The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-03
A HARD NUT TO CRACK
CANADIAN COMMISSIONERS URGED
AGAINST RECIPROCITY.
The joint High Commission Takes q
Recess for Three Weeks-Prog-
ress Kept secret.

foundland and Great Britain, after ten
days work adjourned at 2 o'clock this
afternoon, to meet again in this city Sept.
20. at II a. All of the American commits
sioners, excepting Mr.. Kasson. will return
to their homes to Washington. Mr.. Kas-
son will remain in Quebec. The subcom-
mittees and secretaries will continue their
work here or at their homes during the re-
cess. Lord Herschen, the representative
from England. will go from here to New
port. Sir James Winter. the Newfoundland
representative, has returned home. The
other Canadian commissioners left to-day
for their homes. Congressman Dingley left
this afternoon for his home in Maine Gen.
Foster will go to Washington
What the commissioners accomplished up
to this point or what they are likely to ac-
complish in the future can only be inferred
from outward indications. Absolutely moth
ing has been revealed from within the
meeting rooms of the commission. From
the very first session until the adjourn
ment the commissioners on both sides have
repeatedly stated that the most friendly
relations existed on both sides. and that
the representatives of both governments
manifested disposition, even = detes nina
ton, to reach a final adjustment of the
questions of international dispute before
them. In fact, everything that las trans
pired before the public eye in connection
with the conference has confirmed these
statements.
But there are questions which, many pre-
dict, the commissioners will have great diff
hculty in adjusting. if they are able to adj
just them at all. Some of these difficulties
are foreshadowed in what has taken place
mere during the past three days. Three pow
erful industries of the United States by
their representatives have appeared here
praying the American members of the con-
ference to make no change in the duties
now imposed on the Canadian products of
lumber nsh and pulp paper. The lumber
interest is the most important of the three
and 1t is known that between this and the
recOnVening of the conference active steps
men to forestall any action on the part OF
the commission in the way of opening wider
the United States markets for Canadian
lumber. Another powerful industry yet to he
heard from is the agricultural interest The
farmers of the United States, it is known,
| viii oppose most vigorously any ADJUST
ment or AFFAIRS which will involve reduce
| ton of the duty on Canadian agricultural
| products. Yet these are some of the conces-
sions the Canadian government desires. If
| the joint high commission had nothing to
| do but settle the Boring sea question, the
| boundary lines of Alaska, the fisheries or
any group or allot twelve questions enum-
| Grated in the protocol no doubt they could
| do IT, but the greater question of reciproci-
| ty has seemed to force itself before the con-
| settle. So far as known, the only expression
| from the United States in accord with the
canadian view of reciprocity is that COM
ing 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
| for very large number Of the manufacture
| ing interests of the Eastern and Northern
States: Against this argument came the pro-
| test or the lumber men, who declared that
| their industry alone gave employment to a
number OF American citizens as large as the
| entire population of Canada, and they de-
| sired the duty on lumber to remain as it is.
| Thus, It may seem from very superficial
| view of the situation, that the joint high
commission has task of the gravest inn
portance and one that is accompanied by
the great test difficulties. After the adjourn
ment to-day it was announced that no more
hearings of any sort would be given. ex-
cept in such cases as the commissioners
themselves requested the appearance Of
sary information.
NEW KIND OF RECIPROCITY.
A man closely identified with the United
| States government and who has followed
| the work of the conference very closely.
made the following statement this after
| noon:
1.-The labor Of the American members of
| the commission has been greatly increased
| by the attitude of the Canadian representa-
| tives on the subject of reciprocity. l UNDER
| stand that they demand as a condition pre-
| cedent to the settlement of the international
| questions which have long pended between
| Canada and the United States agree
ment Of some kind in reference to reciproc-
| lty. This would not be difficult of solu-
| ton were it not for the fact that from the
| newspapers in Canada and from the impress
| sions of the public men here it is very evil
| dent that the reciprocity which they are
willing to enter is not the kind of reciprocity
| that the American people for the past twen-
| ~ years nave discussed and now unani-
mouSly favor. Since i have been here l
| have carefully observed the situation and
have learned that Canada expects the
United States
| preferential duty in our market, while they
| propose to admit our goods only on the same
| condition that the products of Great Britain
are admitted. The Canadian idea is that IN
| our markets 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 to compete with Great Britain.
| The kind of reciprocity which the American
people favor and which the commercial
| bodies of the United States have been ask
| ing our commissioners to secure is the reel
| procity 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 vari-
Gus commercial bodies known at the time
| they considered and passed their resolutions
| what kind of reciprocity Canada wanted 1t
| is doubtful IL any of them outside the BoS-
| ton Chamber of Commerce would have fa-
Vored 1t, or would have presented these res
| olutions which are now in the hands of the
| commissioners. 1t was not then known
| that such great national industries in the
| United States agriculture. lumber, coal
| tional bargain counter, there to be disposed
| of in Consideration of securing for d few
| manufacturers in Boston and other New
England cities the poor privilege OF COM
peting in the Canadian markets on an equal
| ity with some other country where produce
| tioIi Is carried on at cost far below the
cost of production in own country. 1t
will readily be seen that the Boston nd
| Canadian proposition will be of no material
| benefit to American producers. In anticfpa-
| tion of the appointment of this joint high
| commission, Canada time ago in
| creased the preferential tariff in favor of
| Great Britain 1919 per cent, so that to-day
| in the Canadian market American goods
| goods. If reciprocity between nations, espe-
| cially between the United States and for
| eign countries, is to be secured only in this
| way. then the American government should
add % per cent. to its present tariff in order
| that Ii might make reduction correspond
| ing to that which other countries like Cam
| ada proposes; or, in other words, that Il
would have something to trade on. 1t is be-
| cause of this attitude of the Canadian press
| and Canada's public men that leads me 10
| believe that reciprocity With Canada Is ut
| terly out of the question; but nevertheless
| American producers. and especially those
interested in the three greatest OF our ra-
| tional Industries. should take steps 10 con-
vince the American commissioners that the
| Canadian policy of reciprocity will never
meet the approval of the American people,
Too Much Food Now.
New York Post.
The distribution OF good food-eggs. soups.
milk, butter, pickles. etc.--to the regular