New-York tribune., 1899-02-12
rRiDF RELATIONS WITH CANADA.


We publish elsewhere in this mornings paper
an abstract of the address made yesterday ny
the Hon John Charlton a member of the cana
dian Parliament. before the Merchants Club OF
Chicago. ILL., on the subject Of trade relations be-
tween this country and the Dominion II Is 10
he commended to consideration as sincere
lucid and authoritative exposition OF the case
from the most enlightened Canadian point OF
view. Mr. Charlton knows his Canada well.
and the United States too and Is practical
and successful business man, as well as an cx-
pcrienced legislator. We are not likely. there
fore. 10 have a better statement of the case than
his.
Mr.. Charlton is strongly in favor Of CONNER
cial union between Canada and the United
States He points ont that when reciprocity ex-
listed the export trade of Canada 10 this country
steadily and rapidly increased. but that since its
abolition trade has been almost stationary and
at times actually declining. At the same time
he admits that the export trade of the United
States 10 Canada has continued TO increase and
is now rapidly increasing. in spite OF the prefer
entail tariff granted 10 British goods. This
state OF affairs. he says frankly. is unSatlsfac-
tory 10 Canada. The exact truth Of that state
ment we are not inclined 10 dispute. But we
cannot soc that that is any commanding reason
why we should enter into commercial union
with Canada. Quite the contrary. Mr.. Charl-
ton admits that Canada Is selfish i'm seeking
such union Surely the United States has just
as good right TO decline it on selfish grounds.
Canada does not ask 1t for good Why
should we grant II for her good?
Again. Mr.. Charlton dcprccates the notion.
ubcl, no t,inyc * prpvoleut N fhic cntntrH.
the preferential tariff granted 10y Canada to
Great Britain was intended as an act Of hoStil-
ity TO this country. and insists that 1t was mere
ly n step toward such free trade among the
members of the British Empire as we have
among the States Of this Union. In that we on
trcly agree with him. We expressed precisely
such sentiments in these columns at the time
when that tariff was established And we
doubt if the idea of hostility is as widespread in
this country as Mr.. Charlton seems to think.
But Mr. Charlton must SEQ that that very con
tenton is an argument against his own case.
Canada has taken n step toward free trade with
IN the British Empire, while ma aintainlng n tariff
against the rest OF the world That is exactly
what the United States Is doing. l. has free
trade among its own members. hui maintains a
tariff against all outsiders Moreover, we sub
mt tnht IL lS schrc"IN 'OHSlSlcn1 Tor MT tnarl-
ton TO deny that the Canadian preferential
tariff Is meant to be hostile TO This country and
In the next breath 10 say that the American pro-
tcctlve tariff almost seems 10 have been con
ceived in n spirit Of hostility 10 Canada There
is certainly no more ground for dcnOuncing the
American Than the Canadian tariff as intentions
ally hostile. For our part. do not believe
that the matter Of hostility TO the other country
entered into serious consideration In either cas-
What Mr.. Charlton fails TO take into account
and what is the essential feature of the case Is
this-that Canada and the United States belong
TO different political systems We have free
trade among all States under our system. but
with none outside Of II. That is because all our
States are bound to uniformity in trade rela-
tons with other nations. hut among outside
States there Is no such Uniformity New York
has free trade with Texas. because Texas is
under the same general government as New
York and has exactly the same trade relations