The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-07-08
CANADIAN POLICIES.

In view of the current discussion of trade recproc
ity with Canada-or "closer and more intimate
commercial relations" as some publicists elect to
call it. between the Dominion and the United States
two recent incidents "over the border" are not
wholly lacking in business and political interest just
at this time, says the New York Commercial.
1t is announced from Ottawa that in the matter
of guaranty bonds the Dominion government will
hereafter accept only the bonds OF British or Can
adian companies 1t so happens that several Amer
lean guaranty companies have branch offices or
agencies in Canada and in some instances the bonds
of officials holding Office under the Dominion govern
ment have American suretes behind them. 1t will
be recalled that not long ago congress passed law
providing that all United States officials who are re-
qured to give bonds shall be guaranteed by Ameri-
can companies only. The action Of the Dominion
government may therefore be regarded as purely
retaiatory designed to punish the United States for
the passage Of its bonding law and aimed directly
at those American bonding companies which are
now doing business in Canada. Hereafter they can
furnish bonds only for persons or firms or COM
panies outside the government service. Except as
it discloses the spirit in which the Dominion officials
approach all such questions, this incident does not
call for criticism.
Sir William Mulock, the Dominion minister of
labor, next draws our attention. He isn't bit
pleased over the fact that many skilled American
gineers have been given positions by the railroad
companies in Canada. The present statutes are
measurably strict in the matter of the employment
of alien labor, and since the governments recent
entry into extensive railway construction and Oper
alton Sir William has been putting the law" onto
these Yankees right and left He has already had
the commissioner Of alien labor deport Is American
engineers on warrants issued by the Dominion de-
partment of justice and he announces in manner
more or less dramatic that he will ask parliament
to pass bill providing for the appointment Of spe-
cal officers to deport aliens who are unlawfuly in
the country The employment Of aliens on govern
ment works or works aided by the government will
be prohibited except under special conditions he
says and the existing provisions aimed at the i'm
portation of contract labor will be strengthened.
These incidents betray no sign Of the "reciproc-
ity spirit in and around Ottawa Nor are they cal
culated to promote such spirit on this side Of the
line. They fall, in fact, on top Of preferential
tariff on British goods that operates against imports
from the United States to the extent of 80 per cent
on an average But, as we have increased our ex-
ports to Canada in recent years to vastly greater
degree than the mother country has, even with this
preferential against us, we can well afford perhaps
to view such matters with pardonable equanimity.
At any rate, our policy will no doubt be-as it gen.
orally has been-to hold our own home markets
against all comers often as the reciprocity propo
sition comprehends no distinct advantage to us in
opening them.