Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-01
"PubIie Sentiment In Maine"

Pu0ItC sentiment IN matne.
Under the above caption the Boston
Herald of last Sunday comments upon
the attempt to pass resolution in
favor of free coal and iron and reci-
procity with Canada, says:
Its opponents classed it, however. as
a political device, and hence the point
was made against it that il was a politi
cal question, and under the rules of
the board was not properly debatabie.
The president of the board sustained
this point of order, and the discussion
was, therefore, brought to a close with
out the fOrmality of a regular vote
We DO not know from what source
the Herald derived this information;
but it is certainly erroneous. The
point was made that the resolutions
were political, but it was not sustained
by the chair. The resolutions by vote
of the meeting We're then laid upon the
table. After intermission they were
taken up and voted down by very de-
cisive majority.
One of the bylaws of the Maine
State Board of Trade provides that
questions of religious or political
character shall not be discussed at its
meetings.
1t Is not a partisan or a sectarian or
ganiZation. 1t numbers in its MEM
bership, the members of all political
parties and religious denominations,
and il is essential to the harmony and
unity in promoting the business well
fare of our states. that questions which
properly belong to political conventions
or church councils should be scrupu-
lousy avoided.
1t was doubtless, this feeling that
led to the decisive defeat of the reso-
lutions above referred to. Reciprocity
with Canada is a very large question,
and one which is not to be settled off
hand. even by body which might
properly admit it to consideration as
part of its deliberations. The idea OF
reciprocity as advanced by Mr.. Blaine
was to admit free from other countries
articles which we do not produce. in
exchange for the free admission into
those countries of American articles
which they do not produce. 1t was an
exchange Of non competing articles
upon a basis of mutual advantage
The conditions for such reciprocity
do not exist in the case of Canada.
There is nothing produced there, that
is not produced in this country. We
have vastly the larger and betteI-maE-
ket. Canada would. therefore, have
everything to gain. while this country
would have everything to lose by the
free exchange of products. IL would
simply mean the admission of the
products of Canadian farms. forests
and factories. into our market without
compensating advantages.
At the present time Canada stands in
relation to this country upon precisely
the same basis as every other country.
There is no discrimination against her
on the part of this government. On
the other hand the Canadian tariffs are
framed throughout to discriminate
against the United States and in favor
of England and her other colonies.
Moreover. Canada has undertaken to
take from this country a large portion
has not the shadow of a right. The
boundaries of that territory We're fixed
seventy years ago in treaty between
England and Russia, and are shown on
the old maps published in years past
both in England and Canada. During
all this period they were never in dis
pute. The comparatively recent dis
covery of gold in Alaska changed all
this. Canada suddenly found that she
needed a considerable slice of United
States territory, and has undertaken to
secure it by suddenly disputng the
validity of the old boundaries. There
is not the shadow of justice in this
United States in self-respect can never
admit: but while Canada persists in
urging it, she is certainly estopped
from any special consideration at the
hands of this country.
The state of Maine. whose most i'm
portant industries would be the first
to be Frustrated and undermined by
the mis- homer known as Canadian
reciprocity" should certainly be the
very last i'm the Union to give such a
one-sided arrangement the strength of
its endorsement
The President has hardened an army