The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-01
CANADIAN TARIFF RATES.
NEW PREFERENTIAL DUTY IN FA-
vOR OF UNITED KINGDOM.
In Spite of Lesser Tax i'm the Past
England Has Not Kept Pace With
United states I'm Trade with Cnn-
ada-Win Preferential Change III.

Special Dispatch to the Post -Inteliigencer.
WASHINGTON, April 3o.-The an
nouncement of further increase in the
Canadian preferential tariff in favor OF
the United Kingdom as against the
United States and other parts of the
world gives especial interest to some OFF,
cial figures of the imports OF Canada from
the United Kingdom and the United
States. respectively, during a term of
years. which have just been issued by
the Canadian government and received by
the treasury bureau of statistics. The
Canadian tariff, ii will be remembered,
was In 1897 so adjusted that the duty on
articles entering Canada from the United
Kingdom was made, beginning with April,
1897, 12is per cent. less than the rates from
other parts of the world. On July l. 1893.
this reduction in duty I'm favor of the
United Kingdom was increased to rs per
cent, and now II Is announced that on
July /, 1900 the reduction will be increased
to 20 1-3 per cent. or in other words, that
articles imported from the United King
dom and certain of her colonies will only
be required to pay two-thirds OF the rates
on articles imported from the United
States and from other parts of the world.
Up to this time the preferential rates
made in favor of imports from the United
Kingdom have not apparently had the ef-
feet OF materially increasing imports
from that country or of at all reducing
those from the other countries adversely
affected by this reduction. The Canadian
official figures show that the imports from
the United Kingdom in the fiscal year
1895, the last year under the rate which
was uniform for all parts of the world.
were 81 per cent. of the total importa-
lions, while those from the United States
formed COS per cent. Of the total impor-
tations. In 1893, under the full effect of
the r. per cent. reduction In favor OF the
United Kingdom. imports from that coun-
try formed only 2.S per cent. of the to-
tai imports of Canada. while those from
the United States formed $50 per cent.
the proportion OF the total which was
taken from the United Kingdom having
thus materially fallen under the new pref
erentiai tariff, while the proportion taken
from the United States had materially
increased. The london Economist Of
March 81 1900, commenting upon this
subject, says:
An English Point Of View.
''In the imports Onto Canada) from this
country United Kinsdom) there was last
year an increase, as compared with 1895.
OF $4,000. or 1915 per cent, whereas in
the imports from the United States the
upon 6Nk per cent. Thus. notwthstand-
ing the preferential tariff. the increase in
imports from this country Omitted King
Imports from the United states. 4 is
necessary. however. in considering these
figures, to remember that the imports
Unto Canada) from the United states con-
sist largely OF raw material for manufac-
ture, which enter free Of duty. These
are OF course. unaffected by the prefersn-
tial tariff. and they naturally tend to
grow with the Industrial progress of the
dominion And even as regards manu-
featured articles the geographical prox-
unity OF the States and the fact that the
American manufacturers are more in
touch with the requirements and predi-
lections OF the Canadians. operate an an
hitherto prevented II from operating so
much to the advantage of the country as
was expected. Whether the still more
favored treatment 1t (Canada) has decid-
ed to accord us Omitted Kingdom) VIII
alter the state of things materially re-
mains to be seen, but past experience
warns us not. TO be too sanguine in our
anticipations."
The following table. taken from Trade
and Commerce. 1884, an official publica-
ton of the Canadian government shows
the total imports into Canada, and the
amount from the United Kingdom and
the United States, respectively. In each
year from 1880 to 1889, and the percentage
which the imports from those countries
formed of the total importations of the
year. II will be observed that the im-
PORTS from the United Kingdom. which In
1850 formed 4S.4 per cent. were In 1889 but
a.s per cent of the total. while those
from the United States. which In 1850
formed 403 per cent, were In 1893 So per
cent. of the total
Imports Into Canada.