The Portland daily press., 1899-03-30


= Another interest which antagonized q
treaty is the coal combination, particu.
larry the West Virginia interests They
fear that with Canadian coal admitted
free the man ufacturers In the north can
buy Cape Breton coal cheaper than the
Nest Virginia mines can produce and
haul it to the sea board. The Gloucester
FISH industry is another inte'est which
fights reciprocity. IL Is hard question
TO settle but one which should lie looked
nron from broad point OF view rather
than from local standpoint.
MIR howes said that In talk with
Congressman Dineley before his death
Mr.. Dingiey had told him that the United
States missioners of the joint high
commission had offered TO sweep away all
tariff barriers between the United states
and Canada providing Canada would ac-
cept the tariff of the United States Ia her
relations with other countries, Ihis pro-
position, Mr.. Diugley haa sal !, was not
accepted by the Canadian commissioners
because they realized thst the people of
Canada would never accept any such pro-
position or have any tariff rates Imposed
upon them by the United States.
The proposition TO force the Canadas
to come to us and teg for annexation Is
folly because they are loyal people and
will never accept any proposition OF this
kind and the more we Hight them the
harder they will fight us The only soiu-
ton of the problem Is to cultivats trade
relations with Canada and bring about
concessions for their raw materials in
our tariff Legislation so that they viii re-
ciprocats by encouraging our manu-
facturers to do business In Canada.
What is asked is that Canada shall be
placed, as nearly as international con-
ditions will permit, on the same trade
basis as that occupied by one of the STATES
of the Union. We cannot do away with
customs barriers, on either side of the
border, we cannot establish customs
uninu, but we can arrange that each gov
eminent shall place upon Its free list the
largest posi- BILE number of materials that
are the products of either country. AT
the present time the Canadian free list Is
much more favorable 10 the trade OF the
United States than our free list is to the
trade of Canada, and our Canadian neigh
bors have right to ask that as thcy are,
man for man, the best customers that the
American people have, that they should
be treated In What they have to sell In a
spirit of fairness, If not generosity. The
Joint High Commission, which has been
endeavoring TO harmonic the various
differences existing between tho two
countries, has been embarrassed In Its
progress by the obstacles which various
special interests have put in It's way, and
unless those who are desirons OF promot-
ing the broad, general growth of our In
dustries make their influence felt, 1t 10 by
no means impossible that these special
interests, representing on the whols q
very small traction of our people, will
succeed in bringing the work of the Joint
High Commission to naught. You IN
Portland are in direct rail communion
ton with the Dominion. The treer the
intercourse that can be established be-
tween the two countries the larger the
r,oe that will find In
Canada markets tor the goods that you
have for sale, and, more Than this, Will
be enabled to build up, as convenient
seaport, large foreign commerce by
shipments from the west and northwest
made over the Grand Trunk railway.
You have 1t in your power, as represent
ing the chief commercial city of Maine,
= state which has perhaps more influence
IN Congress than any otLer state In the
Union to do great deal in making this
attempt successful one.
At the conclusion OF his address Mr.
Howes was asked many questions by
those present and the following resolu-
Board of Trade were passed unanimous
ly:
Whereas, The trade and commerce OF
Portland and large part of the State OF
Maine would be greatly promoted and
improved by the adoption of an equitable
treaty of reciprocal trade between the
United States and Canada, therefore be II
Resolved, That thu Merchants Tx
change anu Board of Trade of Portland
respectfully appeals 10 the President, TO
Con gress and to the American members
of The Anglo American Joint High Com
mission to DO all that lies IN their power
to obtain this result
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution
he s.nt to tue Pi esiuent of the United
States, tn the Senators and to members
representing Maine in the National House
OF Represent itivei. and TO the American
members of the Joint High Commission