The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-11-13
HILL TALKS ON TARIFF
Railway King FavOrS Reciprocal
Arrangements With Canada.
RAILROADS NEED TO EXPAND
Speaker Calls For Waterway Fifteen
Feet Deep Between St. Louis and New
Orleans--Puts Exchange Of 100000,
900 Year Ahead Of Panama Canal.

900 Year Ahead Of Panama Canal.
Chicago Nov. Flames !. Hill was
the guest OF honor at the banquet Of
the Merchants club and delivered an
extended address upon "Chicago's In
tereSt In Reciprocity With Canada"
Mr.. Hlll was introduced 10 his audi
tors 10y Charles II. Norton. president
of the club who said that Chicago In
its history had suffered two great ca
lamities. the first being the great Chi
cago fire and the other the fact that
James J. Hill passed through the city
without stopping when he went 10
make his home in the northwest.
After outlining the commercial great
ness of Chicago and giving some of the
reasons therefor, Mr.. Hin said:
To-day the entire country is suffer
ing from want of transportation faclli-
ties to move its business without M
reasonable delay. The prevailing idea
with the public is that the railways
are short of cars. while the facts are
that the shortage is In tracks and
terminals to provide n greater Oppor-
tunity for the movement of the ears.
The speaker declared that the coun-
try today faced a transportation prob
lem which only time. patience and the
expenditure Of enormous sums of mon
ey will remedy He asserted that there
is crying need now for the construc-
ton Of fifteen foot channel between
81. Louis and New Orleans. and hc said
that the necessity for this would in
crease with time There was no more
important general work for the GOV
eminent TO perform. he said. than 10
construct canal capable of carrying
vessels of fifteen feet draft.
MIR Hill recited figures showing that
the trade with the people whom the
United States will be able TO reach 10y
the construction of the Panama canal
amounts 10 only about S54.JOOOo0 AN
nually. while our trade with Canada is
over S2OOOOOOOO per annum. He as
serted that the conservation and I'M
crease Of this trade is Of greater inn
portance than anything that will ac-
crue to the United States because OF
the construction Of the canal
Reciprocity With Canada.
Concerning reciprocity with Cana.
IA. Mr.. Hill said.
The plea for more liberal trade re-
latiOns is negatived only by unreaSOn-
ng individual Seliishness The CON
elusive argument for reciprocity with
Canada always has been ana must he
the experience of the several American
states Had it not been prohibited by
the constitution each state OF the Tn
ion would have levied a duty on all
commerce crossing its boundaries. Yet
nh acknowledge now that one great
factor in the development of the Unit +.
ed States has been the commercial
elimination Of state lines UnreStrict .
ed trade between the states has favor .
ed all Of them.
Whatever commercial policy con
fers the greatest benefits on the whole .
continent will best advance the various
parts. and this city would receive and
confer inestimable benefits under a .
more liberal trade convention. Canada .
will In any event and under any sys
TEN De opened up and highly devel .
Oped. Would it then be disadyanta
eeouS for us to share in the products Of .
the fields OF Manitoba. Alberta and .
Saskatchewan?
The manufacturing interests Of both
countries are the first to raise an
alarm. but there is no danger here. We
have as much reason TO dread Cana
dian competition as Pennsylvania has
TO cry for protection against North pa
kota. Canada would be no more in
danger than is Montana by the cOmpe-
tition of Ohio.
Time Ripe For Better Trade Relations.
The time is Opportune for practi-
cal movement toward better trade re
latlons with Canada. There has been
increasing irritatons toward our atti-
tude, and already the fact that our av-
erage tariff against the Dominion is
1888 while that of Canada against the
United States is 24.S3 causes comment
and suggests reprisals.'
In closing Mr. Hill said:
What is the first practical step? The
most 10 be wished is the
wiping ont of customs houses along
the northern frontier and the establish
ment thereof OF absolute free trade. If
the time Is not ripe for that the least
that it demands is ample reciprocity
There cannot be a beginning until we
have fixed in our minds the desirable
ity Of a free interchange of natural
products and raw materials. giving 10
the New England manufacturer his
fuel and to the farmer of the western
plains his lumber and TO the makers Of
books and newspapers everywhere
their print paper free from the exac-
tons which q needless tariff now per
mits monopoly to impose. From this as
q beginning work may 90 forward to
ward larger liberty by an enlargement
Of markets and q progress of public
sentiment that reciprocity once in oper
alton will assure"