The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-12-23
ANoLo-CANADiAN TRADE.
England's Gi1t-EdSe Arrangement
with Canada.

EnEiand's Gi1t-EdGe Advancement
with Canada.
A long article in the London Times
shows clearly the English anticipations
OF future trade with Canada, also what
share Of English trade the Englishman
proposes shall be captured by the Cana
dian. Whether this English Arrangement
VIII suit Canada remains to be seen. 1t
IS, III fact, that Canada shall be an ex-
elusive market for British manufacture
efs' While Canada may supply Great Brit
am with more foodstuffs. There is GER
tainiy very liberal opportunity for Cam
ada TO Go this because she now sells to
England only one-fourteenth Of the food
mat the mother country buys, or $4,000
ooo worth out of a total of S571 .000, 900.
Out the hrst trouble likely to arise, as it
seems to us. is that the buying and selling
transactions are not arranged through the
same agency. 1t is the British manufac-
turer who sells the British manufactured
goods TO the Canadian who deals in them.
but the transactions in the Canadian food
products pass through an entirely differ
ent set of hands. The Canadian export
ers OF wheat, cheese, butter, meat or POI
tatoes Will be anxious enough to sell as
much of these products as Canadian farms
can produce ut the best possible price.
They will think that the English buyer
of produce should give Canadian produce
the preference in the English market be-
cause Canada discrimnates in favor of
British manufacturers. But while the
British manufactures can sell his goods
to advantage by aid of this discrimination,
all his interest ends there, as he is not
the man who buys farm products.
When the English dealer in farm pro-
| ducts makes his purchases he must bear in
mind that he has to sell them again in
competition with thousand other deal
ers in food supplies. Sentimentally they
may favor the Canadian farm stuffs. but
| sentiment is not business, and they have
| TO buy the best they can get at the lowest
| price. United States, Australian or South
American supplies may he just as good as
| the Canadian aud shade cheaper. Why,
| then, pay Canada higher price just for
| sentiment! Or our farm stuffs and those
to the south of us may be shade better
| IN quality than those of Canada, and
prices may be equal. Why then pay Can
ada the same money for an inferior arti-
Gle! 1t isn't business. says the British
| dealer in farm produce and, as he is not
| selling any manufactures to Canada. he
makes the deal that will bring him the
best results, and he buys the Australian,
| United States or Argentina foOdstuffs.
How can the Canadian prevent this?
We are afraid the Canadians are LA
bic to be disappointed with their end Of
the stick. The gilded handle will be held
by John Bull. The establishment of a
complete system of cold storage for Cana
dian farm products should undoubtedly
tend to Eelp their sale. But the class of
goods that need cold storage will not in
terfere with the sale of our farm supplies,
for we only send to England, and that oc-
caslonally, a little fruit in cold storage.
The new rapid steamers to run between
England and Canada. equipped with re-
friserating machinery, will supply the
hnal link in carrying perishable products.
But this. if successful. will be at the ex-
pense of Australian shipments of similar
| products. The cost of freight naturally
| being lower from Canada than from the
Antipodes, our northern neighbor should
| stand good chance of securing n fair
| share of the trade in frozen meat, butter
and other perishable things. that is now
held by Australia. Beyond this we doubt
whether Canada has much prospective
| gain from her tariff deal with the mother
| countrv