Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-26
The Canadian Commission.


Our present relations with our
neiShbors over the northern border are
very friendly and cordial. and the
Canadian commission, which has lust
been appointed, enters upon its work
at most suspicious time. The com
mission has vast amount of work
before it, but it is very uncertain how
much Will be accomplished. Anyway.
if it fails to do the country great
amount of good. it Will do no harm
The men appointed on the part OF
the United States are able and fully
competent to protect the interests of
their country in every discussion that
may arise. The commission includes
such men as John W. Foster, John \.
kasson Senators Gray and Fairbanks
and Representative Dinglpy on one
side and Sir Wilfred Lauricr, the
premier. Sir Louis Davies. Sir Richard
Cartwright and Mr.. Charlton on the
sioners are statesmen of high repute
in their own land and the same can he
said of the standing of our representa-
tivcs in this country. Great Britain
Will also have a consulting member of
the commission in the person of Lord
1ershcl. who is now on his way to
this country
The meetings of this body will begin
some time next month. Some of them
will be held in Washington. some Of
them in Quebec. The Canadian city is
a very pleasant spot at this season of
the year and no doubt the commits
sioncrs will find it far cooler in August
than our national capital. The United
states commissioners. while they APP
pear hopeful. do not predict great re-
suits from their work. as they have no
power except to make this or that
recommendation to their government
ana it is just as likely as not that the
government will pay little or no at
tention to those recommendations
one of the commissioners has declared
that spirit on reciprocity will inspire
the body, but this country will de-
mand that the reciprocity be of the
right sort, and not Of the kind that
means that the United States shall give
all and get nothing in return.
There has been a large amount of
friction in the trade and tariff regula-
IONS across our northern border.
canada has been rcaping nearly all
the benefit from this trade as She
wants large amounts of our goods
While We want very few of hers. We
send to her forty million dollars worth
OF products every year and she sends
us about one-third of that amount In
tact lumber and coal are about the
only Things that she has for sale and
this country is pretty well supplied
with both these articles of its own
| - So "ipiiso WITHOUT IlcT goods
tar better than she could get along
| without ours. Canada gives articles
exported from England a heavy prefer
ence IN duties of over those sent from
the United States and her policy has
| been to raise the bars as high as she
can against American products. If she
wants better trade relations she can
make them, if Great Britain will con-
sent, but if she continues her policy of
wanting to give nothing and take all
she Will find the United States per
fectly willing to let her alone.
Questions relating to the sealsto the
fisheries, to the Alaskan boundaries
and others of great importance will be
considered by the commission. but the
chances are that no great results will
follow. Great Britain evidently does
not propose to allow Canada to settle
these questions. and past experience
convinces this country that they are
likely to remain unsettled for some
] time to come,