New-York tribune., 1896-12-31
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY
PROPOSITIONS WHICH 11nrRA1. PEP.
REsENTATIvES WILL MAKE AT
WASHINGTON.

PLAN TO NrLLIFY BRITISH DIRECTIONS TO A
TREATY FAVORABLE TO AMERICAN PRODUCTS
CANADIAN RAILROADS AND THE BOND
ING NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
AMERICAN FARMERS AND
FISHERMEN
Ottawa, Dec. 29-In a few DAYS one or more rcnre
eentativcs OF the Canadian Government will 90 TO
washington unoffcially TO sound the Republican
leaders on the subjec; OF reciprocity While the So
ca"ed seii-soverning colonies of England at lib
erty TO frame their own tariffs and to tax British
goods ad lib. for the protection of home Industry
they are not allowed 10 make commel cial treaties
on their own account Such treaties as they NAV
be particularly interested in are made for them by
the British Foreign Office, and the Foreign Office
takes care that England shares the concessions
which they give 10 the foreigner. For example
under the Marcy Elgin treaty OF 1886 which pro-
v'ded for the free exchange of natural products be-
tween the United States and Canada and of natural
products only. such products coming from England
had 10 be admitted free into Canada As a matter
or fact. they were products which England does
not export 10 this hemisphere: all the same the
principle referred TO carried out.
The Liberals. who now In office demanded the
treaty making power few years ago but nothing
came of their action in Parliament. where they
voted down by the Tories. AS things are it is
tremeiy OilncOlt Tor CANADA to obtain CONNER
c'al treaty from any foreign country. When her
agents appear at Washington officially they will
have 10 act through the British Minister and the
British Minister will begin by saying 10 the Secre-
tary OF State: Il must warn you that Capada is
not a sovereign nation. She is but colony OF
Britain. and Britain must be allowed to participate
IN any arrangement you make with her. Let
suppose that you are ready to enter into mixed
reciprocity, reciprocity OF natural products and
factory goods | assume that the United States
would hardly consent 70 revive the treaty OF 1854
which provided reciprocity in natural products
only; the American people would want TO pay with
factory goods for the natural products they took
from Canada. Well. then Canada will have TO
make free 10 England not only the natural products
which she makes free the United States but also
the factory goods which she makes free you.
That is in return for admitting Canadian natural
products free into your market sou will have the
privilege Of sending certain factory goods free to
Canada but you must share that privilege with
your chief commercial rival The same kind Of
goods will be allowed to enter Canada free from
Britain. Besides competing with American goods
in Canada. they may possibly find their way into the
United States because by the treaty such goods
coming from Canada will enter the United States
free. You may ask What has England 10 do
with arrangement between the United States and
Canada. any more than France. Germany. Hawaii
or any other outsider? 1t is pertinent question.
but am not here to discuss 1t. You dealing
guardian and England refuses 10 negotiate on be-
half Of the infant on any other terms Ii is prettY
hard the infant.
MULTIPLYING BRITISH OBJECTIONS.
To get round this stumbling block the Liberals
will propose that the factory goods shall be goods
in which Britain cannot compete successfully. and
which. consequently. Canada make free to the
British manufacturer without prejudice 10 the
manufacturers OF the United States. In short. al
though such goods coming from Britain would be
free the competition In the Canadian market would
be confined the Canadian and American manu-
facturer. This was the plan which Secretary flsh
agreed 10 when the Liberals were in power be
fore and an abortve reciprocity scheme was
framed IN 1874 between him and Sir Edward Thorn
ton and George Brown representing Canada The
factory goods then selected embraced agricultural
implements. boots and shoes. cotton denims, plads
Jeans ticking etc: furniture. carriages. wagons
and sle!ghs fre-engnes. betting. pig and bar iron
nails castings locomotives. harness and saddlery
leather type. printing presses. paper. steam-en-
gines rolling stock, wooen tweeds, etc. These
articles" said Mr.. Brown. were selected with a
triple object: First they articles Of common
daily among the people; second. they were OF
such character 10 be difficult to smusge across
the lines and easy OF Identification as the genuine
production Of Canada the United States; third.
they were goods produced by branches OF industry
natural the two countries, and in which. there-
fore a considerable intertraffc might have been
expected" The real motive behind their selection
was the one indcated-they were goods in which
Britain could not compete successfully In the
Canadian market: hence there was no harm in
making them free TO her manufacturers.
The present Canadian duties manufactures
average 30 per cent British goods are treated
n-ecisely the same as American. During the ex-
isience OF the Marcy Elgia treaty especially after
the beginning Of the Civil War. American factory
goods were dearer than British, and Canada there
fore preferred British. But OF late years, as the
price Of American has Appropriated thar of hr'-
,sb Canada has greatly increased her purchases
IN the United States; in fact In some lines such
as iron nd steel American goods are rapidly super
seding British During the fiscal year ehnlhg June
80 1896, the imports into Canada from the ohi'"
states amounted 20 $50 oO0NO These are the figures
OF the Foreign Market section Of the Department
Of Agriculture at Washington. To put II IN an
other way Canada bought much from the United
States as Brazil. Mexico the Argentine hepuphc'
Hayti Hawaii. Venezuela. Chill and Cuba all put
together. The Liberals say that under mixed
reciprocity the American manufacturer would sell
vastly more than he does He can tax 10 B
his Canadian customers by telephone they are a
people Of his own The goods he makes SUITS
them His currency and his way Of doing busi-
ness are the same as theirs, and he has as cheap
with them by rail and water as
with most parts Of the United States. Under these
Liberals maintain. a mixed treaty
with Canada would be more profitable TO him than .
any number Of treaties with the populations OF
Central and South America. where from the nature .
CT things ne has more to fear from European com
petition.
CANADIAN IMPORTS
According 20 Canadian figures, Canadian imports
from the ued States in the fiscal year 4sj were
s54 eo0OrD against only S3l loD00N from Britain, ard
80 10000 from all other countries. The exports 20
the United States were 81. 10000 against ss2 900
10 Britain which admits them free. and sl.GpNW 10
all other countries Every year since 1870 with few
Canada has bought more from than she
has sold 20 the United States This was The case even