The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-19
Canadian Political Parties and the
Impcrlalistic Question.

In the speech which he lately delivered at
Quebec, Sir CHARLES TUPPER defined tho
position Of the Conservative party with
regard To the future relations OF Canada TO
the mother country. He repudiated the
notion OF political union, or Ofany approach
thereto which should involve the represen-
tation OF the Dominion in the British Parlia-
ment. The only concession that Canada
needs or could accept. he said, was a pref
ercnce for her products in the market OF
the United Kingdom, a preference which. OF
course. could be assured by the imposition
Of duties on similar commodities imported
from foreign countries.
The Parliamentary supporters Of tho
existing Liberal Government are inclined
to avoid a discussion Of the subject, on the
plea that IL is premature, no definite plan
pf imperial federation having been put for
ward on either side Of the Atlantic. The
Liberal newspapers, however, find II impos-
sible to keep silence in presence of the
demand for an Imperial Zollverein which is
being pressed by all the Conservative jour
mails In the Dominion. They insist that the
proposal to secure for Canadian products a
preference in the market OF the United
Kingdom does not come within the range Of
practical politics. They point out that
British manufacturers and the workmen
employed by them now constitute a much
more important element OF the British
population than they did sixty years ago,
when tho agitation for free trade led Sir
RoBERr PEEL to renounco his protectionist
principles and to repeal the Corn Laws.
The section Of the British people which
lives of the land is relatively much less
numerous and less influential Mt the pres
ent time than 1t was in the '4Os, and it is
this weakened section alone which could
be relied upon to support the Canadian
request for a preference in the British
market.
The Canadian Liberals also perceive that
not only would British workmen object TO
any increase In the price OF broad but also
would rather buy food from n good GUS
toner like the United States thar from n
q poor customer like Canada. England's
trade with the United States Is OF incom-
parably more importance than ia her trade
with the Dominion, nor could the latter,
under any stimulus, he expanded so as to
rival the former in volume and value.
Sir CHARLES UPPER, in his speech at
Quebec, reminded his hearers that Canada
could not be tainted with a huckstering
spirit, inasmuch az she had not only volun-
teered to send soldiers to South Africa.
but had also given British goods a prefer
49, - A. -1-l- ---i tit
commodities imported from foreign coun-
tries. Is 1t unreasonable, he asked, for
Canada to expect a corresponding conces-
sion? The Liberals answer that Canada has
been already paid for the preference given
to British manufactures in her markets,
because Sir WILFRID LAURIER has prevailed
upon England TO denounce the treaties
with Belgium and Germany. a concession
which his predecessors in power at Ottawa
had striven vainly to secure. The denun-
citation OF those treaties has enabled Canada
TO impose or German and Belgian products
higher duties than those levied on CORE
spending commodities importedIfrom Great
Britain. That wasa gain for Canada, and it
was obtained at the expense Of British man
ufacturers to whom the market presented in
Germany and Belgium is Of much more
value than that accessible In the Dominion.
The British manufacturer will not suffer
himself to be sacrificed any further for the
sake Of promoting the growth Of imperial
ist sentiment.
That the question OF political union, or.
In other words, imperial federation, il not
30 i%nopportune and academic as Sir WILL
YRID LAURIERIs friends assert, may be
inferred from the inquiries recently ad-
dressed by the London Daily Chronicle to a
Eumber Of distinguished Canadians. These
inquiries are reproduced in the Courier du
Cdnddd; they include the following:
what, In your opinion, is the surest
means Of realizing imperial federation; II
II Ia by representation in an Imperial Coun-
ell, kindly say whether YOU believe that an
adaptation Of the Privy Council or NJ
the Imperial Parliament would be suf-
fcient. or would you be in favor Of the
creation Of a new Council ~ the Empire?"
And again: do you believe that the con-