Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-29
TIE CANADIAN TRADE
CHANGE OF RECIPROCITY sENTI-
MENT IN THE DOMINION.
Now Independent in Resources-Sipni.
hcant Speeches at Boston BAN
quet Last Night.

me sixth annual banquet of the Canadian
CIup or Boston at the Hotel Vendome last
night resolved itself into an international
oepate on the question OF reciprocal trade
Ieiations between the United States and
Sahaoa' Mr.. George e. Foster, MP, from
North ontario, one Of the leaders of the
conservative party of Canada opposing the
doctrine championed by Eugene N. Foss
ana others. The banquet was attended by
100 former residents of the dominion.
The toasts and those who responded to
them were as follows:
THE President" responded to by the ma
tional anthem
The King" Capt. William wyndham.
British consul general
The Commonwealth" Louis A. Froth-
ingham, speaker of the Massachusetts house
of representatives
Canada, Her Positions and Aspirations
MI George E. Foster, MP. of Toronto
Trade Relations Between the United
States and Canada Eugene N. Foss of
Boston.
Canada and the Empire" Prof. E. c. De
Sumichrast of Harvard University.
Sister Societies. William F. Robson.
president of the Canadian Club of New
York city.
Mr.. Foster who formerly was intimately
associated with the late Sir John A Mac
Donald. and later assisted Joseph Cham
perialn in spreading the protection propa-
great applause when he rose to speak. He
said, in part:
Great Progress in Canada.
There is a great gulf between the Can
ada of forty years ago and the Canada of
today. but during the past thirty years
great progress has been made in the coun-
try north of your borders
In Canada we started with only the be-
ginnings of an industrial life. With con-
federation We began to build up our manu-
factories by giving such degree of pro-
lection would make it feasible for capt.
tai to engage in industrial undertaking.
Before came to the banquet was told
that | would be expected TO speak on reel
procity. What is absolutely dead ques-
ton with us is very much alive with you
During my term of service with the
sentative party and while a member of the
Canadian government, made two or three
pilgrimages to Washington and begged
your senator and representatives to grant
us reciprocal trade relations. / failed in
my mission every time. And now that the
question is dead with US, ii has been raised
from its grave by some of you Americans.
We have immediate resources in Canada.
OF lumber our supply is inexhaustible.
Within ten years we should raise enough
wheat to supply the markets of Great
Britain, our own market, and have consid-
cradle left to export to foreign countries.
Within ten years four great parallel Cana
dian transcontinental railway lines will
connect the seaports on the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans Where these railways will
cross is in the narrowest part of the Ameri-
can continent north of Mexico, and there
fore will offer the most direct route for
trade. With such transportation facilities
Canada may be trusted to work out her
own salvation without the aid of any recip-
rocal treaty with the United States. The
reciprocity treaty that formerly exised be-
ween the two countries was abrogated by
the Americans. Now Canada does not want
reciprocity.
Canada has passed from the provincial
to the national stage, and from the national
to the imperialistic. At present Canada Is
a great part in the worldwide empire, ana
we intend to give the mother country and
the colonies the benefit of our products and
our trade, rather than negotiate a treaty
that will give a favored nation preference
to our own kindred.
Foss' Plea for Reciprocity.
Eugene N Foss, who was then intro
duced, made plea for reciprocal trade re-
ltaions with the dominion. Mr.. Foss said
in part:
Fortunately for a partial solution of the
vexed question of trade relations, our own
necessities bid fair to force our government
to look the Canadian question squarely in
the face. In several commodities our de-
mand already has outrun our supply, and
we are buying heavily, regardless of tariff
taxes In others the exchanges between
the two countries are SO general for geo.
graphical and other reasons that lively
trade in competing products has developed
both ways. In still other cases where the
demand is great the United States tariff is
yet so high that no purchases are attempt-
ed These three classes furnish the basis
upon which a consistent scheme OF tarin
revision, by which / mean reciprocity, must
rest"
Mr. Foss presented table of the prin-
cipal articles in which the two countries
have interchangeable trade, and continued:
Now here is a natural and necessary
trade of SIS, 100000 and which might be
two three or four times that amount, ham,
pered and harassed by tariff restrictions
which are of no possible benefit but on the
contrary work absolute injury to every in
terest concerned
1.-The Home Market Club has finally been
forced to concede coal and iron ore;
others give us lumber and free hides, and
here you have at once accounted for three
quarters in amount of the products under
In regard to hay, meats,
fruit and eggs, doubt If gov
could stand against the demand
for removal of the duties on them il the
people should make this a distinct issue-as
they will before long.
cit is the evident purpose of some OF our
legislators at Washington to refuse to re-
duce the tariff on Canadian goods. because.
as they will say, Canada will make no con-
cessions. The only real thought in their
minds is to discover the cleverest excuse for
pat
The other speakers made brief addresses.