Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-26
THE RECIPROCITY PROBLEM.
The Tariff Wall Canada Has Built
Around Herself il in the Way.

The Tariff Wall Canada Has Built
Around Herself il in the Way.
E. V. Smalley in the Chicago Times Herald.
The truth is that Sir Wilfrid, although an
ardent believer in full reciprocity himself,
finds himself tied up by conditions in Can
ada which have grown out of the protec-
tive system so long maintained by the
conservatives, under Sir John Macdonald
Il is now about thirty years since the con-
servatives built a tariff wall to develop
manufacturing industries in Canada by
shutting Gu; the manufactured products
of the United States and also of England.
This policy has developed a multitude Of
industrial concerns which could not live
month if they were exposed to free COM
petition from the shops and factories of
the United States. The new Canadian con-
Germs make tolerably good articles, but
they are manifestly inferior to those pro-
drced on our side of the line. This Is es-
pecially true of farm implements and ma
chinery, of locomotives and railway ap-
planes, of vehicles, of tools of all kinds,
OF cotton and wooden fabrics, of furniture
and of leather goods Having stimulated a
multitude of industries which employ Ia
Dor and capital Canada is not willing 10
sacrifice them, and no Canadian statesman
will now venture to advocate a scheme of
reciprocity which would bring them to
speedy ruin, no matter how ardent free
trader he might be in theory. Sir Wilfrid
is an exceedingly clear-headed, quick
Drained man, courtly in manners and pos
sessed of a good deal of talent for diplom-
acy, but he is a politician, and is just as
much afraid of the opposite party as are
our American politicians. He would not
dare to make an offer of reciprocity to our
government which would bring down upon
him and his liberal party the wrath of the
entire manufacturing interests of Canada.
The so-called national policy of the late
Sir John Macdonald is still dear to a very
large body of the Canadian electors, al
though 1t was defeated at the polls when
the liberal party obtained the ascendency.
The transfer of few thousand votes here
and there would place the government back
into the hands of the conservatives, and
Sir Wilfrid has to be as cautious as a man
skating upon thin ice. He prefers to re-
turn to Ottawa and confess the failure OF
his mission rather than to bring into the
negotiations at Washington the question OF
the admission Of our manufactured goods
to Canadian markets free of duty. i think
however. that he has accomplished some
good by his visit to our national capital
for he has impressed everyone with whom
he ha, come in contact with his earnest
desire for a friendly settlement of all the
questions at issue between Canada and the
United States and with his candor, intel
ligence and statesmanlike BEARING. Person
ally he is the most agreeable man who has
been at the head of the Canadian govern.
ment since the dominion was formed. He
is of pure French lineage, and has the
graceful social manners of his race, but
is not willing for a moment to admit thai
ii is the manifest destiny of the Canadian
provinces to become hourishing states OF
the American Union.