The times., 1897-11-10
CANADA'S PRIME MINISTER.
VIII Endeayor 10 Promote "a Re-
ciprocity Treaty.

A
| and suite of Canadian Officials reached
Washington yesterday afternoon aud have
| taken apartments at the Shoreham. In
the party are Lady Laurier, Sir Louis
| Davies, minister OF marine and fisheries;
| Lady Davies, Miss Ethel Davies, Mr. Bor
deau. secretary TO the premier; Mr.. Z. d
Williams secretary 10 Mr. Davies; Prof.
! j. N. Macounl, OF the geological depart
ment, and r. n. Venney, attache of the
| me rine and fisheries department. the lat
| ter beine a well-known Canadian seal ex-
! pert. During the evening several Officials
! calico upon the party to pay their re-
spects Today they will be presented 20
the President.
The Canadian premier rs ayerse 20 the
| American newspaper interview, and al.
! though he was besieged by newspaper re-
| porters he courteously but firmly declined
| to be draw into any statement for publica
| ton. Sir Wilfred Laurier comes to Washing
| ton on a mission so far reaching in its
/ Importance that IL his ideas be carried out
| there worId be little use for a genefaI
| treaty of arbitration between this Go"ern
! nlent and Great Britain. He comes here
ostenSlbiy on tie hehring Sea matter TO
| discuss the question of pelagic sealing. AS
! matter OF fact, however, he has con
| ceiYed a most gigantic scheme, looking to
closer bond OF union between tins GOV
/ eminent and Canada, and d more perfect
| communion Of interests.
Sir Wilfred hopes to be able to perfect
! scheme TO which this Government viii
| give assent that viii settle al once and for
| all time all questions of dispute between
! the TWO governments, embodying the set
! Element in a treaty, and securing the finai
ratification of Great Britain and the United
| States. his scheme has been laid before
| the British foreign office and intimations
! ot its character, il is understood, have teen
! laid before The Washington A Admnistra ton.
This is the main reason why the British
government objects 10 going into a Con
| ference with Russia and Japan as parties.
| The RuSso-Japanese agreement has been
/ signed, and now only awaits the approval
OF the Senate 10 make 1t binding upon the
| goyernu ents party thereto.
| Now j. is Great Britain's turn, although
1 in the conference next TO be had the mother
| government appears chiefly as tire repre-
| sentative of her most powerful so-called
| dependency. Great Britain in this nego.
! tiation may be compared to q guardian, tie
| interests TO be watched being more those
| OF her ward than her own.
Nearly every dispute between the United
| States and Great Britain relates TO nat
! terS ot controversy betweeI. this Govern
/ meut and Canada. About the only ex-
! CcpJions TO this rule are The Clayton .Bulwer
! treaty ana the Nicaragua Canal, and. ow-
| ing TO her Atlantic and Pacific seaboard,
the interests Of Canada ia the latter are
| by no means inconsiderabIe.
| Sir WilfIed Laurier represents the most
| advanced thought and liberal sentiment or
| Canada lie Is opposed To the political all-
nexation Of the two countries, but most
\ heartily favors their commercial anneXa.
| tion. lie favors the largest possible coud.
| tion Of free trade between the two coun-
! tries, witt cniy such taxation as is essen
/ tial To the raising OF necessary revenue.
! He sees the future Of Canada and under
| stands the sources whence her greatness
| must spring and hopes to be able to ac.
| CoInplish I hat which VIII max C Canada one
| of the influential countries Of this con
tinent In this approaching conference the
| Canadian represents four great contentious
which he is hopeful OF having settled:
/. The settlement Of the alien labor
| difficulties, whereby iaborers may move
| freely and wiz hOuI restriction from one
| country into the other.
2. LdberaIreciprocity by which Cana dia n
| products especially lumber, gram, aud
minerals may come into the United states
freely
3. Joint action in the development OF
the KlOndike country, 50 that that region
may be made more accessible ana brought
! closer TO civilization.
/. A convention to cover and de-
| termine the boundary line OF the panhan-
ole of Alaska on lines mat VIII permit
! common post in the far North.
On the part OF the United States there
are fully s. u.4ny important probleuts that
would demand settlement in schciGe Of
| this magnitude. Among them are the
subjects OF peIagic sealing in Behrng Sea.
1 RestictIon OF Chinese immigrati tion in
| lines IDENTICAL with those employed Oh
| TIE Pacific coast There are thousands OF
! Chinese who enter the country Illegally
| every year by way Of Canada, and no ef
fectiyc means have been found To stop them.
| On the 81 5iect OF reciprocity the United
| Staues would have as much if not more az
stake than Canada.
The fisheries in the Great LAKES ana
Newfoundland have always been a stuInb-
ling block. the latter even now being con
Quoted under a modus vivendi There are
also the undue restrictions in the Welland
Canal and a more liberal construction of
the treaty Clause regarding the number of
| war NPSSesS IN the Gre3t Lakes.
1t was said last night by State De
partment official that the late Secretary
Blaine suggested a general project for
settling disputes between the two countries,
but it was never developed. He favored
the appointment OF a commission, but such
8 plan woild not be favored now.
1t is understood that President McKinley y
has, In a general way, expressed his ap-
proval OF the pla1 of the Canadian premier
and after conference between the Canadian
and United states delegates, the various
ccsires of the two governments viii be
carefully formulated with the arguments
I'm favor Of each contention, and submitted
through the usual diplomatic channels.
which If it does not result in the adoption
Of the whole scheme may accomplish
great good. Amy treaty Of this character
| must be submitted tC the Senate and that
body may be counted upon to eliminate
anything that appears like a surrender
| of American interests.
| MOI
| To the Editor Of The Times
Is there premium on the 1893 silver
| dollar? B. e. s.