Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-25
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY
Report of Member of the
National League.
FEELING UNCHANGED
PROPOSED BRITISH PREFEREN-
T1AL HAS HAD LITTLE EFFECT.
In This Country Interest is Lacking
Except as to the Fishing Industry
in New England.

A member of the National Reciprocity
League. who enjoys the confidence of Of
ficials at both Ottawa and Washington,
has just returned from a trip to Ottawa,
Washington. Boston: Gloucester. Auburn
and Buffalo in the interests of the leagues
propaganda for commercial reciprocity be-
tween the United States and Canada.
The report which this cmissary is pre-
pared to make to his association says that
in going to Ottawa he was charged with
the duty Of ascertaining what, If any,
| change had taken place in the Canadian
situation. and whether or not those in
trusted with the management Of the Ca
madam government had changed their at
titude toward reciprocity with the United
States by reason Of the Chamberlain
proposition to create British preferential
In favor Of certain colonial products
No Change of Feeling in Canada.
He says that he had very full confer
ence with Sir Wilfrid Laurier and later
with John Charlton, as we'll as conversa-
| tions with other Canadians less influential
| in the direction of affairs. He declares he
found it apparent that no change had TAX
en- place in the attitude Of the Canadian
government. and was inclined to the opin-
ion that the general sentiment among the
people had undergone but little. II any,
change as a result of the proposition of
British preferential
He found the feeling quite general and
shared by the Canadian government that
such a preferential Great Britain might
offer would not necessarily he Incompatible
with reciprocity with the United States
1t was thought that Great Britain would
not offer such a preferential would be
of any value to the eastern and more
thickly settled parts of Canada. II 1t ex-
tended only to bread stuffs the maritime
provinces and OlIebpc would inf
est whatever in 1t and Ontario but little.
Meeting of Commission in Fall.
Sir Wifrid expected to ask a personal
interview with Senator Fairbanks of the
joint high commission about the middle
Of August, with the idea Of calling for a
meeting of the joint high commission at
Washington in the fall. The agent reports
that he found some tendency in Washing
ton to place misconstruction upon Sir
Wilfrids delay in asking for meeting
with Senator Fairbanks, but the general
understanding was that 1t for Sir Will
frid to make the next move and all that
could be done in Washington was to await
his action.
In Buffalo 1t was found that the business
men generally were very much interested
and desirous OF having a Canadian treaty,
but We're inactive and entirely without or
ganization. The secretary of the board OF
trade said that as soon as a call had been
issued for a meeting of the joint high
commission the business men Of Buffalo
would speedily organize for effective work.
In Boston more active interest was found
among the business men generally in the
subject of reciprocity. They said to
be thoroughly informed and greatly in
earnest in their efforts to secure a meeting
OF the joint high commission, and will be
an effective force in securing the adoption
and ratification of the treaty.
Fish Interests Divided.
His Investigations at Gloucester and Bos-
ton disclosed that the fish interests OF
Massa chusetts are very much divided in
opinion upon the question OF Canadian
reciprocity. Those engaged in the fish
packing and distributing business are very
generally in favor OF reciprocity treaty,
believing that free fish would bring to
them a great increase of business He
found too a difference between the fresh
fish and the salt fish business in the point
of interest which they manifest in the
question All agreed that free fish would
not injure the fresh fish business, which
is growing while the salt fish enterprise is
declining.
The owners of fishing vessels at Glouces-
ter strongly opposed Canadian reciprocity
and free fish. The agent contends, how
ever that the duty fish is not u protec-
tive tariff in the proper analysis of the
principle of protection, for the reason that
to remove the duty would not have the
effect of reducing the wages paid to the
Gloucester fishermen or those employed IN
other capacities of that industry. On the
contrary, he contends, If 1t had any erect
1t would be to increase their wages, but the
principal effect which the vessel owners
CAIN the removal of the duty would have
would be to make II practically impossible
fOI them to secure hands to man their
fleets. More than two-thirds of the fisher
men who go out from Gloucester are aliens
the ma jority from the provinces, coming
for the fishing season and returning to
Canada with the proceeds of their labor
the Canadian industry and furnish employ
ment for them at home quite equal to that
which they get at Gloucester.
Canada Must Make Concessions.
The agent quotes one of the leading own
ers of fishing fleets at Gloucester, who is
also a large fish dealer, and who has been
| for twenty years the chief opponent OF
| a Canadian treaty. That person contended
| that long as Canada only proposed
| free interchange Of raw materials they felt
| that they should stubbornly stand out
| against the treaty; but their interests being
| insignificant in comparison with other
| great industries of the country they appre-
| Ciated their opposition would no longer be
| effective when Canada made concessions In
| the way Of reduction of duties Of manufac-
| tured articles.
This statement practically presents the
! real situation says the agent. If Canada
| will give concessions upon manufactures
| she must and as l have every reason to
| believe she will. a treaty can be agreed
! upon that will not meet with much opposi
| ton from this quarter II from any other
| l found many men in Gloucester who said
| that under the fisheries treaty which was
| IN force from 1874 to 1856 Gloucester had it's
greatest era of prosperity
MISLEADING WAR RUMORS.