The sun., 1892-12-13
CANADA AND Mr.. HARRISON.
MINISTER FOSTERS OPINION OF THE
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

n. Thinks II Ts CnrrieuAiy N Tone, spA
That We Want tho Lsrrest Concessions
While GIVING None-Cs~nan Asks to Ne
Fairly Treated and TO Maintain Ser Rein.
lions with Great Britain ~ She wishes To.
orr,wA, Dec. 12.-Finance Minister Foster
"a. asked to-day his opinion OF President
parrson's message. so far us 1t related to
Canada. Mr. Foster rrpliod:
81 need not say that 1t causes surprise and
,ecre,- surprise at the nature OF some OF the
statements made, and regret at tho unfrendly
,ons adopted toward Canada. Tho statement
that Canada was only prepared to offer to the
United States the admission OF natural prod
urts Is not full enough to convey an accurate
idea OF what took place. Tho Canadian rep
resenta,ives asked those OF tho United States
Uthey were prepared to con slider an arrange
men, on the nasis OF free admission Of natural
ptcducts OF both countries. as in the treaty Of
1854 with such enlargem ents and moGifca-
t,ons ne the changed conditions OF the two
countries made necessary. The reply was
negative. With view then. to clear the ground
for arrangement wider than that. II such could
he done. Mr.. Blaine was asked as TO certain
conditions Of q possibly wider arrangement.
among others whether the United States would
insis, on a uniform tariff and would demand
nreieren,ial treatment in our markets as
AGAINST British and foreign goods. The an
swer was that uniform tariff would be neces-
ssry. AMI that. too. on the line OF the present
United States tariff. and that the United States
could admit OF no arrangements which did not
give United S.ntes goods favored treatment AS
against foreign goods. especially those of
Great Britain. who was their chief competitor.
TO these propositions the Canadian represen-
IAr paH fn
then broke of SO far as regarded the consid-
Grafton OF the comm ercal question.
What the conference plainly developed
the practical surrender Of its fiscal powers
britain. with all that this involved, as too
might accrue from q possible treaty.
THE statement TINT. In many Of the contro-
Atlantic. the sealing interests in the Pacific.
and the canal tolls. our negotiations with
Isst B5t1a hays and |sen
ns 1st ft'soqs en- bts'sS'S 'f0"
questions vitallv and almost wholly affected
Canadian interests. Surely no generous peo-
rle would condemn or reproach us for taking
ewnrm interes' in such questions. In each OF
them the United states con;e ention would have
taken from us much more important advan-
the law Of nations without giving us single
COMPENSATION in return. The same Is true in
regard TO the BenrlnE sea matter. AS 10 the
canal tolls the President says that their
treaty rights are fugranty disreGar1ed' by
Canada In this matter everything turns on
the Interpretation OF the clause OF the treaty
outside OF this Interpretation.
let us look as to where the balance OF ad-
vantage lies in the st. Lawrence and luke sys-
TEN Of navigation. We give them the FREQ
navigation of the st. Lawrence in which it has
cost and yearly costs. us large outays to main
tain safe and progressive navigation. We
grant Tree translt privilege: t. their COM
merce Sthough they. since 1885. have With
drawn the equivalent privileges from us. We
allow their barges and vessels free navigation
up the Ottawa River and ca anals. alt hough they
refuse to allow us to enter the Hudson River.
In return what does canada Gety A limited
privilege Of navigating Lake Michigan. ter
ment in the buffalo and Erie and Champiain
and we eet the use OF the St Clair Flats Canal.
sdvantages2
=" but the mt ost surprising portion OF tho Pres
dents utterance is that in which he recon.
mends that II we do not see fit to alter our
present political relations. measures will he
taken to clear our railways. obstruct our trade
with the United States and abolish the bond-
ing system. There ought not to be-" do not
think therS ts-in Canada any lingo spirit
which promnts in any way any action looking
In the direction Of aggression or unfriendli-
ness. But We do claim the right to be fairly
treated. to enjoy what Providence and the
British law has given us. and to maintain our
political relations with Great Britain II We
wish to. "