Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-01-21
PROTECTION IN CANADA.
It IL the Manufacturers Friend De.
spite Its ChccLered Career.


The tariff question is up again in
Canada and is bee l:,ing warm. 1t is
said that the crown may dissolve par
lament at any time. Sir Wi!frid Lau-
rier. the premier. can have IL dissolu-
ton whenever he advises it, He is like
ly to advise ii socn. for he realizes that
he wishes to get Il new lease of power
before the people feel the effects OF the
depression Too much and turn sour on
ihe government. The correspondent ct
the Iron Age gives the following real
sons for thinking that dissolution will
occur soon:
TO wait until the press 1T parliament
lived out tie full five yea.'s CT the con-
stitutioln,l limit might not be :soo,l TAG
tics, for the nGNt eighteen months
might be more or less IL period of de-
preston, and depression is nctcrioNsiy
hard on the government. Bad crops.
Gull trade and lack of employment are
very closely identified by ii large part
Of tho Canadian population with the
government fiscal policy. Between
1872 and 1878 there was depression CO.
incidrntly with low tariff period. In
consequence the Mackenzie government
was driven from Office in 1873 in Tie
general elections of the latter year. the
popular cry being for protection. There
was depression conveniently with higl.
duties in the middle nnaties. This
brought about reaction fur flrr trade
which reaction was al ln:,si one OF tic
causes though probably NOT lie Rain
one, that brought the Lauaar govern
ment into power in 1896. IS IS SO it is
doubtful if the elections. premature
though they are to be. have not been
deferred too long to anticipate the eff
fccts of trade reaction upon public sen
timent."
In Canada, then, two deprnssions
have occurred under high tariffs and
one under low ones. for the present
rates are high for Canada, the Laurier
administration having made no ma
terial changes. Canada's manufacture
ers Of course are bringing all possible
pressure to have the duties on their
goods increased. They want protcc-
ton. they say, lin order that capital
and labor in Canada may he properly
protected from the specialized and
heavily protected industries of foreign
countries which use the Canadian
market as their dumping ground The
tariff that they want must above a!l,"
they say. "enable Canadian products;
to meet the competition OF foreign Ia
Dor on fair and equitable terms"
manufacturers are always greatly
concerned about the earnings of their
employees when tariff changes are be-
ing made. The other day when the
Bailey Cutlery company failed the
foxy manufacturers ut once had the
news sent all over Canada and the
United States as we'll that ''inTlliiicicnt
tariff protection is given us The cause
Of suspension. the firm being unable to
compete with American prices and the
cLcal, labor products FROM England
and Gcrlnany.'
It is only f;,r to say. though, thai
the Canadian manufacturers 20 not
ask for as high q tariff as that of the
United States. For the present the5
would be satisfied With much less.
1t is hard to beat the manufacture
ers. If depression occurs under low
tariffs sllcs- blame it all on free trade.
If it occHra under high tariffs it is;
due to 'insiltiicency OF tariff pro;ac-
ton" sn,l there you are. y coun-
try that las dollhouse Industries on its
hands; nee;I not look ;.pro;tl ior trouble.
TnNGN W. HOLT
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