The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-04

The verdict of the British electors
will certainly have some effect on Can
ada's fiscal policy. What effect, will
probably soon be apparent. A meas
ure Of tariff revision is expected at the
approaching session Of the Canadian
parliament. During the fall and early
winter, tariff commission, consisting
of several prominent members of the
cabinet, toured the dominion to collect
data upon which to base the new tariff
/ measure.
Under ordinary circumstances, there
would have been revision Of the Can
adian tariff long before this. There has
for several years been a demand for
tariff revision. The liberal party, when
in opposition, sought power on policy
of tariff reduction. It attained power
in 1896, and introduced its first tariff
in 1897. This tariff by no means abol-
ished protection. The low tariff section
of the liberal party has since been
4 urging further revision in the direc-
ton of lower duties. On the other
hand. the manufacturers, some of whom
are members Of the liberal party, have
been urging a revision on the plea that
the government went too far in the di-
rection Of tariff reduction, and that an
I increase in the tariff is necessary for
! the welfare Of the country. The gov
4 eminent has postponed the question of
! tariff revision from session to session
partly, no doubt, because of the diff
s ficulty Of devising a tariff measure
which would satisfy both the high tariff
and low tariff factions Of it's party, but
chiefly, perhaps, because it wished to
1 wait and see what would be the outcome
81 Of the Chamberlain movement in Great
Britain for inter-imperial preferential
trade.
81 The British Preferential
One Of the chief features of the
present Canadian tariff is the prefer
ence it gives British goods. British
= goods are admitted on special scale
4 originally 1919 per cent, now 33 l.;
81 per cent, less than the ordinary rate
4 of duty. This feature was introduced
s. by the Laurier government under the
4 impulse of imperialism which prevailed
4 turnout the empire at the time of the
4 Victorian diamond jubilee. Tt was al
ingenious device for giving a certain
amount Of tariff reduction to which thu
imperialist leaders Of the projections
s conservative party could not we'll OBJ
iect. It also was the means of secur
81 ing sundry British knighthoods for thu
8 democratic members of the new gov
eminent. 1t was, perhaps, the NOR
4 readily tolerated by the conservati:
Il opposition for the reason that so lon'
as the policy of British preference
l. PREVAILED, the Laurier government
could not give effect to the policy o
/ reciprocity with the United State
which Sir Wilfrid Laurier had advc
Gated while in opposition. Except i
n the wooden and cotton trades, tn
British manufacturer competition
s. not nearly so much dreaded by til
81 Canadian manufacturer as the compel
81 ton of the American manufacturer.
"a Though the British preference serve
usefully a temporary purpose for tn
81 Laurier Government, yet it stands l
IS the way of scientific REIMBURSEMENT Q
Il the Canadian tariff, particularly as et
Is fects Canada's commercial relation
with the United States. So long q
III there was any hope of Britain reciprt
L eating this preference by admittin
Canadian agricultural products on NOR
favorable terms than foreign agricu
tural produce, it was good policy t
continue the British presference.
Canada's preference to Britain wa
III a strong feature in Mr.. Chamberlain
campaign in Britain during the Las
III lew years. for the Canadian govern
ment to have withdrawn it at any tin
Turing the past three or four veal
would have been to deal heavy bio
IF the DrosDects of imperial recipr