Evening star., 1898-09-03
CONFEREES TAKE RECESS
Adjournment of the International High
Commission Until September 20.
No More Hearings VIII BE Given Ex-
ccpt by the COmmi missioners'
Own Request.

at = CLOCK yesterday TO meet again III
Quebec September 20, at IL am. All OF
the American commissioners, excepting Mr..
Kasson, will return to their homes or to
Washington. Mr.. Kasson will remain in
Quebec.
The subcommittee and secretaries will
continue their work there or at their homes
during the recess.
Congressman d ngley left yesterday after
noon for his home in Maine General Fos-
ter will go to Washington.
What the commissioners accomplished up
to this point, or what they are likely to
accomplish in the future, only be in
ferred from outward indications. Absolute
ly nothing has been revealed from the
meeting rooms The commissioners on
both sides have repeatedly stated that the
nest friendly relations existed on both
sides, and that the representatives of both
governments manifested a disposition, even
determination. to reach final adjust
nent of the questions of international dis
pute before them.
But there are questions which many pre-
dict the commissioners will have great
difficulty in adjusting. If they are able to
adjust them at all. Some of these diff
culties are foreshadowed in what has
taken place here during the past three
days.
Difficult Questions.
Three powerful Industries of the United
States. by their representatives, have ap-
peared. praying the American members of
the conference to make no change in the
duties now imposed upon the Canadian
products of lumber, fish and pulp paper.
The lumber interest is the most important
of the three, and it is known that between
this and the reconvening of the confer
ence active steps will be taken by the
United States lumber men to forestall any
tha art Of hn lrr1i
the way of opening wider the United States
markets for Canadian lumber.
Another powerful industry yet to be
heard from is the agricultural interest The
farmers of the United States, 1t is known,
will oppose most vigorously any adjustment
OF affairs which will involve a reduction
of the duty on Canadian agricultural prod
ucts. Yet these are some OF the conces-
sicns the Canadian government desires
If the joint high commission had noth-
ing to do but settle the Berng sea ques-
ton the boundary lines of Alaska, the
fisheries or any group or all or the Twelve
questions enumerated In the protocol no
doubt they could do it, but the greater
;estion of reciprocity has seemed to force
itself before the conference and the ques-
tion will be difficult to settle.
The Protests.
So far as known the only expression from
the United States in accord with the Cana
dian view of reciprocity is that coming
from the Boston chamber of commerce.
These gentlemen told the commissioners
that they favored the freest possible trade
relations with Canada and that they spoke
ior very large number of the manufactur-
ing interests of the eastern and northern
states. Against this argument came the
protest of the lumber men, VINO Geclared
hat their industry a one gave employment
o a number of American citizens ds large
IS the entire population OF Canada ana
hey desired the DUTY on lumber to remain
Is L is Thus it may be seen from very
superficial view of the situation that the
;oint hieh commission has task of the
gravest Importance and one that Is accom-
panied by the greatest difficulties.
After the ad 10 lrnment 1t was announced
that no more hearings of any sort would be
given except in cases where the commits
sioners themselves requested the appear
Ince of persons for the purpose of giving
necessary Information
One-sided Reciprocity.
A man close.y identified with the United
States government, and who has followed
he work of the conference very closely,
made the folowiug statement yesterday
afternoon:
The labor If the American members of
he commission has been greatly increased
9y the attitude Of the Canadian representa-
lives on the subject of reciprocity. un-
Ierstand that they demand, as condition
to the settlement of the interna-
,ional questions which have long pended
between Canada and the United states, All
agreement of some kind in reference to the
This would not be SO difficult
Of solution were il not for the fact that
from the newspapers in Canada and from
the impressions of the public men here 1t
= very evident that the reciprocity Which
they are willing to enter into Is not the
Aind of reciprocity that the American peo-
pie for the past twenty years nave discuss
cd and now unanimously favor. Since |
nave been here l have carefully observed
the situation, and nave learned that Can
ada expects the United States to give them
a.; exclusive preferential duty in our mar
ket, while they propose to admit our goods
only upon the same condition that the pro-
iucts of Great Britain are admitted. The
Canadian idea is that in our maifhets they
are to have an advantage as against the
rest of the world. while in their market
they will give us only an equal opportunity
10 compete with Great Britain.
What America Wants.
The kind of reciprocity which the Amer
lean people favor and which the CONNER
cial bodies of the United States have asked
our commissioners to secure is .he reciproc-
ity which gives an equal advantage in the
respective markets in the countries which
are parties to the agreement, and that this
advantage should be exclusively enjoyed by
each country. Had these various CONNER
cial. bodies known at the time they consid-
cred and passed their resolutions what kind
Of reciprocity Canada wanted, 1t is doubt
full if any of them outside the Boston cham
Der of commerce would have favored Ii or
would have presented these resolutions
which are now in the hands of the commits
sioners.
1t was not then known that such great
Industries in the United States as
agriculture, lumber, coal and others were
to be laid the international bargain
there to be disposed Of in consid-
Grafton of securing for q few manufacturers
in Boston and other New England cities
the poor privilege of competing in the Ca
madam markets On an equality with scme
other country where production is carried
on at cost far below the cost Of produc-
ton in our own country.
In anticipation of the appointment of
this joint high commission Canada some
time ago increased the preferential t1riff in
favor of Great Britain 1211 per cent SO
that today in the Canadian market Ameri-
can goods pay 25 per cent more duty than
English goods"
t.,