The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-20
FREE TRADE WITH cANAD.s.

!
The address delivered by Mr.. Osborn
Howes, of Boston, before the Chamber
/ of Commerce of this city within a day
/ or two will materially aid in directing
! the attention of the people of this sec
| ton toward one of the most important
| Questions of the day. Reciprocity seems
| party in power in our national affairs.
As I h e G o b has already had oc-
casion frequently to say, and as it viii
probably find it necessary to repeat in
the future, the good faith of many of
those who are now arguing for reci-
procity most strenuously is open to rea-
sonable question Every advance which
is made in the direction of true reciproc-
ity will be a gain to the country; but no
mere profession of attachment for the
principle of international mutually in
trade regulation will meet the popular
demand that the present Chinese wall
of a trust tariff shall be thrown down
at every point at which the commercial
interests of the country demand it's over
throw
In no direction can the test be applied
to the sincerity of our professed adler-
ents of reciprocity more decisively than
in that of tariff regulations applying to
Canadian trade The reciprocity treaty
with Canada will always remain the
highest embodiment of the idea of re-
ciprocal tariff concessions, of which the
American people have had experience.
1t was adopted in 1854, and remained in
operation from 1855 to 1866. Its RECESSION
was the result of the hostile condition
of public sentiment called into exist
ence through the attitude of the Eng
lish government toward this nation in
the Civil war. The splendid results ac-
complished through it to the trade OF
the two countries have never been seri-
ousIy denied even by the most rabid OF
protectionist Republicans.
The people of this section are anxiousiy
inquiring whether the revival of the rec
iprocity idea which has resulted from
the address of President Mckinley will
secure the throwing down of the barriers
which exist against free commercial ex-
change between the people Of the Ameri-
can and of the Canadian Northwest. The
free Interchange of breadstuffs of all
kinds. and of manufactured lumber be-
tween the two sections, which that treaty
secured, is as anxiously sought today as
it was when that treaty was adopted.
I Indeed if the wishes and interests OF this
section are to be respected the free
schedules in that treaty will be extended,
and the foolish and unnatural barrier
which now exists between two sections
| Of the American continent producing
practically the same commodities will
have ceased to exist. Certain representa-
| tives of the lumber trust in this section
are now in attendance on so-calie3
reciprocity convention in the city of
| Washington. Reciprocity with them, as
with number of its other adherents, IS
something like the pious old lady's con-
ception of the doctrine of total de-
pravity-a good thing, if only properly
carried out.
The contentious of Mr.. Howe are fami-
liar to this people. Every American
state along the Canadian line, from
| 1oort1oD3 Nc 70 por+Iand Or wants
| the substantial re-enactnent of the
old treaty of 1854. with as many adj
/ ditions as possible to the articles spect-
| fed as free. The protected infants VIII
fight such a movement along the entire
| line. The fate of reciprocity will not be
| made to depend on the fate of the Kas-
son treaties now pending before the SEN
ate. 1t must go further. The Dingley
| law must be revised whatever becomes
of the Lords prayer; and the revision
| will be just as acceptable by way of rec
iprocity treaties as by any other agency.
Among the earliest substantial results of
| the movement in the direction of gem
| eral reciprocity the people of the Ameri-
can Northwest look forward to seeing
unrestricted trade once once more estab-
nshed between themselves and their
| Canadian neighbors.
Yerkes. formerly of Chicago, is return
ing to his native land for six weeks