The St. Louis Republic., 1904-08-17

ADVANTAGES of reciprocity with the Dominion
| This is the fourth OF a series OF his articles
BY JOHN II. RAFTERY.
| REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Halifax. Nova Scotia, Aug. 16.-This Il
| the best point in the Maritime Province
| of Canada to get close to the divergen
| opinions of the Canadians with regard Il
commercial relations with the United
| States.
The basic wealth OF the ports Of Nova
| Scotia and the foundation of the agri
cultural prosperity of the Province are due
to its once free trade relations with the
New England States. Until a few year:
ago reciprocity with the States" was the
political and commercial slogan OF the cleo
torate. Nova Scotia, too, was regarded
for time as a hotbed Of annexationists
as well as center Of ultraloyalis'
| sentiment that would rather go poor
than traffic with the Yankee.
ANTI-AMERICANISM GONE
At the outset 1t may be stated that the
annexationist, II he ever hourished here
has vanished from the map. The old anti
American bigots, some of whom date their
prejudfces to Tory ancestors who fled
hither during the Revolutionary War. and
others Of whom inherit unforgivable griev-
ances against the United States on ac-
count of their own predictions for the
Confederate cause during the Civil War
are almost vanished from the Province.
Nova Scotia now, and especially Halifax.
Is thoroughly and. 1t may be said. delight
fully representative Of the young English
spirit Of progress, commercial energy and
international fair play.
1t Is exceedingly British. is Halifax. and
what sentiment there is amongst its COM
mercial men II naturally and outspokenly
for tho Empire first. last and all the time.
You see 1t as 1t is-fortresses garrisoned
and e.nbattled. Englands mightiest sta
ton in the Western Hemisphere. Briton's
dun battleships ride constantly In its noble
harbor. Day and night the streets swarm
with the redcoats and blueJackets Of the
imperial army and navy.
The gossip Of the hotels has moro to do
with Piccadilly and Rotten Row. West
minister and Aldershot, than with either
Washington or Ottawa The starred flag
of an Admiral hutters from the peak of
the Ariadne In the bay. Halifax Is the
headquarters OF the British feet Of the
North Atlantic. The newspapers Of Lon
don, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow
are sold in the streets Ten years ago this
was not so.
BUSINESS is NOT SENTIMENT.
Sentiment Is one thing and business 10
another. The commercial and shipping
factors Of Nova Scotia have always want
cd reciprocity with the United States, and
they want 1t now. But they are not ask
ing for it. They are believing and hoping
that England will adopt and enforce a
tariff against foreign nations as high and
as steep as that which other nations en-
force against her. An English tarifr with
pendencies-that is wha, Nova Scotia
wants now. but always with the proviso
that it shall benefit by the preferential
features Of Englands new tariff scheme
as proposed by Chamberlain. Nova Scotia's
naturally loyalist tendency Is now stepping
hand in hand with such essentially com
mercial advantages as the high tariff Of
the United States has left to It
Halifax believes that a reciprocal trade
treaty with the United States Il out Of the
question. But Halifax wants such a
treaty. sy n. ,.o,,ro,,.v r,., o.. ,,,,..,
States" said ]. E. De Wolf, one Of the
biggest shipping factors of Halifax, but
were not going on our knees again to get
It. We have had enough slaps, in the
face. II the United States makes any
kind Of fair proposition, Nova Scotia,
and, believe. all Canada, will meet her
half way. The question is either asleep
in your country's willingness to DO what
Is mutually fair.
WANT RECIPROCITY: WON'T ASK 1T.
Mr.. De Wolf Is more frankly outspoken
than many Of his contemporaries here. but
his opinion is representative Of most Of the
importing and exporting influences of tho
Halifax Board Of Trade. These men do not
gossip with the swaggersticks nor play
cricket with the suba1terns of his Majes-
fNrsA 'hayv Hr~
business. and they want reciprocity with
the United States because they believe 1t
would be good business" talked to
half a dozen of the leading manufacturers
all said In effect:
What does it matter what we want?
Surely We have given the United States
favorable to a greater trade exchange.
We want reciprocity, certainly, but we
can't get It from you We don't need It
willing to forget It until the United States
more"
The increase Of Nova scotia's purchases
year, but the proportion Of its purchases
In England and in British possessions is
sIowing much more rapidly; OF 1900 tons
OF sugar exported from I'M Demerara last
was handled through Halifax.
The trade with British West Indies Is in
creasing by leaps and bounds. Tho ship
tables. fruits and farm Ia produce e 20 'sssr aew
largely to England. and there Is no end
to the demand. But the profits are less
than they would be 4 the same COM
land.
The bulk Of the wood pulp, lumber. plas-
ter, coal and iron trade Of Nova Scotia
nies. and the ships Of Halifax come home
loaded with the products Of imperial fac