The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-27
time, if it continues governed as 1t
evidently is today?
"cITIEsv SHOULD TAKE 1T UP.

The Globe has taken occasion
freely and frequently to urge the need
of reciprocity in trade with Canada.
The progress of Western Canada with
in the past year has given decisive
point to our urgency in this regard, but
the agencies which alone can be effect
i've in the present situation toward
bringing about this much desired result
are unfortunately political in their
character exclusively. A Democratic
newspaper urging such a policy will be
taken by its readers and the public in
general as arguing only to the advance
ment of it's party political interests.
Yet, for the people of the American
Northwest, the party political concern
is the least important interest involved
in the undertaking for the promotion of
Canadian reciprocity.
During the last session Of congress
and throughout all the discussion in
the public press arising out Of the pro-
ceedings of that session there has not
been a word spoken or printed in sup
port of Canadian reciprocity which did
not precede from a Democratic source.
In the prevailing congressional cam
paign, even with President Roosevelt
as the chief spokesman of our national
administration and many of the leading
Republican statesmen of national fame
actively engaged in the campaign,
there has not been a word said by any
representative of that administration
in favor of Canadian reciprocity.
The G o b e does not recall those
circumstances as an argument in IA
vor of Democratic success. 1t does so
in order to emphasize the truth that
while the discussion of free or freer
trade with the Dominion Of Canada is
confined in advocacy to the people of
the Northwest processing one line Of
political opinion, it is idle to make the
public sentiment of our people in this
regard effective for any present pur-
pose whatever.
The cities Of st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Duluth are the three largest CEN
tiers of population on this side Of the
living, substantial interest in the early
adoption of freer trade relations with
the Canadian Northwest. Until the
people of those cities shall speak as
with single tongue in demanding the
destruction Of the barriers which exist
against the commerce of the two peo-
pies there is little reason for the belief
that the issue will ever find a distinct
and permanent place in the political
controversies of today.
Why has the st. Paul Chamber Of
Commerce, the st. Paul Jobbers' union,
the st. Paul Commercial club not given
expression to the views and interests Of
all our people on this subject? Is it
because the members of those bodies or
the more influential of them are pre-
vented from doing so by considerations
Of partisan politics? 1t surely cannot
be because as business men they do not
fully realize the vital Importance of the
removal of such barriers to the in
creased growth and prosperity of the
community whose opinions on CONNER
cial topics they assume to give authori-
tative expression to.
Why have the commercial bodies Of
Minneapolis or Of Duluth not taken up
the subject? All sorts of subjects are
under discussion at each succeeding
meeting of those bodies, but T h e
Clio e is guilty of no exaggeration
in saying that no question of as i'm
mediate or pressing Importance has
been under consideration by such
bodies affecting the interests of their
respective communities during the past
year as this one of the promotion of
free commercial exchange with the peo-
pie Of Canada.