Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1905-01-25
REFUSES RECIPROCITY.

Canada refuses reciprocity with the
United States. Premier Laurier has
said it, and what Sir Wilfrid says on
Canadian governmental matters goes
these days. Premier Laurier declines
to reassemble the joint high commits
sion, which was created few years
ago to adjust some points of difference
between the United, States and Cana
da. One OF two of the questions, es-
peciaIIy the Alaskan boundary, have
been settled, but several others, in
Guiding reciprocity. are still Gin the
air. and are likely to remain there.
The republican party will not grumble
at this state of things. In their plat
form adopted at st. Louis in 1904 the
democrats declared that they favored
''liberal trade arrangements with
Canada and with peoples of other
countries where they can be entered
into with benefit to American agricul-
ture, manufactures, mining or com
merce.' Some of the democratic
spellbinders, especially in New Eng
land, urged reciprocity with Canada.
They declared that Canada was anx-
ious to enter into trade arrangements
with US outside of our regular tariff
schedules. But Premier Laurier puts
a veto on all reciprocity ideas.
The republicans will be strongly in
clined to applaud Sir Wilfrid. They
are not asking for reciprocity with
Canada, and have not asked for it. 1t
was the democrats who wanted it, and
who said the country could get it if it
gave any intimation to Canada in that
direction. Canada's premier shows
that they were mistaken. True, a
clause was put in the republican plat
form of 1904 which, on the surface of
things, might seem to favor trade ar
engagements outside of the tariff 4
plank in the platform pointed out
that eve have extended widely our
foreign markets, ard We believe in
the adoption of all practical methods
for their further extension, including
commercial reciprocity, but it took
care to add that this should be per-
mitted only where reciprocal arrange
ments can be effected consistent with
the principles of protection and with
out injury to American agriculture,
American labor or any American in
dustry.' These qualifications were
vital. They raised up barriers which
would prevent the sort of reciprocity
which the democrats urged, and which
they still urge, and defeated all chance
for reciprocity so long as the republi-
can party remains in control of the
government.
And now Canada has turned against
the reciprocity men. In reciprocity,
as in other matters, it takes at least
two to make bargain, and one of
these-the one to which the democrats
looked for aid-has declared against
it. The republicans are rather inclin-
ed to laugh at the rebuke which the
democrats are receiving in quarter
from which they expected aid. Cana
da has adopted a revenue system of
its own. which it intends to stick to,
at least for a few years longer. 1t
thinks that this scheme meets its
needs better than any arrangement
could do which would be shaped.
wholly or partly, by some other coun-
try. The chances are that Canada is
eight. 1t ought to be able to legislate
for itself better than We could do it so
long as Canada remains outside our
governmental jurisdiction. Some day
Canada will knock for admission into
the American union and the chances
are that the union will let her in. In
til that day, however, We do not ask
to have any share in the making of her
revenue or any other laws. In the
meantime, we will keep right on max
ing our own tariffs to suit our own re-
quirements, without waiting for the
aid or consent of any other nation
Globe Democrat.