The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-17
NO HIGH TARIFF
Present Session of Canadian Parlia-
ment to Make No Radical
Changes.
Prospects for Reciprocity With U.
S. Improved-A Steel
....@s Rail Duty.
Snaeial Ia Tha ionrnal

Special to The Journal. " sls
Ottawa Ont, April lit has come to
be generally recognized that no radical re-
vision Of the tariff will be undertaken by
the government; this session. There will
be some readjustments, to equalize the
incidence of taxation, but in all essential
respects. the Fielding tariff of 1897 is
likely to remain unchanged. The gov
ernment will probably gain time by the
appointment in the parliamentary recess
of a ministerial commission to collect in
formation. Such commission was ap-
pointed by the Laurier government i'm
medlately after 1t came into power, and
as the result of its Investigations the
present tariff was constructed. 5#: :
Change of Program. "
1t was originally the intention of the
government to have a thoro revision of
the tariff this session. But the Laurier
government contains men of widely di-
Vergent views on the tariff question. The
liberal party when in opposition pro-
nounced itself foe to protection. 1t
then favored a revenue tariff to be grad
ually reduced until the ideal Of "free trade
as they have it in England was arrived
at. But when the party attained power it
found like the democratic party in the
United States, that it was one thing to
preach policy out Of office, and another
thing to give effect to it when in power.
The manufacturing and financial interests
began to make their influence felt, and
the result was the adoption of a tariff
which differed very little in it's protec-
zionist features from the national policy
OF the conservative party. The only prac-
ucal concession to the low tariff section
of the party was the preference of 33 1-3
per cent, to British goods, which was,
however, more apparent than real, be-
cause the duties on goods chiefly imported
from Britain had been scaled up before
the preference went into effect. But the
FIELDING tariff was represented to the
rank and file of the liberal party as the
first installment Of tariff reform, and there
was an implied promise that it was to
be followed up, as soon as the conditions
of industry allowed, with further install
ments in the direction Of free trade. In
the meantime, the protectionist forces had
been, Strengthening their grip on the lib
eral party. Mr.. Tarte, formerly a con-
servative, became the representative of
the manufacturers in the cabinet, and
openly fought for Increased protection. He
believed he could force the governments
hand by the protectionist campaign he
undertook during the premier's absence in
England at the coronation. The Manufac-
turers' association also commenced an ac-
tive propaganda, thru the press and by
means Of a paid organizer, to work up
protectionist sentiment. This alarmed
of whom were personally opposed to Mr..
Tarte on other grounds. A cabinet crisis
occurred, which resulted, on the return
of Sir Wilfrid Laurier to Canada, in Mr..
Tarte leaving the cabinet. Mr.. Tarte
claimed that, he voluntarily retired; his
enemies claimed that he was dismissed. -
Setback for Protection.
Mr.. Tarte's retirement was, undoubt-
edly, setback to the protectionist ele-,
mo of lo 1yh@ o..l IL
ment is sufficiently strong for the gov
ernment: to- be unable to ignore it. Mr..
Tarte's retirement from the cabinet did
not, therefore. clear the public mind as
to what the government might ultimately
do in regard to tariff revision. There has
since been great wire-pulling by both the
protectlontst and low tariff factions. The
result is that the government, practically,
does not know what to do; and for the
present 1t Is, therefore, going to do prac-
tlcally nothing. Mr.. Tarte's movement.
prevented a revision. along,
free trade lines But the low tariff eIe-5
ment in the cabinet, as now constituted,
is too strong to allow Sir Wilfrid Laurier
to decide on policy of increased duties
such as the manufacturers are pressing
for. Il 20
Favorable to Reciprocity. .....<
The present condition of affairs; is more
favorable to the United States than would
have been the circumstances had Mr.. Tarte
succeeded in carrying the premier with
him in his protectionist movement There
IS every reason to believe that, in cast
ing about for some policy, the govern
ment will once more turn it's: attention to
reciprocity with the United States. 1t is
probably in order to clear the way for: the
reassembling of the joint high commission
that the government has consented to the
Alaskan boundary treaty, which is not
very popular in Canada taken by itself.
There is every reason to believe that the
joint high commission will meet after the
prorogation Of the Canadian parliament.
There is good. ground for thinking that,
If it meets, the Canadian government will
not be averse to considering some reci-
proc1ty arrangement. A reciprocity treaty
would open way for it out Of it's pres
ent difficulty. reciprocity treaty would
be a measure Of tariff reduction. It would
please the agricultural classes, who are
the mainstay Of the low tariff section of
the liberal party. There would be a, re-
duction of duties on many Of the manu-
factured goods they consume, and there
would be the opening of a larger market