New-York tribune., 1908-08-02
nANADA.s COMMERCE.

The Canadian tercentenary has occurred at
| nrosperous time in the history of the great
| northern Dominion. Commerce In the last year,
| both imports and exports, considerably
larger than In the preceding year, and the total
| volume S647. .3S9 291, was proportionately larger
| than that Of most other nations. Some details
of it on analysis appear. however, significant of
| an inevitable tendency in respect to Canadian
| relations with the United Kingdom and with
| the United States.
| Imports into Canada in 1907 were S3T2S25,-
| 363 an increase over 1906 of $50, ,T5S, ,155, or
| more than IS per cent. That was very cred
| liable increase. We must remember that the
| Dominion, In its intense loyalty to the Empire,
grants large rebate It's tariff TO British
goods tins aiming TO increase importatlons
from the mother country rather than from the
United States or elsewhere. Yet in spite of
that large preferential rate Canadian imports
In 1907 were nearly 60 per cent from the United
States and less than 26 per cent from the
United Kingdom. Moreover Of the more than
16 per cent gain over the preceding year. more
than 80 per cent from the United States.
and less than 81 per cent from the United King
dom. Apparently then, the preferential tariff
rates. large as they are are not effective for
giving the Canadian market to British rather
than to American goods.
Exports from Canada made a less favorable
showing. They aggregated S2133254l4, an IN
crease of only S3,S4S.S10 or less than 1.5 per
cent over 1906 Somewhat less than "A per cent
of them came TO the United States. while about
46 per cent went to Great Britain. Yet the III
crease of exports to the United States was more
than per cent. while exports to the United
Kingdom showed an actual decrease of more
than per cent. OF course. in view of the fact
already noted that discriminating tariff rates
did not seem to help British sales to Canada.
1t may be that similar rates, had Great Britain
granted them, would not have helped Canadian
sales to the United Kingdom.
If not then the conclusion seems inevitable
that Canadian commercial relations for both
imports and exports, are bound TO be closer and
greater with the United States than with any
other nation. unless, indeed, the fiscal reyolu-
ton which seems to be impending in Great Brit
ain shall effect results which thus far have
seemed unattainabe. 1t is, indeed, natural that
It should be So when consider the vast ex-
tent of actual physical contact between these
two countries and the multiplicity of means CT
intercourse between them. the similarity In Ian
guage manners and tastes which exists between
them, and the comparative isolation of Canada
from all other countries. The United States Is
not so isolated. 1t abuts upon Mexico and is
very close TO Cuba and the West Indies. Yet,
although the latter countries are several times
more populous than Canada, II sells more to her
than to all of them put together, and more than
twice as much as to the entire continent of
South America.
These gratifying and mutually benefcent COM
mercial relations are to be strictly diferentl-
ated. however, from political relations of any
kind save those of friendly neighborliness The
increase of profitable commerce is being eff
fected without any political union or CONNER
cial union of the political type which some
i'll advised propagandsts used to urge There
| are plenty of examples in history of nations side
by side maintaining the frendliest political rela-
tions and developing commerce of vast extent,
without ever taking a step toward political
union, and it seems probable that history will
| repeat itself in that respect between Canada and
the United States, to the entire satisfaction Of
| both parties concerned.