The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-28
CANADA'S BLUFF PREFERENCE.
Tho Preferential Clause VIII Caueo Little loss
TO us and Hiring LIttte GrIn 10 ENGLAND.

Tho Preferential Clause VIII Cauec Little Lo.s
to us and bring Little Gain 10 England.
To THE EDITOR OF THE sUN-Sfr: Canada's
Wanted move In the direction of imperial fed
GRAFTON has been tho subject Of q good deal of
discussion In England and elsewhere during tho
past few weeks. and Canadians have posed as
Imperial martyrs. Their Premier, Mr.. Laurier.
has ridden in the front Of the jubilee professions
and has acknowledged the cheers OF tho English
populace as one who earned the right to be
cheered. Conferences have been held at which
he was first spokesman, and every one II con-
WINGED that his tariff has revolutionized English
trade. Canadians have boon waving tho old
flag furiously for the past two months, and call
Ing to the other colonists to come on and do az
they have done and secure tho colonial market
for the mother country. Time alone can tell
what the exact result Of this change will be.
but meantime 1t 10 possible to estimate In the
rough how much It will be.
When Canadians speak Of giving q preference
to English goods they mean, of course, o prefer
ence over goods imported from the United
States. Canada's total imports In 1895 amount
ed to sos. 252.511, Of which S31 900. 900 came
from the United Kingdom. and S5A.oOo,o 600
from the United States; Germany, France, Japan,
and the Spanish West Indies being the only 9TH
er nations that sent more than q million. Thus
1t seems that England is being offered q ire
mendous chance Of adding $50, 900, 900 to her
export trade. But what 10 the truth OF tho
S54.O00.o0O. S2s.ooo,o 900 arc free goods,
and pa ,O00,0 900 only are dutiable. So
England's new market 10 cut down at
once by half. But it Ia not S24. ooo. 600
but a great deal less that is offered.
Some Of the goods which mako up tho amount
OF S24.OOO.oO0 are not manufactured or ex-
ported by England at all. and We may take IL
fnr Orortal that ,hon E--1-
sent of any commodity 10 per cent. of what tho
United States has sent, the reason is that nat
urally the advantage is SO much In favor Of tho
United States that not even a 25 per cent. lower
duty will induce Canadians to buy of England
In any quantity.
If we apply this test, we find that of tho
S2i. 0O0.0o0 Of dutiable goods imported
from the United States. about sll,ooo.-
600 are practically at present not sub
ject to competition from England. Either
England does not manufacture them or the con-
does not pay to import them from England. ex.
cept In casual quantities The ffty-four millions
t aass amount now asT SpDs Be- e fur lsss isSn t%Ssurtose en;a but
detail, and often very different goods are in.
ported from the United States and iA from ape Ena.
land. but the two countries do not come into
the United States are mainly paperceovered
reprints and novels. which could not DO
hardware, is diferent in kind from Mmef EnE.
not supply the place Of the other; and ip prefe renee
import American hardware. 1t il the same Win
drugs and medicines, mainly proprietary ari.
miscellaneops group which is entitled sho .P Post
Office parcels" For various reasons there viii
Of goods imported and used, and consequently
England will gain very little here. But tic Total
imports of goods of this class from the United
there really remains OF United states tGSSe on,sD
70 English, attack something less than seven mil.
English export trade-not much TO cheer her.
moreover. there is no reason for supposing
That England will capture oil, even OF this re.
lance and natural obstacles to be overcome and
these difficulties will remain. no matter what
continue to operate in behalf of Gmeri.
Gan expofters and against English exporters.
takes away so per cent. of p The t ImcrlPc rs5e trnds
benefit offered to England has dWind fieSS sw yes
very worst, the United States trade will only
suffer to the extent OF, three millions a year. or
exports. Our export trade TO Canada has varied
frequently more from year to year.
line beauty or the whole transaction lies in
this, however, that Canada does not mean 10
allow English goods to enter into closer oompe.
tition With her own productions than they have
and give a % per cent. reduction OH English
goods, but first raised the tariff in many in.
preference; and thus, without exposing her own
manufacturers she was able 10 give a preference
to English goods entirely at the expense Of
at the expense Of England; but Canada's benz.
hts cost her nothing. and consisted in FIRST rails.
and the Jubilee eclat OF lowering 1t to about tbs
old level for English goods. J. NJ
NEW YORK. June %.