New-York tribune., 1897-01-25
RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA
HOW THE ovERruREs OF THE DOMINION
GOVERNMENT ARE REGARDED.
OPINION IN WASHINGTON SEEMS TO BE THAT TOO
MANY DIFFICULTIES STAND IN THE WAY
FOR ANY SUCCESSFUL NEdoTIA-
fpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.1

regained control or the DOInlHloH
are exceedingly anxious TO establish CLOSER a"u
more satisfactory commercial relations oe'"ee"
canada and the United States Is a fact that Is
we'll understood by statesmen In Congress. Inc
latter also clearly perceive the difficulties
which are in the way and which 1t is not in the
mower Of the Liberal Government to remove
without radical changes in the commercial pol
icv Of Great Britain, which dominates and con-
trolls that OF Canada.
Judging from replies to inquiries made among
members of the Committee on Ways and Means
and other prominent and influential members
Of the House OF Representatives by Tribune
correspondent. the difficulties referred 10 are
regarded as not only formidable. but nsur-
mountable by the majority OF them, ana MT
| Charlton, the Liberal member OF the Dominion
Parliament. from one OF the Ontario districts'
who has been in Washington for several weeks
past as an unofficial representative or the lid
cral Government. cannot have found the pros
| pect an encouraging one. or course ne reaii~es
| that it would be absurd to attempt to negotiate
| a reciprocity treaty on such a basis as 'hd'
| Of the lug handled" Marcy Elgin arrangement
| of 1854, which covered only the natural produc's
Of the United States and Canada American
| statesmen have not yet forgotten how CANADA
| profted at the expense Of the United States by
, that treaty and memories OF the Halifax Award
| still rankle i'm their bosoms The exasperating
| and unneighborly policy of the Dominion Gov
| ernment in regard TO the fisheries question:
which policy has been uniformly sustained ny
Great Britain. has also awakened feepngs OF
lust indignation and resentment which IL VIII
require time and something more tangible than
the pledges Of even a Liberal Dominion Govern
ment to eradicate.
II ia true that Mr. Charlton says. and no
doubt says with sincerity. that tn" Liberals
deeply deprecate that policy and VIII reverse
It, In reply to this declaration. leading men,
Der Of the Ways and Means Committee SAID
Very we'll Let's wait until the Canadian Gov
ernment brings forth fruit meet for repentance
or is allowed to do so by Great Britain. NOT
MANY weeks ago an American fishing vessel
was seized in Canadian waters by a Canadian
cruiser, because her master had furnished
supply of food to another American fishing ves-
sci. in half-wrecked and disabled condition.
whose crew were on the verge of starvation
1t will do no harm to wait.
The SUGGESTION or intimation. that as a part
of the consideration for a reciprocal commercial
treaty or ARRANGEMENT. Canada will reverse her
fishery policy which has been so hostile ana
injurious TO the interests of American hsher-
men, is by means favorably received py
American statesmen. some of whom bunti! say
sion that the Canadians had had right to pur-
sue a policy and support practices such as
were common among the Barbary pirates nun
drcd years ago.
In conversation with Tribune correspondent
the subject of the overtures that may prob
ably be expected on behalf of the Dominion
Government. Chairman Dingley, OF the Commit
tee Ways and Means. said: Mr. Chariton
has been to me. and we have informally dls-
cussed the question. AS understood him. ne
had not come to Washington as representative
Liberal government II
view to ascertain. as a member of the Liberal
majority in the Dominion Parliament. what is
the attitude Of public sentiment here in regard
| 10 commercial reciprocity between the United
| States and Canada. OF course, could express
only my own views on tha! subject That no
sible desirable on the part of the United
States. he seemed clearly TO perceive and un-
derstand My own view is that it would be
| impracticable to make any satisfactory treaty
or arrangement for commercial reciprocity be-
| tween the United States and Canada unless
| Great Britain should give the latter the privilege
Of imposing preferential duties in favor Of GER
tain manufactures of the United Stases.
Whether Great Britain would agree tn such
discrimination by one of her colonies against
her own manufacturers was a question which.
Of course Mr.. Charlton was not prepared to
answer and which the Canadian Government
itself would not be prepared to answer until
authorized to do SO by the British Government"
Governor Dingleys attention was then called
| to the list Of manufactured artcles-mainly
those which were considered in the abortive ne
| gotiatons of 1874 between Secretary Fish and
| Sir Edward Thornton-which Mr.. Charlton in
recent published interview had suggested
| partial basis for a reciprocity agreement which
| Great Britain would probably assent To.
Yes have seen the list" said Chairman
Dingley. Most of the manufactured articles
mentioned are now freely exported from the
| United States to Canada. and our manufacture
ers virtually control the Canadian market. so far
| as many Of them are concerned In none of
| them. so far as have investigated the matter.
do our manufacturers experience formidable
competition from British manufacturers"
Mr. Charlton also suggests remarked the
| correspondent. that Canada might he willing
! to admit corn and cornmea from the United
| States free Of duty under reciprocity arrange
| ment."
| well Canada is obliged to have the corn. and
| cannot get II from any other country easily
| or cheaply as from the United States. so should
| not regard that as an important or valuable con-
| cession." observed Governor Dingey.
1T is also suggested that In order to establish
closer and more satisfactory commercial rela-
| tions with the United States Canada stands
| ready to modify and relax her fishery laws and
| regulations. to cooperate in carrying out the
project to improve and deepen the water chan
mel OF communication through the Great Lakes
and go on. in the Interest of nterna tiona comfy
What do you think of that suggestion"
WELL there are several things that Canada
| could have done, and wisely done in the interest
| of international comfy years ago without ask
| ing or expecting the United States to pay her for
| them Her policy in regard to the American
| fishery industry has been illiberal and unjust in
| the extreme. and the manner in which it has
beer carried out has not been calculated to i'm
| prove the relations between that country nd the
| United States. to say the least Of it. OF course
| it is now said that the policy is To ne reversed
and that all causes of just complaint 10 be
| removed. I sincerely hope that will he done hut
| ii does not now seem clear to me why the United
| States should he expected to pay for the doing
| of ii by the granting of new commercial privi-
| leges to Canada. In fact when everything Is
taken into consideration. II seems the reverse of
| clear. The commercial policy OF the United
| States in regard 10 Canada has always been an
| exceedingly liberal one in view Of all the cir
| ms ~ n ant al IN bar
| the valuable privilege of shipping goods in bond
| through the United States to Atlantic seaports
| together with facilities without which Canada
| would he destitute Of an Atlantic port Of ship
ment during the winter months The with
drawa of that privilege would he severe blow
| to Canada"
Among representatives from all the States that
touch the Canadian border the prevailing opln-
ION seems 10 be that II would be impracticablA "a