The Saint Paul globe., 1903-01-11

Mr.. Hill. in addressing the assembly
said in part:
Mr.. Chairman, and gentlemen: II
is, assure you, an unexpected pleasure
for me to welcome tonight the repre-
sentative of the Dominion of Canada.
1 always have been Interested in Can
ada and have watched it's develop
ment, but aside from the fact that
Canada was my birthplace / have not
tried to keep closer in touch with il
I than l have with all countries doing
business with out own.
I'VE 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
in Canada. While I may say they
I 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-
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
| 3
| ed remarkably well. (Applause.)
1 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 a measure,
dependent upon si1Ailar commercial
conditions. Indeed, it is we'll that there
| is such. a feeling prevailing between
us and our neighbOrS, for good neigh
bors are a pleasant thing, but bad
| neighbors are a decidedly bad thing.
If we had any cause to find fault it
| 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 by4 Canadian shores.
| This river is one Of the greatest and
| most important highways Of the con-
| tinent. If this channel would be i'm
| proved it could carry the commerce
| of the Northern states and Canada.
It would carry the great bulk of our
/ products if L. 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 10
] Cuba, when a Spanish colony, than
since it's discovery.
| eve ought to have some definite
| trade relations with Canada, for the
| time has come when 1t IS necessary
| for US to enlarge our trade with her.
| 1t is also necessary to make some mod
| ifications of the restrictions that we
have placed upon this trade. Why
| should we collect duty on Canadian
! coal and why should there be a tariff
on Canadian lumber and wheat? Why
| cannot we admit Canadian wheat free
| from impost and have it ground at
! Minneapolis?
Canada Ahead of Us.
eff we had proper conditions, and
| If the united resources of the two parts
| of North America could be marshaled
into uniformity, America would lead
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,
per CAPITA and even Canada, with -her
! 6,000,00 people, exports twice as much
| per capita as we do. Our annual man
ufactures are represented by $l3,OOO,-
| 600, 600 and our exports amount to
| $44O, 900, 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 of
| our exports represents profit. Now
here on the northern border we have
a fence. If we do not change our at
titude we will have to have a fence
to keep our people In
Love Their Own Flag.
Several years ago attended a mass
meeting of the bank of Montreal, then
! North America. It was customary to
have these banquets every year and
to invite business men to attend. On
| this occasion there weS a large attend
ance, and after the dinner several Of
the Canadian gentlesle 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. I then called their
attention to the Fnie canal, built by
the Americans, and told them that If
Canada and the United States were
| joined as one there would be a 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 charged for rail ship
ments. I also called their attention to
and concluded by stating that If traf
| f1c could be directed into this channel,
great enlargements to the dockage at
Ontario would be required. Scotch
man, whose name y have forgotten,
and who had extensi. interests in the