The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-30
WHO IS MY NEIGHBORf

The trade reports of the Dominion of
Canada reflect a brilliant light upon
the sapience of the statesmen at Wash
iEgton, who defended some of the most
Objectionable features Of the Dingley
act by denunciation of our neighbor on
the north as one of the bitterest foes
Of American industry and American
labor. For some Of the most obnoxious
clauses Of the Dingley act reliance was
placed upon the bitter feeling of hos
tility, which every endeavor was made
to create. between the people of the
United States and those Of Canada.
The American laborer was given to I'M
derstand that his brother on the north
was his implacable foe; that prosperity
to the one meant death to the other,
and that great benefit would accrue to
all American interests by building up
higher and stronger the tariff barrier
between the two peoples. The whole
theory of the Dingley act is that, If we
could prohibit all commerce between
the United States and Canada, we
would be great gamers thereby.
1t was this feeling that led to the in
sertion in the bill to regulate immigra-
ton, passed by the last congress, of a
clause directed against Canada so Of
fensive and unjust that it not only
justified, but required the veto that
President Cleveland was prompt to
give. 1t was this feeling that bolstered
up the infamous tariff on lumber. rest
ing solely upon the assumption that
the high price Of the labor Of Canada
would drive out of employment the
more poorly paid labor of the United
States engaged in the numbering busi-
ness. Just as the halls of congress at
Washington resound periodically with
anathemas directed against Great Brit
ain, beyond comparison the best Gus
toner that the producers of the United
States have ever found or ever will find
for their wares, so do legislative fniqui-
intercourse, strike, where they strike
at all, against relations that are enor-
mously to our advantage. Let us
glance at the figures of the Canadian
trade reports to find out "who is our
neighbor" and what sort of fellow he is
We find that, of the total imports into
Canada for consumption last year
amounting to Sill, 294021, there came
from England only S29,412, 1873, while the
imports from the United States reached
the handsome total of SCI, 649, 041. Thus
the people Of Canada, Notwithstanding
their close relation to the mother coun-
try and the reciprocal trade relations
make. took from their kinsmen less
than half the amount that they bought
from a people who have been endeayor-
ing by every means within their power
to harass and cut off commercial re-
lations. Since the high protectionist Is
also a worshiper of the balance OF
trade" theory, and believes that the
desira bility of commerce between this
nation and another should be measured
by the excess of our exports over our
imports, that feature is worth looking
at. Carada bought from us last year
as we saw, goods to the value of $751;
649,041 Canada sent to us Of her own
10 -
Thus we find a splendid balance OF
trade of nearly $1S,OOOOOO in our favo,
as the net result of the years business
with our neighbor on the north.
This is the sort of business which
congress has set itself to ruin by every
means within it's power. The trade re-
ports of the next year will show how
successful it has been. Canada's bust
ness with Great Britain Is increasing
out from cur markets by outrageous
duties, and is seeking in Great Britain
those markets which she must have fol
the sale of her exports in order to be
able to make purchases in return
Within a twelvemonth beyond any
question. it will appear that the total
net effect of the Dingley act is to re-
duce very materially both sides of the
trade balance sheet between Canada
and the United States. She will SEND
Us fewer goods and she VIII buy very
much less OF us in exchange.
For the purpose of fostering sense