The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-30
Concentrate on Canada,

IN discussing Mr.. Eugene G. HAYS re-
port to the Minnesota branch Of the Ma
2tional Reciprocity League concerning the
outlook for and desirability Of reciprocity
with Canada. the New York Journal Of
Commerce, which favors such reciprocity,
says:
Canadian reciprocity is only a phase OF
a policy which is not likely in the future
to have any far-reacIing effect upon the
domestic trade situation. The acceptance
OF the Cuban treaty will put South
American reciprocity out of the question
Wnlle the opposition developed to the
french reciprocity treaty demonstrates
clearly enough that American manufac-
'turers are too strongly entrenehednif,sc con-
gress to permit such agreement from even
coming to VOTE Ss5az - 80 n. %
If the journal Of Commercials RIGHT -
to the effect Of the Cubansstr eaty-a
certainly that treaty. will bar reciprocity
with South American countries for five
years-and the special = interests are
powerful enough at Washington to
make impossible of realization such a
treaty as that proposed with France.
Canada now becomes the sole. country to
which reciprocity may at present be an
Piled. The special interests NAV poss,-
bly, beat a trea ty with Canada butsif they
do 1t WillSSnot be until after the senator's
nave goneEthru an agonizing seance, tor
there are special as well as general in
terests IN favor Of reciprocity with Cana
d. and when they show their teeth the
senator who always votes to favor special
interests regardless of general interests
will be hard pressed. Senators Of the
craftsmanship class will favor reciprocity
with Canada because they are statesmen
Goodwin Smith says that the Americans
are nation Of statesmen but their states
men are traders; the people take a. broad
view and are well Informed, but the view
of American statesmen is narrowed nv
the local or sectional interests which they
personally represent. That is too true.
and it is the penalty which we nav for
our rightly priced decentralization. Often
measures approved by the people as a
whole are defeated in congress by the
special interest pull. That pull has long
delayed the treaty with Cuba, has de-
feated, in effect, all the Kasson rec
iprocity treaties, and leaves us now with
no opening for the present in the way of
reciprocity except an arrangement with
Canada. Such being the case, all the
friends Of the reciprocity policy
should now get behind the cam
paign for reciprocity with Canada.
The prospects are really excellent
for an early meeting OF the joint high
commission, and the sentiment of the.
people in both countries is far more ia .
vorable than it was year ago. The
American peoplesare getti1gsover their old
time tendency to ignore Canada, and are
beginning to appreciate that freedom Of
trade north of the lakes and the 49th
parallel is of some Importance. Not
many Of them will take that narrow view
OF the situation expressed by the Phila-
delphia Press in considering that the
question of reciprocity between the two
countries is merely that of trading access
to a market of 100000 900. Of people for
access to one of less than 6 1000 0OO.s Such
a view does not command much of the
future. The tariff relations between these
two countries is one that bears strongly
on the peace, prosperity and welfare Of
the whole continent in the future. Now
is the time to begin to set them right
Memorial Day is a good time for the
boys and girls to make the intimate ac-.
of some of the old soldiers of
the great war;. The veterans have
many thrilling stories to tell Of their ex-S
periences in the civil war, and the: day is.
fast. reaching when every patriotic.