
amounts to less than cents per head. Not
a loss of this amount, but cessation of nee
essary taxation to this extent is all that Is
required, while the amount in question
would be made up with interest bv the in
creased revenue Of the Postofice Depart
ment.
''The plan by which it is proposed to ex-
tend the trade of the United States to as far
North as human life can exist on the one
hand, and to permit free supply
of raw material from Canada on
the other, is to create a practi-
cal commercial union between the two
countries. 1t is proposed that the tariff
line, which now runs athwart the continent
should be lifted up, and, being made of uni
form height, placed entirely around the
continent; that the duties collected
in Montreal and Quebec shall
be precisely the same as those
collected in New York and Boston; that
the political separation shall be Just as
complete as it is now, but that the COM
merce of the two countries shall be one."
|