The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-30
A Canadian Advocate OF Continental
Union.

In view OF the present drift OF things In
the Dominion. especially IL this be stlmu-
lated by reta!atory pressure on the part OF
our Government, we shall not be surprised
to see singular change in the attitude OF
Canadian political parties. Tho Tories, In
their anxiety to avoid political obstruction
may be glad to fall back on the programme
OF commercial union; while the Liberals
perceiving that tho time has gone by when
we might have welcomed their plan Of I'M
restricted reciprocity. may stand forth
boldly as advocates OF annexation to the
United States. We find an indication OF
such change in the position OF the Liber-
ais in a well-reasoned and vigorous article
on the subject OF Continental union-thc
new name for annexation--which lntely mp
peared in the Signal newspaper pub
lished at Goderich. Ontario.
The writer in the Signal begins by dismiss
ing the notion propagated in their desper-
alton by Canadian loyalsts. that the day
may come when Canadian producers will
acquire a monopoly Of the British market
through tho imposition Of preferential du-
ties on rival American commodities. The
hope of obtaining such monopoly at the
hands even OF the British Tories. was shat
tered by Lord SALISBURY in his speech at
Hastings and was subsequently buried be-
yond the possibility Of resurrection when
Sir CHARLES TUPPER's resolution favoring
the subsection OF American food staples to
only slight discriminative duty. was res
olutely voted down by tho representatives
of British industry and trade.
Tho Canadian farmer. therefore. has no
chance Of relief through legislation at West
minister. and finds himself in a predicament
from which tho only avenue of escape is
free access to the country which constitutes
his natural market. 1t may be true, as Is
pointed out by another article In the same
number OF the Signal. that. notwithstand-
ing the FREQ competition OF American pro-
for about eight OF the staple articles raised
on the Canadian farms. The articles re-
ferred to are cattle, bacon. hams, butter,
apples. oats. wheat, and peas. On tho
other hand. the United States furnishes a
better market than Great Britain for over
twenty Canadian products, as. for instance,
horses. swine. sheep. poultry. pigs. hives.
beef. mutton. sheep pelts. wool. bran. fax.
barley. rye. hay. beans. potatoes. other vege-
tables. and straw. 1t is to be particularly
noted by the Canadian farmers that in 1889
Great Britain bought from them S9.016.SS9
worth Of the articles for which She is per-
haps better customer than are the States
while OF the articles which find a better
market in the States than in England. the
American consumer In tho same year pur-
chased a quantity valued at nearly fifteen
million dollars. Since the MCKINLEY act
went into operation. the Canadian farmer
has naturally experienced the disadvantage
Of living outside the Union. In 1891 tho
same articles which two years before
brought about fifteen million dollars in the
States. were purchased from Canadian pro-
ducers only to the extent Of ST. 54G.322. Here
was loss Of over seven million dollars.
which. falling first upon the farmer and
lesscning his ability to buy goods and pay
debts. has necessarily injured all other
classes Of tho Canadian community.
The Signal concludes with warning tho
Canadian agriculturists that under the
regime OF exclusion from their natural
market they are gradually bleeding to
death. and that their self-imposcd immola-
ton to tho fetch OF loyalty to tho mother
country Is sacrifice as senseless rs that
made by the Hindu Zcalots. who throw
themselves under the wheels OF their god 8
triumphal car. in tho belief that their flu
ture is to DO made secure 10y suicide.