New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-27
CANADA AS A FREE AGENT.
EFFECT OF RECENT MEASURES ON HER
POLITICAL POWERS.

POLITICAL POWERS |
THE pENUNciArIoN ny THE BRITISH doVEHN-
MENT OF THE BELGIAN AND GERMAN
TREATIES. WITH THEIR MoST-FA-
voRED-NATIoN CLAUSES - THE
SLIGHT CHANGE IT REALLY
MAKES IN cANADAs
SITUATION.
In its pending negotiations with the United States
canada IS on all hands credited with larger meas
ure OF responsibility than 1t ever had before Hither-
10 In It's dealings with foreign nations 1t has peen
treated as a minor, with whom no contract couio
be made except through the mother country And'
OF course no imagnes that the mother coun-
try is not still to be reckoned with, as, though she
has practically no power of attorney for Canada she
has some remaining rights OF veto that may ne
brought into use. Hence any other party 10 an
Arrangement with Canada would be carefui 10 see
that Great Britain Is also In the covenant But IL
seems to be generally accepted as a fact that the
Dominion has now a free hand. The manner IN
which Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his proposals nave
been received at Washington leaves the impression
that there at all events this colony is deemeo "
have more political competence than 1t had even
abort time ago. His oyerture5 for reciprocity are
there IL reason 20 believe being seriously considered
whereas those made by Sir John Thompson hve
voors ago received from Mr. Blaine the scantest at
tenton
or late It is very noticeable, TOO that oahau'a''
themselves regard their country as Teer agent
Thus on both sides OF the line 1t Is evidently taken
for granted that the Dominion has more coht'oi u
tho treaty-makng power than 1t ever had before
This assumption seems to be derived from the ue-
rurc,ot,on nv the Imperial Government Oh the
Anglo Belgian and Ango-German commercial
treaties at the instance Of Sir Wiiirid Laur'ei IL.
popuar understanding OF that act Is tha' Seeu'eu
for the Canadian people some great eA'S' -
their sovereign rights.
IN THE POPULAR VIEW.
The circumstances gave strong color to that view
OF the matter In the first place, TOT hummer "
80. h.ck reneated efforts had been made on De-
b,f NJ Canada to be freed from the restraint OF
the treaties-efforts stubborniy resisted py ."" LII
neral Government. This. or course. helpeu W ca
cite an undue sense OF the disability Imposed oy 'he
,reatIes In the second place, by terminating theNh
Cr.,t Rri,ain Is supposed to have made great COM
rcia sacrINee solely because Canada insisted on H.
I, ,ba third Mace Sir Wilfrd Laurier himsen e@-
coora,ed the effect OF the denunciation py ueciaf
ing that II made Canada nation. IL Is 10. s"aeo'
therefore that the Canadian people shou'a opp
bend that the leeway for doing their own business
NO. hssr considerably enlarged by Sir Wiiria sue
mas peer, foris 10 get the treaties out OF the way
And n they believe that the denunciatio, n bs GER
greater scope to their f rsfec3 u "''''''
Only to a slight degree, however lS tnas rsnada
sttutio, hb canada could not do before Is to as
crmnae exclusively In iaS0r p Gt existing
between the mother country and me to make
EontSrreIs a or with foreign countries In fact
while in England Sir Wliird aWei ,hn beort OF the
e dg4" ,nasDuch as II permitted the former 10
gye sxprsss to nal feeling BY loWG5ns bH .s
e Zane home he inclined to repIssene 'i re
denuncnton OF the treaties as o ou The British
Government. --
CANADAs INDEPENDENT POWERS SINE o.
c, FAR az control over It's own fiscal and trace
Motley goes Canada has had that as completely do
II is possible 70 have II ever since cohieuei ~
The British North America act OF 1901 gave II VIC
ampest powers In this respect That lett tne coun'
try free TO raise what revenue II nIeaseu i'on" ..
,o,,s duties on British goods-to discriminate IL
chose against British merchandise. Al its o""
option Il could Join the mother country III eo' ,
mercal treaty stand aloof from H. stonomy
touched The foreign pSiey OF make aRe eeommercia
nat with another Power-that the mother coun.
Try had he right TO interfere IN the eSsed CAM
ada's will In such matters has never been o'e''ueu
BY Downing Street. -<...,. a.. nonln
& aSG IN ,hs w hsye the denun
citation Of the Belgian and German trea'es aeHg
aid nohng There Is nothing In the Canaaia ~
,b mother Country Since 1891 the country ha,
had full right to discriminate IN iaso axSrcise OF
nav reh, Affects the mother country. It has been
fcttered by the ,-nL when Canada
had not such right Both OF them were ,n s's Isss
before confederation the Belgian treaty ,arorsS. red.
nation clause OF these treaties e Is provided Ina.
the products OF Belgium and or the coun'ns To- ~,
bisher or other colonial duties than those at which
british commodities are admitted. hg p INN and
w@ e nnG M H5S H draw With
twenty-three other countries tha' "a'o '
nation treaties with Britain
THE SITUATION NOW
1,pa, "a tho situation now and will be until next
August. when the Belgian and German ueaties
will expire In virtue OF Britalns notice OK demurrer
alton given last summer British goods are no"
admitted at discount OF l2's per cent OF the reg
ular rates OF duty, and the goods OF BeIgiu' Cb,
Colombia, Costa RIGA. Denmark DominSa a Por,u
Hawaii Liberia Morocco Muscat Persia 9 eOan
Sweden and Norway Switzerland. Tuns. Uruguay
and Venezuela. The Belgian and German con,
vsntions are the master-treates They alone nk
the standard OF favor ed nation treatment so high
or so broad to make II include iavors srar uS
though so much Is hot m Clause Of
so long such right is enjoyed by any oth'r ior-
When the Belgian and German treaties lapse. as
they VIII in less than nine months he other eou Id
snns pa viii
claim on Canadas preferential tariff, unless some
other title to the preference Is created for them
nation HS STANDARD is to be kept up. Notwithstanding
Of he f Belgian .nd
ments. For canada has now conceded the prlvi-
eses OF It's preferential tariff to two other foreign
Countries. therefore. when Belgium and Germany
retire the other twenty,hres countries s WI, fai
have been extngulshed with the Belgian and Ger
man treaties SO long, Therefore as Canada gives