The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-16
New Canadian Tariff.

canada is preparing to revise her
tariff. The prospect Of revision does
not seem to have paralyzed Canadian
industry and commerce. We do not
find any standpatters voicing alarm
lest. revision ruin the country. E. W.
Thompson, the well-informed CORE
spondent of the Boston Transcript,
analyses to some. extent the proposed
new tariff and concludes that from
comparison Of the new. and the old
schedules that. the protectionists have
received more, that Great Britain has
been favored less and the United States
hit harder than was anticipated. It
appears that the new tariff discrim-
mates against Uncle Sam at every
point where this could be done without
arousing dangerous opposition from
his numerous customers.
The tariff is divided into four divis-
ions. First is the general schedule Of
duties on goods from all countries ex-
cept Great Britain and her crown COL
onies; second, there is schedule item
izing preferential duties to these Brit
ISL countries, which are all treated
alike; in the third place, there is
levied surtax of 30 per cent on Ger
man goods in addition to the general
tariff; and fourth, there is an ''inter-
mediate - tariff, specifying in regard
to each item the reduction which may
be made in favor Of countries that NAV
grant reciprocal tariff favcrs to Canada.
This intermediate tariff does not
60 into operation except as these re-.
ciprocal favors are arranged for, and,
furthermore, it is not likely to be of
practical value. For example, an order
placing intermediate tariff in oner-
alton could not be made to apply to the
United States, no matter what conces-
sions the government at Washington
might offer. This is due to the fact
that Great Britain binds Canada bv
certain commercial treaties which re-
quire that all British dependencies shall
give to those countries with which
those treaties are negotiated as much
Favored nation' treatment as any
other country gets. Canada, being a
dependency, cannot therefore grant
concessions under this intermediate
tariff which may be inconsistent with
treaties entered into by Great Britain
with the United States or with any
other country. The intermediate; ),
tariff is a sort Of maximum and mini
mum scheme which Canada cannot OBJ
crate because of her necessary subor
dination to Great Britain, Is lib
In general, the tariff makers appear
not to have loved Uncle Sam less. but
John Bull more; not. the Canadian
farmer less, but the Canadian manu-
facturer more; not the west less. but
the east more.
Among the reductions in which west
ern Canada is especially interested are
those In the taxes on agricultural imple-
ments. Along with the adoption Of
this tariff there are some additional
obstacles in the way Of reciprocity be-
tween Canada and the United States
With the complicated system like that
OF Canada, with one set Of duties for
Great Britain, another set applying to
the rest Of the world and an q inter
mediate" tariff making concessions
only within the limitations Of agree
ments between Great Britain and other
countries, the chances for anything eff
fective in the way of reciprocity OF
special concessions to the United States
appear to be very remote and vague.