New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-24
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
CANADA AND THE TARIFF.
SIR JOHN MAcDoNALD's RECENT SPEECH AT
HALIFAX REVIEWED BY Mr.. NIMMo.

GIN John MAcDoYALp's RECENT SPEECH AT
HALIFAX REVIEWED BY Mr. NIMMo.
TO tho Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Sir John Macdonalds recent TRADE Mt Halifax
against tho Mckinley blll-noS q law-exhiDhs that
doughty Canadian ruler in the attitude Of mad buii
I'm the pasture OF political endeavor. tossing fsct'
and philosophy to the winds. But sr John Is asuc'
There Is always method In his madness His speech
was intended for home consumption and not for
export to the United States But even the mperous
Canadian ruler Is unable to put hook into the nose
OF the "chicl amsng &c takin notes"
In the light Of recent Canadian history Sir John
Macdonalds speech Is absurd to the last degree lie
attacks the protective features Of the Mckinley BILL
willis the party OF which lie IL not only leader but
absolute autocrat rode int, power in the 1873
upon an outand out protectoniSt platform. Ever
since that party has been securely cntrenched in
power by firmly a1herlng to a moro pronounced pro
tcctlrni,t policy than proclaimed In tho
United States by william d. Kelley or william SIC
Kinley or James G.. Blaine Sir John and his fol
lowers have never ceased to proclaim the absolute
necessity Of projecting the manufacturing. mining.
transportation and commercial interests OF Canada.
nor to follow that policy. Occasionally Mr. Erastus
wnan with his free trade followers in Canada charges
upon the Canadian protcctionist phslsnx, but such
efforts always turn out did the attempt Of the cow
TO oppose the railway tran mentioned by old George
Stephenson" bad fer the COO
Occasionally, when frce-trade members OF the Ca
madam Parliament become obstreperous Sir John mops
up the parliamentary floor with them at Ottawa in
manner which sets the Dominion in OF laughter
from Halifax to Vancouver. The protective tarin Of
Canada lays duties upon products Of British manu-
facture precisely as upon those Of other countries II
Canadian free-trader the floor OF Parliament is
ndlscrset to hint that this disoyaty to the British
Government Sir John flies into dramatic rage, and
49, - .nA q tar
home rule TO the hlt'-whatever that may mean-but
I've goes out upon the hastings. and with tears In his
eyes procalms Ills undying love for the mother country
The ground upon which this cheap loyalty rests was
clearly set forth by Sir John in his Halifax speech.
By simply waving the British Nag Canada secures
both the moral and physical support ct the British
navy. In order to enforce this idea he asked, What
would Canada do In the Behring Sea controversy with
out England behind hcri"
Sir John Macdonald is statesman OF the highest
order a man of wonderful administrative ability, cum
ming, resouIceful and courageous lie scorns con
sistency in the methods and cxpedients by which he
carries out his designs ana h" seems to have an epcca
fondness for short turns. lie Is perhaps, the most
accomplished political gymnast Of tho age. The Ca
nadans take great delight in the fact that nobody can
tell what Sir John will do next week. But he
holds them always with a firm grasp by the
magic Of his wonderful powers. This phenomenal per
sonal rule with its manifold solecsms and incongrcs
naturally furnishes fruitful field the political
satirist But unfortunately such humor is lost upon
the people OF the United States for the stated by
Tie Tribune few days agO-Our utter indifference to
Canadian affairs It is melancholy fact that Canada
can't even get into "Puck- Judge II tho
most skilful artist of either Of those picoals should
present the best possibly conceived Canadian car
tOon with the rcdOubtabe Premier rs the principal
figure the great OF people would gaze upon 1t
In blank wondcrmcnt and inquire, "Who is Sir John
Macdonald 7"
In passing, the fact must be noted that protection In
Canada has ferceness and aggIcssiveness which does
not characterize the protective policy OF the United
States The protective policy OF this country Is confined
to the use OF the right Of import duties, whereas
Canada uscs for the same purpose the right arm OF
import duties, the left OF export duties, and be-
sides employs sort Of kicking arrangement Orders
In Council which, in plain English means the sweet
will of Sir John Macdonald This latter expedient
constitutes the sort Of financial exploitation on &C
count Of which Charles unfortunately lost his head
on the morning Of January 30, 1910. The "Order-
inCouncilr policy having failed to work satisfactorily
upon British subjects, has been reegated to duty as an
adjunct of the British and Canadian foreign policy.
II Is fact that the Official volume containing tho
Canadian "Ordcrs-in Council Is considerably larger
than the volume OF Canadian Customs Laws.
But let glance for q moment at the Canadian
tariff on imports in order to how 1t compares with
that OF the United States. Tie following table Is
compiled from the most recent Canadian tariff and tho
new Mckinley Tariff act: