The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-11
ERASTUS WIMAN TALKS.
He Discusses the Tariff and Better
Relations with Canada.

DETROIT, Mich, May 10.-Exchange
Hall, of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce,
presented a brilliant scene tonight, when
some 250 members sat down at the second
annual dinner of that organization. The
special guests of the occasion were Erastus
Wiman, of New York, and William Ever
EFT, of Quincy Mass, and the topics of all
the speakers were along the lines of com
mercial enterprise and progress. Hon.
Alfred Russell who was characterized as
the godfather of the chamber was the
POSTMASTER. He introduced Mayor May
bury, who happily outlined his ideas of
what constitutes a progressive commercial
city. Hon. William Everett, of Massa-
chusetts, responded eloquently to Com
merce and Good Nature" The Old Boys
was the subject of a witty talk by ex-
Senator Thomas w. Palmer.
Erastus Wiman, of New York. responded
to the topic, Better Relations with Cam
ada" Among other things. he said: In
the full view, on both sides of border line
four thousand miles long, of u depression
unequaled in universally, severity and du-
ration, the government on both sides are
intently engaged in building higher than
ever the tariff wall. They are thus destroy
ing about the only chance there is OF a re-
vival of commerce or an outlet for prod
uctS and manufactures. Cutting the con-
tinent commercially in two, this tariff is
like d barbed-wire fence over which enc
brother cannot trade with another without
paying tribute beyond the cost of Pre- due
ton for both. British N)cth America, CCm-
priSing the greater half of the continent,
now alone offers room Tor expansion. Ihere
are no new territories within the Union into
which the surplus population can expand.
Employment of emigration and the oilpcr-
tunty for the development of natural re-
sources to a. degree far in excess of that
hitherto realized is now possible only In the
northern half of the continent. Because an
other political system prevails in that re-
gion ought to be no barrier to commercial
expansion in that direction.
THAT the people of Canada are favor
able to the closest relationship to this coun-
government has already shown itself ready
to met overtures by which the two coun-
tries can practically be united. Annexation
is unnecessary, undesirable and impossible.
Canada is to-day more loyal to Great Brit
ain than ever before. All that is needed
now is to have the commercial sentiment
of the great cities express itself in favor OF
a better relation. The new tariff is op-
posed to this view, but that is a political
necessity, rather than commercial desire.
The amount of duty to be collected under
its drastic exactions along the whole bor-
der does not exceed $6,OOOOO0, sum which,
divided among the people, is hardly to be
estimated as the cost of cigar EACH That
for a sum so trifling so vast a crime as
commercial isolation between two such. re-
gions cannot be the desire Of the CONNER
Cial community nor of the people. That
the basis for a commercial bargain with
Canada could be easily discerned by COM
mission of commercial men seems entirely
possible and no feature in the career of
either government would be so popular as
that which would create commission with
this object in view.