The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-04

~en. and II a direct Issue could Be- mad.
even now between tariff and reciprocity
OF even between tariff and free trade
Aanitoba's agricultural vote alone woulc
rural opinion Of the three strictly rura
territories adjoinins would throw ar
Overwhelming balance in favor Of open.
FxRM fSHV Ts IF" ToR shf Pso s!aiss
Even the Conservatives OF Winnipeg. OF
Manitoba and Of the tributary territories
know this.
They are quite sure Cha. the farming
majority Of Canads's new country IA
vors reciprocity against tariff protection
at the rate OF ten to one
United States. though not now reaching
TO the degree OF an insistent demand. Is
nevertheless. openly. avowed In all Of the
region, urban and rural. and Is more pro-
nouncsd than In any part Of Canada that
I have visited
Under these circumstances # would
seem probable that, II reciprocity is to
dian politics. II must be the agricultural
regions OF the Northwest that will In
sugurats the movement. since there II Il
whether By sentiment or seifshness.
An odd and most striking feature Of the
politics OF Canada comes 20 the surface
In this section. but It underlies the d.
cry part Of the Dominion and cannot. II
undeFstood. fail to throw q great light
On the merits OF the contenders In the
The feature OF the political situation
here u the lack OF an Issue between the
grits as the Liberal are called. and
a az gIof'''.' - the Conservatives are
The pending appeal TO tie people" BIZ
the Laurier party comes. therefore. as a
sort OF political trick on the par, Of the
while In power. expect to be returned to
Office by reason OF the fact that the Con-
eervatives have no live issue upon which
TO make . light at the time.
FORCING A RAILWAY ISSUE
So bare IS the political horizon OF any
thing approaching to q paramount topic
for dispute that the Conservatives. led by
Mr. Borden. are striving 20 push Govern.
nsnt ownership Of railroads TO the font.
in spite OF the colossal failure Of tina; po!-
Icy ~ s1empIided In the IntercoloniaI Rail-
10 that not only fails to make expenses.
but actually costs the taxpayers OF the
Dominion a round sum In interest and sub
The construction OF 1anscanad.an rail-
road from Monckton- IN New Brunswick
70 Fort Simpson, British Columbia, al
though fostered by the LAurter govern
ment 1or the purpose Of opening up an Rs
yet unchartered region. and In order TO
establish healthy competition with the
Canadian Pacific monopoly. is to remain a
rier and his advisers are willing TO nur-
ture. with proper safeguards but which
they do not propose to undertake as q
government property
80 Keen are the Conservatives for an Is
sue with which 70 oppose the installed LIB
erals At the coming election that they are
openly threatening to present government
Al ownership OF public utilities as a para
mount issue. n spite OF the fact that past
experiences IN this direction present an al
most unbroken array OF dismal failures.
REAL ISSUE. TRADE EXPANSION.
II IL well understood in Canada that the
only genuine point OF difference between
the rival politicians Of the Dominion af
this time u that one party Is In and the
other IL out. AL OF this leads naturally
to the question: What are the great ma
tional Questions that most inferes, the
electorate Of Canada at this time?
To snis any well informed Canadian VIII
snswer: The trade expansion of Can
foremost. logical, and unacceptable. enter
One II the Chamberlain. imperial preferen-
tial tarih plan. and the other Is reci-
proc!ty: or even commercial unity. with
the United States.
1t II Obvious that the Liberals IN power
cannot address themselves TO this ouee-
ton until the English electorate has de-
Neither can the Ottawa Parliamen. re-
III tSe American Congress takes the IN IN
itiatfve with propositions with regard TO
trade comfy that will be
fair to both Canada and to the United
States.
Il l. certain that II Chamberlain suc-
ceeds and the Liberals remain in power in
Ottawa the Conservatives VIII make I'm
perfal tari6 their war cry and 20 after
The LAurier party with the concerted slo.