The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-11

Mr.. Hill. in addressing the assembly,
| said in part:
| Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen: 1t
! is, assure you, an unexpected pleasure
for me to WELCOME tonight the repre-
| sentative of the Dominion of Canada.
l always have been Interested in Can
ada and have. watched its develop
ment, but aside from the fact that
! Canada was my birthplace have not
tried to keep closer in touch with il
1 than ! have with all countries doing
| business with out own.
1--WE have many Canadians in our
| midst, men in all walks of life have
/ Joined the population of these United
| States from across the northern bound
| ary. Farmers, merchants, lawyers
and bankers are among the Canadian
! contingent, and considerable share
| of the business interests Of these states
| is under the direction Of people born
I in Canada. While I may say they
| have. held their own in their adopted
| country, no greater credit is due them
| than to people coming from other parts
! of the world. There is an intimate re-
t lation between our country and that
across the border. for they are sisters.
The United States is the elder sister:
she started housekeeping like a
grown-up woman, and she has succeed
Should Be Friendly.
There is no reason why there should
not be the most intimate relations
between us and our northern neigh
bors, for we speak the same language,
think the same thoughts, read the
same books, and are, In measure,
dependent upon sfsailar commercial
conditions. Indeed, it is well that there
is such a feeling prevailing between
us and our neighb0rs, for good neigh
bors are a pleasant thing, but bad
neighbors are a decidedly bad thing.
If we had amy cause to find fault 1T
would be we'll for US to cultivate their
good graces. but fortunately there is
no necessity for doing so.
zone of the strongest ties that bind
us in our mutual trade relations and
the fact that we ase the same great
natural highway. the great St. Law
renee river, which for 500 miles from
its mouth flows b. Canadian shores.
This river is one cf the greatest and
most important highways of the con-
tinent If this channel would be i'm
proved 1T could carry the commerce
of the Northern states and Canada.
1t would carry the great bulk of our
products if i. were properly improved.
Always Sure of Our Pay.
zone of the greatest. considerations
in favor of reciprocal relations between
Canada and our own country is that
we understand each other. In order
to trade successfully with customers
we must understand them, and In seek
ing a market we must look for one
where we can collect the debt. We
may be always certain of our pay
when dealing with our northern neigh
bors, for we know that their laws will
be enforced. This question of getting
our pay is what distinguishes our
trade relations with Canada from those
with countries where we cannot col
lect our claims. We forgave more
claims for merchandise we sold to
Cuba, when a Spanish colony, than
since it's discovery.
1--WE ought to have some definite
trade relations with Canada, for the
time has come when it is necessary
for us to enlarge our trade with her.
II is also necessary to make some mod
iffcations Of the restrictions that we
have placed upon this trade. Why
should we collect duty on Canadian
coal and why should there be a tar1H
on Canadian lumber and wheat? why
cannot we admit Canadian wheat Tree
from impost and have 1T ground at
Minneapolis?
Canada Ahead of Us.
"Tf we had proper conditions, and
If the united resources of the two parts
of North America could be marshaled
into uniformity, America would iead
the world At present we are behind
our neighbors They may be willing
to give us seat in the family OF ma
tions, but when we consider the COM
merce of other nations as compared
with our own we will see we have no
reason as yet to boast. The exports
of Great Britain are five times ours.
Ia
5000 600 people, exports twice as much
per capita as we do. Our annual man
ufactures are represented by $13,OOO,-
000 600 and our exports amount TO
$40 000, 600. We are proud of our
commercial ability, and are indignant
if we are criticised, but the facts speak
for themselves. We must look to our
commercial relations if we wish to
gain. If we merely exchange our prod
ucts among ourselves we are not rich
er as nation, but If we put our
goods in foreign markets the value or
our exports represents proflt. NOW
here on the northern border we have
a fence. If we do not change our at
titude we will have to have fence
to keep our people IN.
Love Their Own Flag.
Several years ago I attended a mass
meeting of the bank of Montreal, then
North America. 1t was customary to
have these banquets every year. and
to invite business men to attend. On
this occasion there ws1s a large attend
ance, and after the dinner several Of
the Canadian gentlemen declared to
me that they were happy under their
present government, and expressed
their extreme loyalty to their own
country, and said II at they were so
happy and free under their own flag
that we could, never win them over to
Old Glory
'"They called upon me to reply, and
I pointed out that while there were
great cities on the atlantic seaboard
they were safe. then called their
attention to the Erie canal, built by
the Americans, and told them that If
Canada and the United States were
Joined as one there would be great
increase in the traffic over the st.
Lawrence river, as the rates of trans
portation over the lakes and the water
way of the st. Lawrence are much
lower than those chalged for rail ship
ments. ] also called their attention to
and concluded by stating that IL traf-
hc could be directed into this channel,
great enlargements to the dockage at
Ontario would be required. A Scotch \
man, whose name Is have forgotten,