The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-03
JOINT COMMISSIONS WORK
CONFRONTED BY A SERIOUS
PROBLEM. d
Dominion Not Disposed to Drive a
Fair Bargain in Adjusting
Trade Relations With
This Country.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

QUEBEC. Sept 1.-The joint commits
sion Of the United States, Canada and
Newfoundland, after ten days WORK,
adjourned at 2 o'clock this afternoon
to meet again in this city on September
20. All of the American commissioners
excepting Mr.. Kasson will return 10
their homes or to Washington. MI.
Kasson will remain in Quebec
What the commissioners accomplish
ed up to this point or what they are
likely to. accomplish in the future can
only be inferred from outward indica-
lions. Absolutely nothing has been re-
vealed from within the meeting rooms
of the commission. From the very first
session until the adjournment the COM
missoners on both sides have repeated
ly stated that the most friendly rela-
tons existed and that the representa-
tives of both Governments manifested
a disposition, even a determination, to
reach final adjustment OF the ques-
lions of international disputes before
them. In fact, everything that has
transpired before the public eye in
connection with the conference has con-
firmed these statements.
But there are questions which many
predict the commissioners will have
able to adjust them at ALL Some Of
these difficulties are foreshadowed in
what has taken place here during the
past three days.
Three powerful industries of the
United States, by their representatives,
have appeared here, praying the Ameri-
can members of the conference to make
no change in the duties now imposed
upon the Canadian products of lumber,
fich ifIrY int
est is the most important of the three,
and 1t is known that between this time
and the reconvening Of the conference
steps will be taken by the United
States lumber men to foreStall any ac-
ton on the part of the commission in
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, it is
known, will oppose most vigorously any
adjustment of affairs which will involve
a reduction of the duty on Canadian
agricultural products. Yet these are
some of the concessions the Canadian
Government desires.
If the joint high commission had
nothing to do but to settle the Boring
Sea question, the boundary lines Of
Alaska, the fisheries or any group, or
all of the twelve questions enumerated
in the protocol, no doubt they could
do ii, but the greater question of re-
ciprocity has seemed to force itself be-
fore the conference, and Will be diff
cult to settle.
So far as known the only expression
from the United States in accord with
the Canadian 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 for very
large number of the manufacturing in
interests In the Eastern and northern
States. Against this came the protests
of the lumber men, who declared that
their industry alone gave employment
to a number Of American citizens as
large as the entire population OF Can
ada and they desired the duty on lum-
Der to remain as it Is.
man closely identified with the
United States Government said to-day:
Since I have been here / have care
fully observed the situation and have
learned that Canada expects the United
States to give her an exclusive prefer
entail duty In our market while they
propose to admit our goods only upon
the same condition that the products
of Great Britain are admitted. The
Canadian idea is that in our markets
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 Americans favor and which the
commercial bodies of the United States
have asked our commissioners to Sc
cure is the reciprocity which gives an
equal advantage in the respective mar
kets In the countries which are par
ties to the agreement and that this adj
vantage should be exclusively enjoyed
by each country. Had these various
commercial bodies known at the time
they considered and passed their reso-
lutions what kind of reciprocity Cam
ada wanted, 1t Is doubtful If any of
them outside of the Boston Chamber of
Commerce would have favored or
would have presented these resolutions
which are now in the hands of the COM
missioners.
Canada some time ago increased the
preferential tariff in favor of Great
Britain at 2k per cent. SO to-day the
American goods pay rs per cent more
duty than English goods. If reciproc-
lty between nations, especially be-
tween the United States and foreign
countries. is to be secured only In this
way, then the American Government
should add Is per cent to it's present
tariff In order that 1t might make a
deduction correspond to that which
Canada proposes. or &, other words, so
1t would have something to trade on.
1t is this attitude of the American
press and Canada's -ublic men that
leads me to believe that reciprocity
with Canada Is utterly out Of the ques-
ton"
- - -
Fire at Santa Cruz.