New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-23
CANADA'S NEW TARIFF.
SUBMITTED IN THE PARLIAMENT Al
OTTAWA.


Ottawa Canada. April % (special)-Mr. Fielding
Minister of Finance submitted the new tariH 10
parl,aroeo, to-day The Lib, raj patty was pleoscu
IN = tariff for revenue only. on that PLATFORM
combined with opposition TO the so-ca''eu coel''on
of Manitoba the separate schoo' t"' -
carried the general elections last June haVihs pcc'
ont NJ Office since 1873 Circumstances have ooiged
:, however TO abandon tariff for revenue. Inc
measure submitted to-day which is certain u p"s'
without any drastic amendment. provides ior pretty
stiff protection. ~,
The announcement that Minister Fielding "ou'"
deliver his budget speech in the House Oh oo"-
mons to-day and make public the new tarin are"
an enormous crowd OF spectators to the galleries.
Standing room was at premium cary III 'he
dav Mr. Fielding in his address. dwelt with the
finances of the country. pointing out that thcre was
a deficit OF 1890 900 for the financial year enui"s
June 1896 for the current financial year ne es'',
mated that the deficiency would reach s''V'OVo ana
for the next financial year he estimated mat ho'-
withstandng the changes in the tariff there would
be shortage of at least $4,000 During the pres
ent year the public debt had increased N'''o'ov' ana
would increase during the following year by al
least s2,1500O0.
Taking UP the question OF tariffs. Mr. Fielding
attacked the national or hgh-protecuVe Po"o!
which has been in force in Canada for many YEAR,
He said that when the Liberal party had iaid uo"''
its policy Oh the tarn in convention in Ottawa IN
1899 the United States had Just little before tha'
time declared through the Democratic party III
favor of tariff reform. Canadian Liberals Followed
suit with the idea that an opportunity wouiu DE
given the United States TO enter into reciproci'J
with this country. Since that time the United
States had returned to high protection ana now
there was but little prospect of securing reel
procty treaty with that country. He did not De-
lleve that the DnGley bill was famed against
Canada, but its effect was to prevent .reef TRACE
relations with Canada He did not propose any re-
taliation against the United States There were
men in Canada who wanted an eye for an eye and
a tooth for tooth. 1t would not be wisdom TO
adopt such a policy. He did not give up AL hopes
OF reciprocity with the United States, but In The
mean time Canada would deal with those countries
whicn were willing TO deal with it. While there
was to be a genera! tariff yet there was going to
be a preferential tarin for those countries that
were willing TO deal with this country That pref
erentia tariff would be ascins, the United states
and in favcr of the products of Great Britain
DISCRIMINATION IN THE TARIFF.
The feature OF interest 10 Americans in the
new tariff is the discrimination, in fac: il
not in name against certain lines OF Ameri
car exports and In favor OF similar lines
OF British exports. This is accomplished by
the adoption of maximum and minimum duties IN
respect TO such exports, the maximum being en-
forcet against the goods of countries Ike the
United States which tax Canadian products. while
the minimum duties to apply TO the goods o.
Britain which admits Canadian products free
The Liberals promised to obtain reciprocity with
the United States The Ministers, 81. Richard
Cartwright and Mr. Davies, who recently visited
Washington. wanted reciprocity in farm products,
lumber fish and minerals. ard were prepared TO
compensate Americans 10 some extent by conceo-
ing reciprocity in certain manufactures. But Can
ada is not commercially independent. She can
make tariffs to suit herself! but she canrot nego-
tiate commercial treaties. They have to be nego-
tated for her by the British Foreign ONCE. and the
rule is that any special concession she makes TO
foreign countrythe United States, for instance-in
return for a special concession shall alsc be grant
ed TO Britain Assuming for example that the
United States were 10 agrs. By treaty 10 admit TIE
natural products of Canada free In return for the
free admission into Canada OF similar natuTa! prod
ucts and of pig iron, steel, woollen ana cotton
goods from the United States Canada would be
obligs I'd TO make these articles free TO Britain as
we'll although IL reality Britain would have no
better claim to be considered in the deal than
France. Germany or Argentine.
1t Is Impossible, therefore, for CanaGa TO make a
treaty with the United States unless, like the
Marcy Egin treaty OF 1854. IT should be confined to
natural products only. on that occasion Canada
had 10 mako the natural products named In the
treaty free to Britain as well as to the United
States but no harm was done by that since Brit
ain could not compete in them against the United
States 1t would be very different. OF course IL
manufactures were included Britain would then
compete In Canada on even terms with the Amer
secured favored footing there in exchange for the
free entry of Canadian natural products into the
United States Moreover, British goods sent to Cam
ada free could be shipped free into the United states
goods of Canadian make Hence the United
Statea would get nothing from Canada that Britain
did not get. and would be exposing the American
manufacturer not TO free Canadian competition
only, but to free British competition in the Amer
ican market. -. ,..,.. ~,
Means Committee reminded Sir Richard Cart
wright of Canadas disabilities in tins respect sir
mer 9P union ne be % h two cou sE for free
trade between both; with common tariff az The
countries lie advocated that arrangement; at the
Ea Se d @ Of oS aeS d" ana 6 the o
Pro-Bsitish party hal much money came near
Goycrnincnt While confessing Ihsf Canada is in
an unfortunate predicament Is unable to Rrop9Gsie
Oliver Mowai. VOID not asres TO any project, no
matter how beneficial 10 Cnnadi; that menaced the
political connection with Great Britain.
SENTIMENT FOR PROTECTOR
1t happened, also. that good many Liberal
members OF Parliament backed by the manufacture
ers identified with the party, did not wish nowith-
standing their campaign promises, greatly to dis
branch TefoHm az proposed in the platform would
cause a panic and anyhow. high duties were nee
rsTed 10 BY canada The psey biz aorded the
most potent NJ in Of dSns as ,s
'shoud lower our duties on American exports
This cry has had an effect some Liberals have
besought the Government to retailate against the
United States by taxing anthracite coal increasing
the duties implements from 20 to p per cent, and
by clapping an export duty on puIpwood on the
sawogs towed from Ontario across the lakes to
mills I'm Michigan ana Wisconsin. and nickel
matte from sudbury. The rigorous enforcement
of the Alien Labor law against Canadians AT Buff
falo Detroit and other frontier towns Ia another
grievance which has tended to create An anti
American feeling and to leave the Government
here al the mercy of the Canadian jinsoes and Of
those Liberals who did not wish TO see revenue
tariff substituted for "a protective tariff.
Avowed discrimination against the United States
was ont OF the question. Congress could strike
back with tremendous effect ny abrogating the
bonding privilege, whereby the Grand Trunk and
Canadian Pacific have the hauling Of 100000 tons
of American freight every year. or by excluding
Canadian fresh fish. lumber or btumnous coal
from British Columbia. The adoption In some
schedules OF maximum and minimum tariff
answers the purpose without looking like discrim-
ination II is sure be popular In the present
temper Of the Canadian people. who besides being
angry over the Dingley bin. are In a lingo mood