The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-06-22

Over year ago the RECORD UNION
commented at length upon the contro-
versy that had arisen some time before
between President Harrison and the
Canadian authorities relative to the great
lakes canals. There is no real change in
the situation to this date, since it has
come back to the original position of a
commercial war between the two coun-
tries.
The canals were constructed north of
the national boundary, and afford safer,
quicker and easier passage from one
great lake to another, mainly from Supe-
r5or AS early as 1888 they were being
used Discriminatory against the trans
portation of American products, though
the treaties with Canada distinctly pro-
vide that there shall never be made any
sort of distinction between American and
British products in passage through these
water ways.
Early in Mr.. Blaine's Secretaryship he
protested in behalf of the United States
against wheat drawbacks allowed to Can
adian shippers through the canals and
denied to American shippers. A confer
ence followed, wholly unsatisfactory to
the friends of reciprocity, between the
Canadas and the United States and this
was supplemented by threat on the part
Of President Harrison that the United
States would retaliate upon the Dominion
for its patent and insulting discrimina-
ton against the movement of American
goods. Canada, however, at this point
agreed to abandon the bounty paid for
shipment through her canals, masked
under the title of drawback, but this
agreement has been receded from on the
plea that all Canada intended was to give
hearing to compliments against the
discrimination. Not long afterwards the
Canadian Government reannounced the
discriminating tolls and without notice
to our Government.
der to be fragrant, impudent and coolly
premediJated violation of the treaty of
Washington of 1871, that guaranteed to
the people of the United States the use of
the Welland, st. Lawrence, st. Mary's
and other canals in the Dominion upon
terms of perfect equality with the inhab-
itants of the Dominion. This treaty vio-
lation works serious injury to shippers OF
American produce in competition with
that of Canada.
Under the circumstances the President
has advised such retaliation as will tend
to bring the Canadian statesmen to terms,
which means simply honest compliance
with the plain and obvious meaning Of
the terms of the treaty of 1871. In taking
this position President Harrison has
practically the unanimous Endorsement
of the people of the nation. If the policy
Of retaliation is once fairly inaugurated
1t will be but question of brief time
when the Canadas must yield. We
have such decided advantage over the
Dominion that retaliation will mean dis
Rster to great productive industries over
the border, and such closing of avenues
of trade fed by American consumption
as will result in the calling of halt
whether the Dominion Ministry likes il
or not. The United States will not escape
harm wholly in the contest; commercial
wars always are ofinjury to both contest.
ants; but in this instance it would seem
that there is no escape from injustice ex-
cept by retaliation. 1t appears now to be-
the only road open to possible broad re,
ciprocity.