New-York tribune., 1900-04-29
CANADIAN COMMERCE.

The DOMINION proceeds WIN It's pre1erenClul
tariff schemes. 1t will be remembered that it
sienalized the Queens Diamond Jubilee, in 1897,
by giving 10 Great Britain a rebate of 1872 per
cent on all duties. \ year later the preferential
rate was increased TO 25 per cent. Now comes
the announcement that on and after July 1 of
the present year all imports from the United
Kingdom and certain other parts of the empire
will enjoy tariff rebate of 33 1-3 per cent. That
Is to say, they viii have to pay only two-thrds
much as imports from the United States and
the rest of the world. Whether the process will
be carried further toward entire Free Trade is
not TO be predicted. 1t will probably depend
upon the results of the present arrangement.
But if it does so depend it seems not altogether
rash to doubt whether the process will be con-
tinued.
For the experiment has not thus far been sue
cessful in increasing trade between the Domin-
ion and the United Kingdom. at least not TO
any significant degree. There has been an in
crease in imports from Great Britain into Can
ada of about 81 800, 900 in 1898 over 1891 and of
nearly S5,000,000 in 1899 over 1898. But at the
same time the total imports of Canada have in
creased much more rapidly, and far larger
part of that increase has been from the United
States. Thus the increase in imports from this
country in 1898 over 1897 nearly SIS, 600 900.
and in the next year it was more than S13, 100000
The net result has been that Great Britains
percentage of Canada's imports has been stead
lily decreasing. until it is now lower than ever
before, while that of the United States has been
increasing until it is much larger than ever be-
fore and is considerably more than twice as
much as the British. The British percentage
has, with slight fluctuations, steadily declined
from 4S.4 in 1880 to 24.S in 1899. while that of
the United States has in like manner steadily
in TO o in,
1t is of course, to be borne in mind that n
large part of the imports into Canada from the
United States consists of raw materials not
subject to duty. comparison of figures of
dutiable and manufactured goods would doubt
less make a somewhat different showing and
one more favorable to British trade and to the
preferential tariff system Nevertheless when
we remember that American manufactured
goods, especially machinery and engineering
materials, are coming more and more in demand
in Great Britain, in successful competition with
the output of British factories, and when we
consider how much more in touch with Cana
dian tastes and desires the manufacturers of the
United States are than those of the United
Kingdom, II seems reasonable to conclude that
even in those lines of goods this country is more
than holding its ground in Canadian trade. The
preferential tariff is, we said at its adoption
to be commended as strengthening the bonds Of
union between different members of the British
Empire. 1t is also to be regarded, at least theo-
retically, with favor by Americans as a step In
the direction of our own system of Free Trade
among the States and Protection against the
outside world. But the expectations. if anv
were formed that 1t would give Great Britain a
decisive advantage over the United States in
the markets of the Dominion seem doomed n
disappointment. Geographical proximity and
the genius of American industrial institutions
are more potent than arbitrary statutes.