East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-10-08
ENGLISH DIPLOMATS
FEAR RECIPROCITY
GREAT BRITAIN AGITATED
OVER U. S.-CANADA QUESTION
Very Much Alarmed Lest Trade Reel
procity VIII Be First Step Toward
Union of Republic and Domiaion.

London. - British imperialists are
much concerned at the prospect of
trade reciprocity between the United
States and Canada, and attach to the
project an Importance not yet ac-
sorded it on the other side of the
Atlantic. 1t is not too much to say
that many wise men Of England be-
lieve such a scheme is but the first
step toward the union of Canada with
the United States and the disruption
of the British empire Indignation
and alarm were manifested in many
quarters at the news that President
Taft had obtained the consent of Am
bassador Bryce to the waving by
his government of the formality of
negotiating the reciprocity treaty
through the British embassy AS a
result. the United States will deal
direct with Canada, and 1t is believed
here that President Taft will rush the
matter with all speed before the Lon
don officials have time for a sober
second thought. BY the time the
| British parliament convenes next
month. and the American congress in
December, the treaty negotiations
will be under way.
The attitude of British political
economists toward United States
Canadian reciprocity is expressed by
a writer in the National Review in the
following language:
ut is no eXaggeration to state that
within the next few months the
whole fiscal, and, simultaneously. the
while political and social, future of
the empire may be decided. And that
decision will be made at Washington.
No less a significance can be attach
ed to the forthcoming negotiations
for a reciprocity treaty between the
United States and Canada. 1t is,
therefore, of the utmost importance
that all who have at heart the i'm
perial ideal should strain every nerve
to prevent so fatal an event. That
this disaster will be averted Is the
confident hope of the present writer:
but the magnitude of the interests
involved is, nevertheless, a sufficient
justification for treating the situation
with all seriousness"
The National Review writer traces
the history of the events leading up
to the Elgin- Marcy reciprocity treaty
which was in force between Canada
and the United States from 1854 to
1866. At that early period, 1t is
pointed out, there was "a vast deal
of talk about annexation" and only
clever politics on the part of British
statesmen and the political leaders of
the southern United States prevented
a crisis. The latter feared that the
annexation of Canada to the union
would give the north an overwhelm-
ing strength in the struggle over
states rights and slavery then brew
ing. This early reciprocity treaty
was confined to natural resources
excluding manufacturers, and the
United States got distinctly the
worst of the bargain"
In 1874, the writer points out, T.
other reciprocity treaty was proposed
but failed of ratification by the Unit
ed States senate. In 1890 Sir Will
fred Laurier, prime minister OF Can
ada, proposed reciprocal and abso-
lutte commercial freedom between
Canada and the United States" but
duuS tHe ItNItNtl, lIlc bclcIdl tleC-
ton which ensued had a chastening
effect upon the liberal party and
} taught it that the country suspected
3 that annexation was lurking in the
background"
After summing up the difficulties
j in the way of reciprocity, the writer
INDUCES the hope that for the mo-
3 ment, at any rate, this blow will be
r averted." II any such treaty is made y
he continues, at will be because the
. Americans realize the enormous po-
= tentialities Of Canada and are prepar-
ed to make smaller demands with the
o purpose OF securing the future. The
,. outlook, from the imperial point OF
: view, is of the utmost gravity and
yet the British people decline to say
a the word which will Danish forever
n all such anxietles and establish the
future Of the empire"
: Another writer on the same sub.
ject says that president Taft is ex.
t actly the sort of man to succeed II
such a project. Needless of the
= noise and clamor of transient issues
he is silently working out a plar
G which may result in the annexation
: Of Canada, and win for him an i'm.
mortality greater by far than any
y fame to be derived from beating the
n tinpans of partisan politics."