The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-15

now OR MEYER
If the High Joint Commission Gets
Chance, Some Agreement
Is Likely.
Otherwise Canada's Commercial Pol
icy Will Proceed on Exclusive
and High Tariff Lines.
Canada Very Much Afraid the Cards
Are Stacked in Boundary
Dispute.
From a staff corrsspondent.

From Staff Correspondent.
Ottawa, Ont, Aug. 15.-True to eastern
Canada's way of looking askance at every
thing that tends towards better trade re-
lations with the United States, Montreal
Is quick to assume that there will be no
of the high joint commission
this year, and while undoubtedly the wish
with her Is father to the thought, her
attitude represents that of large and
section Of the dominion, and
must, therefore, be taken into account.
The feeling that Canada ought to wait
before entering into a reciprocity treaty
with the United States until after the
settlement of the Alaskan boundary dis
pute, finds a good deal Of emphasis In
the metropolis. Prominent men there
claim that she will wait, and that the
policy of the Laurier administration Is to
defer action, at the same time so man
aging as to prevent severance Of the
existing good relations.
Canada Has Fears. .....
Canada fears that she is to get the
worse Of the boundary dispute. Recently
report was circulated that the chairman
of the English commission to settle the
Alaskan dispute had said openly that he
would decide In favor of the United States.
The report stirred up much adverse criti-
cism and finally the gentleman in ques-
ton felt called upon to deny that he ever
had made such a statement, and to assert
that he purpOsed to decide on the merits
of the case, as disclosed thru the testi-
mony. Notwithstanding that denial, how
ever, there is feeling in Canada that
Great Britain, so far as the boundary is
concerned, Is more friendly to the United
States than to her; and the better under
standing between the two great powers,
that has grown up since the beginning OF
the Mckinley administration, Is cited in
proof. Sir Wilfred Laurier has been urged
by number Of leading citizens not to
commission until the boundary question Is
out of the way. He has made no reply but
anti-reciprocity interests expect him to be
influenced. by what they have said.
Obviously, should Canada get the short
end Of the boundary pole, the anti-reci-
procity people would insist that the high
joint commission be not reconvened."
"a Canadian Patriot"
It Is pointed out here, also, as tending
to show in part the prejudice Of England
against Canada in this matter, that Ed
ward Blake, for many years prominent
Canadian politician, but during more re-
cent years resident Of England, and d
member of the imperial parliament, has
resigned his position as a member of the
Alaskan commission The exact reason
for the resignation is not stated, but it is
that it was the intention Of the commits
sion to determine the dispute in favor of
the United States, and did not want to be
a member of a body that had reached
such a conclusion in advance of the for
NAL hearing. Mr.. Blake is referred to as
a Canadian patriot, and 1t Is claimed that
he would certainly have remained men,
Der Of the commission had he felt that by
so doing he could have been Of assistance
to Canada.
|. I relate these stories that readers of
T h J o ur n a | may see that eastern
Canada is not our friend commercially,
and thatif reciprocity Is accomplished it
Our Friends at Heart
Everybody, officially, is against the
United States, but beneath the surface
there is much good will for the great re-:
public, coupled with desire to secure
better trading arrangements with it. But
at the same time, the best friends we
have in this country are now saying that
the time Is at hand when there must be
more satisfactory trade relations or a
complete abandonment Of all efforts to Sc
cure them, to be followed by tariff wall
as high as our own. The existing trade
conditions, it Is pointed out, were the
product of an earlier day, when neither
country was as populous or as prosperous
as now. New conditions have arisen from
larger population and greater wealth, and
have been accumulated by improved means
Of communication What was satisfac-
| tory score Of years ago is unsatisfactory
| now, and so the demand comes for a re-
| adjustment Of the system of tariffs, with
a view to lowering or raising, according to
the point Of view or the politics Of the
| person speaking.
| John Chariton's Dctun.
| So distinguished man Tob, ~, ~
ton, probably the best friend the United
States has In Canadian public life, voiced
| this sentiment last Wednesday in his
speech In parliament on the Grand Trunk
Pacific railroad bill. He said in terms
that Canada must have better trade privi-
leges with the United States, or apply tc
them the same tariff laws they apply tc
| Canada. His statement was greeted by
| cheers on both sides of the hall.
The agitation for a protective tariff IL
growing apace In Canada, and In time Il
will become an accomplished fact; SO, Il
anything Is to be done towards reciproci
ty, it must be done soon. Even thos,
Canadians who oppose reciprocity under
stand this, and are governing themselves
accordingly. They believe that If the,
can prevent a reassembling Of the higi
joint commission this fall they will pre-
vent reciprocity, because they think tina
conditions will so have changed in tw
Iyears-the earliest date at which the com
mission could meet, assuming that it will
not meet this fall. as to bring Canada t.
oppose reciprocity and favor high pro
tective tariff, modelled after the Dingle
law.
| This is the Critical Time.
From the foregoing statements it ca
readily be understood that the next fe,
weeks or months will do much to deter
mine Canadian commercial policy toward
the United States. If the high joint com
mission meets, in all probability it wi
, agree on a treaty. That treaty will b
acceptable to Canada, and probably to tn
American senate. 1t will be the law @
both countries for years to come. If tn
coming fall goes by without meeting Q
the commission. reciprocity may be post
poned for an indefinite period.
, w. w. Jermane.
ALASKAN cOM,SN MEETS SEpr