The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-23
In Spite of the Preferential.


beauty, but it was all in his wife's name.
In Spite Of the Preferential.
Mr.. George Johnson, statistician Of
the Canadian government has pre-
pared pamphlet for the Duke of |
Argyle, dealing with the operation Of
the Canadian preferential tariff on
British goods. After presenting some
figures showing how imports from
Great Britain into Canada had de-
clined prior to 1897, the year the pre-
ferential tariff went into effect, and
have increased since then, Mr.. John
son said:
The conclusion I feel warranted in
drawing from these figures is that the
preferential tariff has saved a business
| which before the adoption of that tariff
was rapidly dwindling; and has, in fact,
SO greatly increased it that there is a
| reasonably sure prospect that the palmiest
period Of the trade in the past thirty
years will be overshadowed in the near
future.
Mr.. Johnson's report was trans
| mitted to our department of COM
merce by the United States consul, H.
S. Culver, London, Ontario. Mr.. Gull
ver's report was published in the con-
sui reports on May 8, accompanied by
an article by o. P. Austin Of the bu-
reau of statistics, in which argument
is made that the preferential tariff
has been Of little Importance in in
creasing British imports into Canada
and that British trade would have
&o;,
preferential tariff never been enacted"
Mr.. Austin seems to think that the
increase in British imports into
Canada from s29,0O0,OO0 in 1897 to
$59,000,0 900 in 1908 is merely the result
of the general expansion of Canadian
trade during those years. Since 1897
Canada has been enjoying the greatest
prosperity it has ever known, and it's
total imports have increased from
100000 to 100000. The
fact that the imports from the United
States into Canada have increased in
the same period from $62,0OO,00O to
$138, 100000, convinces Mr.. Austin
that imports from the United King
dom into Canada have only shared. in
:
Canada that has been coincident with
the opening UP of the great agricul-
tural country of western Canada.
= There is room here, it Is true, for
Z plausible argument on both sides, but
it seems to us that Mr.. Johnson rather
than Mr.. Austin is right. To get a
right view Of the situation it is neces-
sary to go further back than 1897
where Mr.. Austin takes up his figures
; From the first year of the Dominion,
1868, down to- 1897, there had been
a steady decrease in the imports from
Great Britain into Canada, from $37,-
100000 to $29,000,O0O. On the other
hand, imports from the United States
increased from $26,0OO,O0O in 1868 tc
$62,O00,O00 in 1897. Thus for thirty
years the tendency had been fol-
American imports to increase an6
British imports to decrease.
e With the enactment of the prefer.
4 entail tariff, however, the tide turned
so far as British imports were con
4 cerned, and they have increased from
$29,OO0,OOO in 1897 to $59,000,000 il
1903. Imports from the United State!
q into Canada have increased even more
rapidly since 1897, but the sudden tur1
taken by British imports, following thu
:. adoption of the preferential tariff
= suggests the probability that had i
not been for this preferential tariff
the United States would by this tirn'
i have almost monopolized the impor
trade of Canada.
A study of the relative percentage
v of imports from the United State
if and Great Britain seems to indicate
) that the preferential tariff has hat
a a pronounced effect in holding VI
e British trade. In 1868 1898 per cen
e of Canada's imports came from Grea
T. Britain, and 1856 per cent from tn
a United States. In 1898 Great Brit
l. aims share of the trade was onl
70 1886 per cent, while that of tn
n United States had increased to 60.2
le per cent In the last five years tn
ot percentage of British has RENAME
te about stationary, with slight gair
r. while there has been slight decreas
" in the percentage of the trade hel
a by the United States. This chez
al now held for five years in the increas
to In our relative share of the impo1
trade of Canada, taken into consider
o. alton with the ultaneous check !
al the decrease in percentage Of BIRTHS
We trade which had been going on fo
lie thirty years, certainly affords groun
e. for believing that the preferential ha
had & profound effect on commerce
I'd between Great Britain and Canad,
us Imports from Great Britain have ir
tss creased on account Of this preferer
I tial; imports from. the United State
gn in spite Of 1t. The United States er
e,- Joys a great many natural and trans
ey portation advantages in the trad
ge with Canada, which tend to offset tai
-, iff restrictions; but it is hardly po.
DOL sible that we could hold our trad
ire with Canada If the British preferer
lc- tial were decreased or the tariff Q
ne our goods raised.
W .1-1I 1888 r.
Use Ex-Mayor J. A. Johnson Of Fargo h,
1t written a vigorous letter to the press
~ which he complains of the exactions al
ese expressions of the harvester trust, know
EN- as the international Harvester Cornpal
ION of America He contends that the poll