The evening times., 1897-02-09
OUR TRADE WITH CANADA
Two Dominion Cabinet Officers
Views on the Subject.
THEY WANT RECIPROCITY
Sir Richard Cartwright and Hon.
L. III. Dawes Kndeavoring to As
certain the Sentiment of the
American People as Reflected by
COngressmen.

Sir Richard Cartwright, the Canadian
minister OF trade and Commerce, and the
| Hon l.. IT. Davies, the minister OF marine
and fisheries for the Dominion, who ar.
| rived in Washington on Thursday last, are
making the most OF their visit to the
National Capital II was understood
when these gentlemen left Ottawa that
they were cOmingto Washington to sound
public men with reference to closer trade
relations between the two countries Dur
ing the past few days they have had inter
views more or less with Secretary Oiuey
Speaker Reed, Senator Sherman and other
prominent Republicans and Democrats in
the two houses OF Congress. IL is their
purpose to remain until the latter part OF
this week in order to acqusint themselves
still further with the wishes Of the Amer
lean people respecting reciprocity and
trade as reflected by their representatives
in Congress A reporter met both gentle
men at the shoreham yesterday. and Sir
Richard and Mr. Davies outlined the basis
upon which such u treaty could be drawn
I'm the first place, said Mr.. Davies,
please make it clear to the American
people that we believe closer trade re
l;tions should exist between the two coun-
NAtNSs anu iiidI ii NDIitiliicoiNh ttihiStiDE "a
two Americans and two Cana dians should
be appointed To consider the general sub
ject OF reciprocity and report TO their re-
speCtive governments if a commercial treaty
be possible"
Ii was suggested 20 Mr.. Davies that the
merican farmers along the northern
frontier would protest vigorously against
any reciprocity between the two countries
which included an exchange of natural
products OF the soil
But, interjected Sir Richard, ''our
people raise the same objection Our sgri-
culturists fear American competition quite
as strongly as American agrIculturists fear
Canadian competition. During the past
three months while our tariff commission
was giving its hearings at ottawa we
were constantly reminded that American
competition would be fatal to Cana dian in
terests The Canadians living in the Nj
agara Peninsula were most insistpnt that
the barriers should not be thrown down.
Tney asserted that the American grape
and the American strawberry would, il
protection were removed. fleod our coun-
try and destroy ytheirinterests Similar OBJ
jeCtions were made by cur farmers with
reference to a free exchange Of ether
products.
The truth is" continued Sir Richard,
the quality of some of our articles is
superior to yours. On the other hand, the
Americans raise certain articles which are
superior to ours. For example, our wheat
is better in quality, generally speaking,
than that of America. Your corn is SUI
perior to ours. This is true of a large
number of articles. Those natural products
which develop better in a warmer climate
are superior on your side of the line to
ours. Other products of the soil which
are more natural to a cold climate are
produced better by us. There is no reason
why the people of both countries should
not enjoy the superior products of Canada
and America at the lowest price, instead
of purchasing an inferior article for the
same money"
Laying aside the question of natural
products, to what extent W ould the manu-
facturers OF the United States be benefited
by such an arrangement Sir Richard
was asked.
THE trade of the United States with
Canada replied Sir Richard, would be
greatly stimulated We are today your
best customers. We purchase moro largely
per capita in the American market than
Great Britain does. Our trade with the
United States aggregates 500, 900 900
annually, Of which the largest share is in
favor of the United States Under the
stimulus OF a reciprocity this trade could
be expanded to $500, 900 900 year, with
the same relative advantage on the side of
the United States'