New-York tribune., 1910-12-09
CANADIANS HOLD DINNERI
James j. Hill Praises Taff's
Reciprocity Attitude.
FOORD T0ESTS THE EMPIRE
Arbitration the Theme Of the
British Charge d 'AfaiTes
at Washington.

The principal speech at the annual din
ner of the Canadian Society last night was
delivered by proxy. Il was prepared by
James J. Hill. who is at present on the
Pacific Coast, and read by DR.. George d.
Stewart, ex-president of the society. who
is Mr. Hflrs physician.
Dr.. Stewart was also physician for one
Of the e1Iests who did not come TO the
dinner This was Mayor Gaynor, VINO
staid away Iecause he had had a hard daV
al the city all and he afraid the ex-
cursion in tho night air with the effort OF
making e speech would not be good for his
throat Dr. Stewart was one of the ply
sicians called III consultation last August
when the attempt was made On the Mayors
life.
The dinner Wis held at De!monico's and
was attended by about three hundred mem
hers OF the society and their friends. The
hall was decorated sparingly with British,
American. Irish, Scotch and Canadian flags
Groups Of small British flags, with the
Canadian coat of arms IN the red field, We're
placed or the tables. The foIksongs OF all
the countries composing the British en-
pire were played by the orchestra and
sung by the diners during the progress OF
the meal.
Mr. RiIl's speech dealt with reciprocity
He said that reciprocity with Canada stood
on a different footing from that OF reel
procity with any other country President
Taft had declared that every diplomatic
question that had arisen between the two
countries was in process of settlement by
arbitration or other agreement In 1887
an overture by Canada for a new trade
I ,+v-r- I70 haa ga
ceived shabbily at Washington, but in 1910
President Taft had interviewed officially to
modify the latest tariff act in the interest
of trade with Canada.
There never was a situation 50 favor
sbie to agreement as the present said Mr..
Hill The doctrine announced by President
Taft and accepted by the Republican lead
ers to-day. if literally acted on, would dis
mantle tomorrow every custom house
along the international boundary.
John Foord, who responded to the toast
The Empire. threatened 70 open up an
Y important subject when he said: 1t seems
! TO me TO he q question of some importance
/ 10 all of US whether We own allegiance to
/ the British Empire o. the American RePub-
! lir" But he did not enighten his hear
/ ers as TO his views the question. In
stead, he passed TO the place of commerce
! IN building up the empire
Credit TO Expandng Trade.
Il an aware that most Of the conquests
/ which prepared the way for the magnificent
imperial fabrlc of our time followed in The
wake Of an expanding trade" said Mr.
I FnoTd. But when you descend to address
the Colonial brethren in the language of
the green grocer. pleading friendship as a
{-rToFilIre
/ an element OF disUnion into what was be
/ fore 8 firmly Cornpacted organization IN
/ an empire whose component parts are 80
widely separated and whose material in
! terests cross each other at 50 many points
! as the British the enthusiasm Of the com
/ nercial traveller is not a sentiment that
/ viii serve II in the place OF soul.
A Mitchell Irnes.. British charge d'af-
faires al Washington recalled that America
: and C;reat Britain We're the first to intro
duce the modern principle OF arbitration in
national affairs The commission appointed
bv the treaty Of 17q4. negotiated in London
/ By Chief Justice Day for the settlement Of
the Maine boundary. was the first modern
instance Of international arbitration, he
said. and. therefore. If was fitting that the
first great arbitration under the Hague
convention should have been between the
same countries
Mr. Innes paid left-handed compliment
/ - Senator Root when ne said: In those
/ great democratic British institutions, the
English bench and the English bar, you
; get a level Of intellectual power and eE-
} r,arience which mas nc superior in the
world. Before a foreign tribunal like that
+ Of the Hague the great English harristers
who appeared or oUr side carried a weight
! and had a prestige which was perhaps
: equalled by that Of NIr. Root, but could
( have been equaUed by no ether man on this
side ri the water