Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-12-09
a
England's Gilt Ridge Arrangement
with Canada.

with Canada.
A long article in the London Times
shows clearly the English anticipations
Of future trade with Canada, also what
share Of English trade the Englfshman
proposes shall be captured by the Cans
dian. Whether this English arrangement
will suit Canada remains to be seen. Il
is, in fact, that Canada shall be an ex-
elusive market for British manufactur-
ers, while Canada may supply Crest Brit
ain with more foodstuffs. There b GER
tainly a very liberal opportunity for Can
ada to do this because she now sells to
England only one-fourtcenth Of the food
that the mother country buys, or $40gOOO,-
GOO worth out of a total Of $577 600, 1000.
But the first trouble likely to arise, - Il
seems to us, is that the buying and seaain1
transactions are not arranged through the
same agency. 1t is the British manufac-
turer who sells the British manufactures
goods to the Canadian who deals in them.
But the transactions in the Canadian food
products pass through an entirely differ
ent set of hands. The Canadian export
ers OF wheat, cheese, butter, meat or po-
tatoes will be anxious enough to sell -
much Of these products us Canadian farms
can produce at the best possible price.
They will think that the English buyer
of produce should give Canadian produce
the preference in the English market BE-
cause Canada discriminates in faver ~
British manufacturers. But, while the
British manufacturer can sell his goods
to advantage by aid Of this discrimination,
all his interest ends there, a. he u not
the man who buys farm products.
When the English dealer IN farm pro-
ducts makes his purchases he must bear IN
mind that he has to sell them again IN
competition with a thousand other deal
ers in food supplies. ~Sentimentalty they
may favor the Canadian farm stuifs, but
sentiment is not business, and they have
to buy the best they can get at the lowest
price. United States, Australian or South
American supplies may be just % good -
the Canadian and . shade cheaper. Why,
then, pay Canada . higher price Just fer
sentiment? Or our farm stufts and thoos
to the south OF US may be . shade better
in quality than those Of Canada, and
prices may be equal. Why then pay Can-
d IN same money for an inferior aFd-
Gle! 1t isn't business, ray the BridsA
dealer IL farm produce, and, a. he b mot
selling any manufactures to Canada, he
makes the deal that will bring him ths
best results, and he buys the Australian,
United States or Argentina foodstuffs.
How can the Canadian prevent this?
We are afraid the Canadians are ka-
bic to be disappointed with their end Of
thes stick. The gilded handle win be held
by John Bull. The establishment Of :
complete system Of cold storage for Cana
dian farm products should undoubtedly
tend to help their sale. But the class OF
goods that need cold storage win not m
terfere with the sale Of our farm suppiieA
Tor we only send to England, and that oc-
~casionaily, a little fruit in cold storage.
The new rapid steamers to run betweeo
England and Canada, equipped with n
frigerating machinery, win supply tie
final link in carrying perishable products.
But this, il successful, will be 1t the ex-
pense of Australian shipments OF similar
products. The cost Of freight naturally
being lower from Canada than from tn
Antipodes, our northern neighbor should
stand n good chance Of securing Q fair
share of the trade in frozen meat, buttar
and other perishable things, that ID now,
held by Australia. Beyond this We daube
whether Canada has much prospective
gain from her tariff deal with the mstAer
country.