The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-06

before the Surrogate himself
Canadian Conservatives and Reel
procity.
There is large number Of by-elections
now going on in Canada. and with a view to
the success of his party in these contests
the present Conservative Premier OF the
Dominion has had recourse to device
suggested by his astutc predecessor. Sir
JOHN MACDONALD. Aware that the Cana
dian farmers arc smarting under tho re-
strictive effects OF the MCKINLEY act. he
wishes to make show OF trying to regain
for their products access to the markets OF
the United States: and thus he would take
the wind out of the sails OF his Liberal oppo-
nents, who have long advocated a CONNER.
cial union. SO, according to q telegram from
Ottawa. he means to send Sir JOHN THoMP-
SON and Finance Minister FOSTER to Wash
ington for the ostensible purpose OF arrang-
ing for a reciprocity treaty between this
country and the Canadian Dominion.
Let us say frankly that. even IL such
overtures emanated from Canadian Liber-
ais restored to power at Ottawa, it is doubt
full whether they would meet with a favor
able reception from our people. Not that
any one would dispute the sincerity and
comprchensiveness OF the proposal. The
Canadian Liberals are our friends. and the
large proportion of them who are annexa-
tionists at heart. honestly believe that free
commercial intercourse would form the
shortest road to annexation. The kind of
reciprocity, moreover. which they desire is
not designedly ue-sded. but theoretically
unrestricted, aiming to make the Dominion
q consumer of American manufactures in
return for the field opened to the surplus
products OF the Canadian fields, forests.
mines. and fisheries. The Canadian Liberals
are perfectly. willing. while admitting our
goods free. to lay heavy duties on imports
from Great Britain. thus giving our manu-
facturers practical monopoly OF the Ca
madam market. That is the utmost they
could offer short Of annexation. and We
would not therefore be supposed to feel the
slightest distrust OF their good faith when
We say that their concession is no equiva-
lent for the boon we are requested to confer.
Already vast and rapidly expanding
would be tho market for the Dominion's
natural products afforded by n population
which now considerably exceeds $1,000, 600.
and whose own food resources are 50 far
from being limitless that the hour is close
at hand when their wheat supply. ut all
events. will fall short Of the home demand.
On the other hand. there are in Canada only
about 100000 human beings. whose rate of
increase is extremely slow in comparison
with ours. whose wants are moderate, and
whose accumulated wealth is relatively
small. The market which they would pre-
sent for American manufactures would
therefore be contracted at the start: and
no rapid expansion of 1t could be looked for
unless the outflow Of emigrants from Can
ada to the United States could be arrested
Even IL that exodus could be stopped,
many decades and perhaps a century
would elapse before the profit de-
rivable by American manufacturers
from Canadian consumers would be in
the least comparable with the advantages
accrung to Canadians through the FREQ
transmission of their natural products
across the border. I; is perception of the
glarlng inequality of benefits involved even
in unrestricted reciprocity that has led
many American citizens to believe that the
privilege OF complete free trade with this
country should be withheld from the prov
inces constituting the Canadian Dominion
until they are willing to accept it on the
same terms to which we ourselves submit,
namely. by becoming members of he Ameri-
can Union. II the Canadian Liberals desire
unrestricted reciprocity. they will in time be
willing to pay fair price for 1t. and that
price. in our opinion. should he nothing
short OF political incorporation.
Such. In our judgment, would be the attl-
tude OF the American people even toward
the Canadian Liberals. who have always
dealt with us In straightforward way. and
who are willing to concedc everything cx-
cept annexation. To such men we cannot
refuse our sympathy. although we are con-
strained to withhold the inordinate boon
desired To the Conservatives, on the other
hand. who are just now in power at Ottawa,
no Difference from US Is due. In the nature
Of things there can be nothing sincere or
genuine in negotiations upon their part
concerning reciprocity. The Canadian man
ufacturers, whose business has been built
up by protective tariff. ARE Conservatives
have long been Indispensable to the success
of their party in political campaigns. That
the Republican party OF tho United States
should determine to revive the MILLS bill, is
not more incredible suppositlon than that
a Conservative Government in the Dominion
would through treaty Of unrestricted rec
iprocity place Canadian manufacturers at
the mercy Of their American competitors.
The utmost that the Canadian delegates
to Washington could venture to propose
would be reciprocity in natural products.
and perhaps In q few unimportant manu-
features in which Canadian capitalists have
not thought it worth while to engage.
They must DO perfectly aware that such
proposal would not for a moment be enter
tanned by our State Department, We seem
justified in assuming that the
forthcoming visit Of Sir JOHN THOMPSON
and Mr.. FOSTER. like the similar mission
contrived last year by Sir JOHN MAcDoN-
AID. Is notinspired by any serious expects