St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-07
CANADIAN RELATIONS.
Recommends a Radical Revision
OF Them.


During the past year a suggestion was re-
ceived from the British minister that the
Canadian government would like to confer
as to the possibility Of enlarging upon terms
of mutual advantage the commercial ex-
changes of Canada and of the United States,
and conference was held, with Mr. Blaine
acting for this government and the British
minister at this capital and three members
Of the Dominion cabinet acting as commits
sioners on the part Of Great Britain. The con
terence developed the fact that the Canadian
government WAS only prepared to offer to
the United States, in exchange for the con-
cesslons asked, the admission OF natural
products. The statement was frankly made
that favored rates could not be given to the
United States as against the mother country.
This admission, which was foreseen, neces-
sarily terminated the conference upon this
question. The benefits of an exchange of
natural products would be almost wholly
with the people of Canada. Some other
in the conference and resulted in the
making of convention tor examining the
Alaskan boundary and the waters of Passa-
maquoddv bay adjacent 10 EastpOrt, Me,
ana in the initiation of an arrangement for
the protection of fish life i'll the coterminOus
and nelghborlng waters of our northern bor-
der.
The controversy as to the tolls upon the
Weiland canal, which was presented TO con-
having failed of adjustment, 1 felt con-
strained to exercise the authority conferred
by the act OF July 16. 1892 and to proclaim a
suspension OF the free use of st. Mary's falls
canal to cargoes in transport i'll Canada. The
secretary OF the treasury established such
tolls as were thought to be equivalent to the
eXac5lons uujusuy levied upon our com
merCe in the Canadian canals.
IT, as we must suppose. the political rela-
tons of Canada and the disposition of the
Canadian H.
changed somewhat radical revision of
our trade relations should, I think,
be made. Our relations must continue
TO be intimate, and they should be
friendly. [ regret to say. however, that in
many OF the controversies. notably those as to
the fisheries on the Atlantic, the sealing in
terests Oh the Pacific and the canal tolls, your
negotiations with Great Britain have been
continuously thWarted or retarded by unrea-
sonable aud unfriendly objections and pro-
tests from Canada. In the matter of the
canal tolls. our treaty rights were fagrantly
disregarded.
1t is hardly too much to say that the Cana
dian Pacific and other railway lines which
parallel our northern boundary are sustained
by commerce having either its origin or
terminus or both in the United States. Cana
dian railroads compete with those of the
United States for our traffic, and without the
restraints Of our interstate commerce act.
Their cars pass almost without detention
into and out of our territory. The
Canadian Pacific railway brought into
the United States from China and
the year ended June 30 1892. %, sc, 695 pounds
of freight, and it carried from the United
States TO be shipped to China and Japan, via
British Columbia, 24,06S,346 pounds of
freight. There were also shipped from the
United States over this road from our
ports to Eastern Pacific ports dur
ing the same year, l3,912,0l3 pounds of freight
and there were received over this road at the
United States Eastern ports from ports on
the Pacific coast, ID 293, 3l5 pounds of freight
There is no disposition on the part OF the
people or government of the United STATES TO
interfere in the smallest degree with the polit-
lcal relations of Canada. That question is
wholly with her own people. 1t is time for
us. however, to consider whether, if the
present state OF things and trend of things is
to continue our exchanges upon lines of
land transportation should not be put upon
adifferent basis, and our entire independence
of Canadian canals and Of the st. Lawrence.
as an outlet to the sea secured by the con-
struction of an American canal around the
falls of Niagara, and the opening Of ship
communication between the great lakes and
one of our own seaports We should not hes
itate TO avail ourselves of our great natural
trade advantages. We should withdraw the
support which is given TO the railroads and
steamship lines of Canada by a traffic that
properly belongs to us, and no longer
furnish the earnings which tighten the other
wise crushing weight of the enormous pub
lie subsidies that have been given to them.
The subject OF The power OF the treasury to
deal with this matter without further legisla-
ton has been under consideration. but Cir
cumstances have postponed a conclusion. 1t
is probable that consideration of the pro-
priety OF a modification or abrOgatiOn of the
article Of the treaty of Washington relating
to the transit of goods in bond is involved in
any complete solution Of the question.