The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-11
CANADA FOR FREE TRADE.
Tariffs That Keep Out American Coal
oil and Twins are Obnoxious.

Ottawa, Ont, Nov 11.-Sir Richard
Cartwright, minister Of trade and com
merce. has returned to the city. and
during the remaining portion of the
week he viii be engaged with Mr..
Fielding. minister of finance and Mr.
Patterson, controller of customs, in pre-
pairing for the meeting of the tariff
commission, which is to come to Tor
onto next week. The intention is to
visit the leading eenters of industry in
Canada east of the Great Lakes with a
view by personal inquiry and contact
with merchants, manufacturers and
importers. to ascertaining what their
wishes and suggestions are regarding
the measure which the government is
pledged to introduce into parliament
next session for the reduction and re-
arrangement of the tariff.
In the meantime all the boards Of
trade throughout the country have been
communicated with and requested to
forward to the department of trade and
commerce such suggestions Of changes
as they may think should be embodied
in the tariff bill Tt is significant ethat
the boards of trade of Winnipeg and
other points in the northwest territory
where the farming element largely pre-
dominates, are in favor Of a sweeping
reduction in the tariff Chief articles
which they are urging the government
to take action upon are agricultural i'm
plements, coal oil and binder Irvine.
AS regards the duty on binder tWine
both the Dominion government at
Kingston penitentiary and the Ontario
government at the provincial prison in
Toronto, have had to establish the
requisite plants for the purpose of
manufacturing Irvine in order to render
the farmers independent of the combine
which hitherto controlled the Canadian
output The farmers of Canada are
anxious to see binder Irvine from the
United States enter the Canadian mar
ket on equal terms with the home made
product, and they are satisfied If the
IS
dOund to their benefit.
Then in regard to the third item of
coal oil, while the oil producing indus
try of western Ontario is q very import
ant one and the different companies
exercise great political influence Vet.
on the other hand it cannot be gainsaid
that IN all the leading cities and towns
the American product is preferred by
the Canadians on account of its super
Tor quality. But there is not a point in
Canada a which the best American oil
can be procured for less than 80 cents.
and when the Canadian people hear Of
the best oil being purchased at 8 or 9
cents a gallon in the United States, ii
sets them longing for the time when
there viii be free trade in oil so far as
the two countries are concerned.
The Canadian government, however.
does not intend to touch the tariff in
two or three items only. The ministers
are pledged to sweeping reductions all
along the line to bring it down to a tar
if for revenue only.
The report that the lumber duties are
likely to be restored has created consid-
cradle uneasiness in this section, but
while the present ministry is pledged
to endeavOr to secure a reciprocity
treaty with the United States on equi-
table terms, III such cannot be obtained
and congress passes a high tariff meas
ure, public sentiment here is trending
in the direction Of reciprocity.
The newspapers are already talking
Of an export duty on both saw logs and
pulp wood.