The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-05
Sir Charles Tupper's Talks with
Secretary Blaine
ABOUT A RECIPROCITY TREATY
The Dominion is Anxious for One-There Is
Good Reason to Hope Fair Arrange
ments May be Made.

ultaneously Sir John Macdonald commune
Gated with Sir Charles Upper. urging hin
to enter objection on the ground that il
would be injurious to Canada and violate
the imperial policy of considering the At
lantic fisheries as whole. The letter:
which indicate the attitude of Mr.. Blaine
toward Canada's proposal are missing
For the publication of these permission has
not yet been obtained. One interesting
communication, dated January %, is from
Lord Knutsford, colonial secretary.
He says the Newfoundland ministers are
willing to negotiate for an arrangement
with Canada on a basis similar to the United
States, and her majesty's government
strongly hopes the Dominion will on this
understanding withdraw the opposition.
The reply to this was not given.
The most important communications are
the reports by Sir Charles Upper of inter
views with MIR. Blaine. Upper gives de-
tails of his first talk with Mr.. Blaine in
company with Pauncefote and says: Il
told Mr.. Blaine / wished at the outset TO
recognize the accuracy OF the statement
contained in his letter to Pauncefote. which
had seen, in reference to the invitation
to open negotiations regarding reciprocal
trade arrangements between the two coun-
tries in that believed it arose from nego-
tiations which had recently taken place
between the United States and New
foundland, and the desire expressed
by Canada TO be included in every
arrangement such as il had been under
stood TO have been contemplated by the
United States and Newfoundland. and that
upon being communicated TO him by Sir
Julian Pauncefote, he had expressed his
willingness to open negotiations for recip-
rocal trade arrangements between Canada
and the United States, assisted by dele
gates from the Dominion government the
negotiations 70 be informal and to a certain
extent of a confidential nature until they
could assume more formal character If
any result were arrived at. Mr.. Blaine
said he understood Canada had taken ex-
ception to the proposed arrangements with
the United States by Newfoundland. l
admitted such was the case, and
explained that the interest of Can
ada and Newfoundland always had
been regarded as irreparable. L
told Mr.. Blaine / wished to remove the
idea, if he entertained it, which had been
promulgated in the United States and Can
ada, that the present government of the
Dominion was not warmly in favor of the
most friendly relations with the United
States. In an article which l recently sent
Il
can R6UisiC, had Undertaken to give con-
elusive evidence on that point, and | need
further only refer him to the fact that
when Sir John Macdonald, who was one of
her majesty's high commissioners, submit
ted to parliament for approval the Alabama
treaty which settled all then pending ques-
tons between Canada and the United
States, he was fiercely denounced
by the leaders and the press of
the Liberal party for having basely
sacrifice the interests of Canada in en-
deavors to promote friendly relations be-
tween Canada and the United States. I
added / had experienced the same treat
ment from the same party when ! sub
mitted for the approval of parliament the
treaty of Washington in 1855. OF course in
lo66, and subsequently in 1885, when the
treaties which gave United States fisher
men common rights with ours were abro-
gated in consequence of the action of the
United States, we were thrown back upon
the treaty of 1878; but the statements that
Canada then resorted to Q sharp construc-
ton OF that treaty with the object of pro-
noting freer trade relations with the
United States were erroneous; we were
in justice to rights to our own
fishermen who were met with high duties
in the United States market to protect
them. MIR. Blaine desired to assure me
that outside of individual differences of
opinion there was no interest taken by
of congress of the United States
in the recent Canadian election and they
had taken no active part to influence the
result Of the election.
Continuing, 1 said Canada was most
anxious to have the freest and most
friendly relations with the United States
consistent with the interest of both count
ries. Mr.. Blaine said ne was free to admit
the treaty of 1854 was not abrogated on
grounds, but in consequence of
q feeling that Canada sympathized with
the Southern states in their conflict. / re-
piled IL was difficult to see upon what basis
that opinion could be entertained and that
it was admitted no less than forty thousand
Canadians fought in the Northern army
TO maintain the Union, while / did not
suppose forty were on the other side.
MIR. Blaine supposed the very large bounty
lad a good deal of influence in the matter
then said the unhappy conflict had taken
place previous to the confederation, but |
could speak with some accuracy of the
province of Novia Scotia, with which /
was then connected, that the legislature of
Nova Scotia passed resolution deploring
he war, and one of the sharpest of inter-
rational questions arose, as he would re-
member, in connection with the Chesa-
)eake incident in the harbor of Halifax.
''Sir John Macdonald and party had the
strongest desire to promote reciprocal
rade between the two countries.
mi their hopes in that direction
we're greatly strengthened by the
decided measures which Mr.. Blaine
lad taken to promote reciprocal trade
With other countries, and / could not see
Why he could not, with great advantage to
he United States as well as Canada, ex-
end to the north the same policy he pur-
iued with countries TO the SOUTH whose
rade was very much smaller than that be
ween the Dominion and the United States.
said the fact that he had expressed his
'eadiness to receive representations that
canada wished made would show he was
quite open to consider that question. / was
further strengthened in my views, / added,
~ the disposition he had shown To make
reciprocal arrangements with the colony OF
New foundland.
"Some question then arose be-
ween Sir Julian and Mr.. Blaine
Is to the Newfoundland negoti-
Itions, Sir Julian explained that New
oundland had no authority to negotiate in
my other way than through him. Blaine
aid it did not appear necessary to negoti-
tie any treaty with Newfoundland, as that
olony had expressed readiness to give
he United States the privileges they en-
Dyed by their own action, and they pro-
'osed not only to give bait to United States
but to refuse to give the same
privilege to Canada / told MIR. Blaine the
ait act in Newfoundland had received the
ssent Of her majesty upon the distinct
ledge that Canadian vessels would not De
fected by it. Her majesty had the power
o disallow any bill that might be passed
pom the subject by q colony. upon the
onclusion of the interview thanked Mr..
Elaine very much for his courtesy"