Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-27
THE TRADE OF CANADA
Much Resentment at This Conn.,,
Attitude.
A RBTALIAT0RY TARIFF SUGGESTED
Alleged European Alliance Regard
ed With Satisfaction.
AIS DISAPPOINTED

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
OTTAWA, Canada, April % 1901.
If the conservative party was in power 1t
would surprise one if a suggestion for
retaliatory tariff legislation against the
United States was received with favor. 1T
is some indication of the depth of the re-
sentiment which is felt toward the United
States because of the attitude of the latter
country in the matter of Canadian trade to
find leading liberals talking retaliation
against Canada's great base of supplies and
her second largest customer.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier is theoretically free
trader and he still expresses his belief that
it would be the best policy for Canada. He
says, however. that the Canadian people
have been so dazzled by the tremendous de-
velopment and prosperity of the United
States with a protective system that they
see no other course for their own country
to adopt. The people, being proectionists,
he would therefore give them protection
until such time as further enlightenment
resulted in tariff for revenue only. He Is
frank enough TO confess, however, that ne
does not expect to live long enough to see
Canada upon free trade basis. EXpedlency
is apparently a prominent plank In this
able premier's platform, for while he pro-
fesseS profound disagreement with the
principle of subsidies Canada has gone sub
favors granted to favored industries by the
liberal party.
The High Joint Commission.
Prominent Canadian politicians express
considerable doubt whether the high joint
commission will hold another meeting for
some time to come. The Canadian commits
sioners returned from Washington consider
ably out of joint with their mission. ana
they announced to their political friends
that they had met with scant courtesy at
the hands of the Uhited States. What Is
more, they see very little hope Tor any
agreement in the important matters OF
transport alton and trade, which have been
under discussion for so many months. Ihey
also recognize that even II the American
and Canadian commissioners did agree upon
a treaty In which all of the thirteen points
at issue were amicably disposed OF, the
fate of that treaty In the United states
Senate would be a matter of conjecture AT
the last session of the American Congress
fourteen treaties of trade and friendship
were either rejected or ignored, ana the
chances seem to favor q similar rate 1or
like treaty with Canada.
The Canadian politicians are so thorough
" convinced of the hopelessness Of any
agreement with the United States which
would reflect credit upon the party IN
power in Canada that they have practlcaliy
given up the idea and are devot1ng their
energies to a development Of Canadian
commercial independence and to the cuti-
walton of other relations with various d.
visions of the British empire and with the
countries of Europe. large part or the
debate in the Canadian parliament during
the present session has been over the all
important question of Transportation, anu
gifted orators have described in glowing
terms the beauties of an all-Canadlan wa
ter route through the great lakes to the
sea, which would be available for ocean
going commerce.
Would Sacrifice Local Interests.
Members of the house Of commons even
from the northwest territories have de-
clared the Willingness Of their people to
sacrifice local interests for the beneht OF
the dominion, and have suggested retalla-
tory tariff legislation against the United
States. Under pressure from the people Of
the wheat belt the conservative party when
in power reduced the import duty on Amer
lean agricultural machinery 80 to 20 per
cent and put lumber on the free list. 1t is
now seriously proposed to restore this i'm
port duty on machinery to 30 per cent and
to assess American lumber 81 per 1000 feet.
1t Is admitted by the members from the
west that this would work hardship upon
their constituents, but would be Endorsed
in the general desire to bring the greatest
good to the entire dominion. With all the
talk against the United States the sole pur-
pose of such retaliation would be to bring
about better relations with that country,
for no matter what concessions are made
by any other country In the world the
United States Is the best place for Cana
dams to buy and the best market in which
to dispose of their produce.
The present session Of parliament will
probably come to an end about the middle
Of May and no decided action will be taken
for another year at least. 1t is useless 10
deny however, that there Is considerable
resentment at the lack of attention paid by
the United States to the commercial posi-
bilties in Canada, her third largest Gus
toner. The liberal party is redoubling Its
efforts in the direction Of securing immi-
grafton, opening up new channels Of for
eign trade and improving the transporta-
ton facilities so as to make Canada more
independent of her southern neighbor.
1t is said of Canadian elections that,
while the campaigns may be commenced
with questions of tariff, transportation
other economies at issue, they invariably
end with race and religion as the real ami
mus. At the last election the conservative
party made the religious question I'M
usually prominent, and, as result, was
overwhelmingly defeated by the French
provinces and a detection of voters In the
west, who objected to such an issue. For
this reason it is impossible to say that the
liberal party will continue in power, for
even the liberal leaders do not venture
such an assertion in view of the lack of
definite party declarations upon economic
issues, such usually determine results
in the United States
Europe Fighting Canada's Battle.
Canadians are watching with great in
terest the attack upon American foreign
trade by European countries, and 1t is not
too much to say that the politicians, espe-
cially those who were identified with the
high joint commission, feel considerable
satisfaction whenever the United States
meets with a rebuff of this kind. They be-
lieve that the American policy of indiffer-
ence in the matter Of mutual trade con-
cessions Is short-sighted, and that the
error will be realized, though perhaps not
until after considerable friction and loss to
American trade. They feel that Europe is
now fighting Canada's battles In the mat
ter Of commercial reciprocity and with
the aid of such powerful allies they believe
that Canada will in time win more serious
consideration from her efforts to be more
neighborly in a commercial way.
The fact that English trade has not
made any great gains a result of the
preferential tariff in her favor, and that
the trade of the United States and Canada
has rapidly increased, despite lack of
commercial treaties. has given the liberal
leaders considerable concern, for the con-
cession to England was at one time one of
fhnir ctr 1rny,ty Volt N.Y.