The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-18
COMMERCIAL UNION WITH CANADA.

vi ~ ottS VI iSRi WV
Resolved, that whenever it shall be duly
certified to the president of the United
States that the government of the Domin-
ion Of Canada has declared q desire to en-
ter into such commercial arrangements
with the United States rs will result in the
complete removal Of all duties upon trade
between Canada and the United States, he
shall appoint three commissioners to meet
those who may be designated to represent
the government of Canada, to consider the
best method Of extending the trade rela'
lions between Canada and the United States
ana to ascertain on what terms greater free
dom of intercourse between the two coun-
tries can best be secured, and said commits
sioners shall report to the president, who
shall lay the report before congress.
TO this declaration a perusal Of an ar
ticle by Mr.. Erastus Wiman in a recent
number of the North American Review
lends a world of interest and significance.
The essay is characterized by statesman
like breadth and a Thorough grasp Of
the situation, and discusses fairly and
temporarily the possibilities and proba-
bilities Of political and commercial union
with Canada.
Political union, e1en in the ear flu
ture, he considers purely fanciful. The
man who is rearing hopes on that even
tuality is building on sand. Sensation
al writer's may rant and disgruntled pol
iticians may rave, but the great heart of
the Dominion is unalterably true to the
British crown. 1t is one of the proudest
sentiments of Canadians that they live
under the British flag. For any other
condition of things political Mr.. Wiman
would find it hard to account. The
mother country has treated her big col
,ony with the utmost liberality." The
Canadian people is practically autocrat-
ic, and has received from Great Britain
nothing but acts of kindness and gener-
.osity. Every scheme that would tend
to develop the colony has received the
most substantial support from British
financial circles. Canadian gratitude is
strong, and no member pledged to an
nexation with the United States could
secure a return from a single constit-
uency in the Dominion to ,day. Moth
ing short of a gross invasion Of Canadian
rights and privileges by the old country
could produce even an excuse for seces-
sion.
But commercial union is another and
entirely different matter, and the critic
in the Review has little difficulty in
summing up a grand total Of mutual adj
vantages for each country, that dwarfs
MI. Blaine's Pan American scheme into
utter insignificance. The removal Of tis-
cal barriers would throw open to the
trade and enterprise Of the United
States the 'greater half" Of the cont
nent, a region ''larger, richer and more
susceptible of development for the good
of mankind" than any other portion of
the whole surface of the earth. For the
Canadian, the new departure would
mean the Inauguration Of a policy OF ac-
tivity that would increase the wealth
and availability Of the Of the
dominion a hundred fold. Canada, I'M
der British rule, has Jagged far behind
the phenomenal progress Of our great
republic, and the kanucks are not slow
to appreciate the difference and the ad-
vantages that would accrue to them
without fail from free and unrestricted
commercial intercourse with the south
ern neighbors.
Political separation and commercial
union are not at all repugnant to the
citizens Of Canada, if we may believe
Mr.. Wiman. They are content with
their political condition, but their eyes
are wide open to their commercial posi-
bilities. Within eighteen months the
question will be either settled in favor
Of commercial union or shelved for an
other five years. The tory party. which
under the guidance Of Sir John Mac
Donald, has held the rein5 Of power fol
the last fifteen years, is entirely respons
ible for the commercial isolation that
exists. 1t is the tory party that hai
given a harsh Interpretation to the fish
cry treaty, and practically anticipated
the action Of the Mckinley bill by +;
hlcuohiC t1bdIs tIdollc anu Severe
The liberal party is on the entirely op
posite tack. They have laid it down a.
n OF the tirmest planks Of their part,
platform that Canada's commercial re
lations with the United States shall b,
OF the most intimate character. II
other words, they stand pledged to tn,
acceptance OF the offer made by the res
~olution OF the foreign committee of ou
house Of representatives. Even though
it true that the parties are pretty even
ly divided, Mr.. Wiman believes that i
requires only time and a knowledge @
the enormous advantages that will 70!
low to secure for the change Of tisca
policy the support Of merchants an
manufacturers, miners and shippers an
every n who desires to enlarge his or
portunities. When these men hav
been convinced, the politicians will b
prompt to carry out their bidding.