Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-15
ABSORBING CANADA'S TRADE
United States Gets More Dominion Custom
Than Rest Of World Combined.
GRADUALLY CRowDlNG OUT ENGLAND
Yankees' Trade with Northern Neigh
bOrs Exceeds that Carried ON
with the Whole OF
south America.

WASHINGTON. April 1.-The United
States enjoys more Of Canadian custom
than the rest Of the world put together
Attention is directed to this fact in that
portion Of commercial relations Of 1901"
now in press. which deals with United
States trade with Canada. an extract Of
which was given out for publication by
Mr.. Emory, chief Of the bureau of foreign
commerce, today.
1t is pointed out that so closely allied
are trade conditions in this country and
Canada that prosperity or depression in the
United States Immediately finds echo In
the trade Of our northern %neighbor.
In 1877 Great Britain lost TO Us Its lead
In the matter Of goods cent into the Do
minion, aad from that year forward with
but a slight interval. this country has
steadily heightened the gap. II is not as
widely realized as 1t should be, says the
report. that Canada is the best customer
we have executing only Great Britain and
Germany.
Consul General Bittinger at Montreal, in
a report on the subject, says;
The United States does more business
with Canada than with the whole OF South
America, as much as with Central Amer
lea. Mexico and the West Indies together.
and nearly as much as with Africa. Asia
and OceanicaF
"Our present tariff policy toward Can
ada" says the consul general, causes the
building up of great manufacturing inter-
ests TO compete with our own. II we seek
trade in other countries. we must not deny
them the opportunity to sell some of their
products TO us.
Canada wants to send to the United
States its lumber. wood pulp, hay, barley
and minerals. The United States consumes
more lumber and paper than any other
nation In the world and It should be glad
TO admit lumber and wood pulp free. II
the United States would take of the duty
on Canadian coal. which could probably
be sold only TO a very limited extent along
our eastern coast, our coal would be ad-
mitted into Canada free and our sales OF
coal in the Dominion would be double what
they are at present"
Total Importation.
Canada's total importation for. consump-
tion in the last fiscal year amounted 20
s1sl, 2SS 900. Imports from the United
States reached the splendid hgure OF $lis-
ss5 900, an increase OF some $500. 900 1cFer
the preceding year. Figures are givsa -
show that the preferential tarin has failed
TO affect seriously trade movement. puu-
able goods from the United States Nsholwee
a decrease OF about $500. 600 last year. tSu
this is attributed in part to the growth @
Canadian industries.
As a curious instance Of how industries
may be throttled by legislation, Mr.. Bit
finger relates that the British>preferential
tariff enabled British exporters last year
to send to the Dominion wooden goods TO
the value Of $40, OOO. 1000. AS they are con-
sidered OF better quality than and as cheap
as the home product. many Canadian mills
have been obliged to close down.
Consul Shepard at Hamilton in his re-
port calls attention to the interesting fact
that the big dry goods houses of Canada
send their milliners and modistes to New
York several times . year TO observe and
copy styles and have practically turned
their backs Oh the European modes for
merly so popular.
Commercial Agent Freeman at ST. Pierre,
French North America, notes that the locs
trade is suffering through the Newfeund-
land Legislation, which forbids bait to be
sold from the colony TO the French.