Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-01-18
MERE CONES CANADA
seeking Reciprocity Will United States N,
Likely 10 caia Much.

II Il
| party came into power at the elections in
| Canada, 1t was part of its declared D,,r.
pose TO secure more intimate trade reia-
| tons with the United States To accom-
plish the result a treaty with Great Rrt-
| tain must first be negotiated but to lear
the sentiment of the national law MAKER
| OF TINS country respecting such an ar
rangement H. the purpose of Messrs.
Charlton and Farrer, Liberal memher.
Of the Canadian Parliament who reached
Washington; Thursday. Both gentlemen
capacity and simply to talk with p,iblic
men to learn how far their co-operation
might be secured in the negotiation of a
commercial treaty between Canada and
Thursday. Mr.. Farrer spoke with Mr..
Dingley of Maine. chairman of the ways
and means committee. with reference 10
TINS matter. and during the day he talke.I
with several other members OF iac com
mittee. Friday. he and Mr.. Charlton con-
tinued their missionary work but SO far
as can be learned the results have not
been satisfactory. The objection raised
by the americans Is that the natural pro
ducts of both countries are the same ow-
ing 10 the similar climatic and soil con-
ditions.
The members of the ways and means
committee, for example, will not agree
that even the present rate of duty on
foreign farm products. to say nothing OF
There is an urgent demand from AmerI-
can. farmers along the entire northern
border. for the restora tion of the McKin-
ley rate OF duty on hay. beeves. horses
breadstuffs and farm products generally
So far as these articles are concerned no
reciprocity is possible, and the same is
true of lumber.
Under the present laws the importation
of lumber from Canada has been enorm-
ously increased. and so keenly have the
American lumbermen felt the competition
of their Canadian neighbors that they
Will demand very considerable increase
above the old duty. So far as the manu.
facturers are concerned: ii is not believed
that the Canadians will accept any ar
rangement which will give the Americans
practical control of their market. as
would be the case if reciprocity in the
articles were permitted. The two Cana
dams maintain that Canada will grant
such concessions as will greatly enlarge
the American market.
While Canada could not give the United
States lower rate of duty than is given
British manufacturers, it SO happens. Mr..
Farrer says. that large number of
goods can be found which might be put
on the free list and from which the Ca
nadians would purchase largely of Amer
leans. as Great Britain cannot compete
includes in this list sewing machines.
fire arms. pig and bar iron. axles. springs.
locomotives. stationary engines. paper.
printing, machines and presses. gray cot
ton and cotton jeans. clocks. watches.
brass goods. carriages. sleighs. drugs and
chemicals. glass. boots and shoes, har-
neSSeS. saddlery. refined petroleum.
paints. oils. rubber goods. furniture. cleo
trical apparatus. etc.
Canada, according to Mr.. Farrer, is
ready to put the north Atlantic fishery
question on more satisfactory footing
and to come to a better understanding
as regards wrecking on the Great lakes.
the alien labor law and other matters in
dispute. The Canadian government is
the st. Lawrence route from
Duluth and Chicago to tide water and
for making the Lake traffic free to Cana
dian and American vessels alike. Offering
in return to give the United states JOINT
control over the canals.
Public men to whom these f1attering
have been outlined. fully ap-
preciate the advantages which would re-
suit but they cannot see how they can
offer Canada any advantages IN return
that would not probably more than offset
the concessions granted Some OF the sem
ators think that Canada would insist as
4 part of the arrangement upon the cor
tinuance of the bonding privilege now
enjoyed by the Grand Trunk and Cana
lian Pacific Railways. and which many
Americans feel works an injustice to
american railways. notwithstanding that
The people along the northern border In
New England and the Northwest derive
great benefit from their use of the Cana
dian roads.
Altogether. the situation. if the repre-
sentativcs and senators who We're spoken
with may be believed. is full of uncer-
any convention such as the Liberal party
in Canada would like to frame. 1t is
pointed out that the old treaty of lSiS was
largely favorable to Canada. and 1t was
tions. today. it is thought. are not reia,
lively different from those which existed
at that time. and the unsatisfactory
IN Of ge f k m deta
as their reasons for opposing similar
now.