Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-22
Still Harping.
portland Press. }

Pencil is still harping on Canadian
reciprocity. He seems to have tied
himself up with the treaty Of 1854.
Addressing the farmers of Raymond
Wednesday, "he spoke in great detail
in regard to the Canadian reciprocity
question showing by many illustra-
lions how the plan would greatly ben
eft everybody in Maine" What plan?
The Taft plan, or the plan of 1854?
MIR. Pennell should take his propagan-
da over intos Canada. 1t looks as if
they needed convincing on the other
side of the line quite as much as on
this. 1t may not be needed in the
Canadian West as much as in the
Canadian East. but for the last ten
years an organization called the Cana
dian Manufacturers association has
influenced the tariff policy of the Do
minion, and made it protectionist. This
association at it's annual meeting sew
eral years ago passed resolutions,
which have been re-affirmed at subse-
quent meetings. declaring for pro-
tective policy. 1t pronounced in the
first place for a tariff revision upon
lines that should transfer to the
of the goods then imported from other
countries and that should also be
framed with a view to the protection
and development of all the industries.
agriculture. fishing and mining as well
as manufacture. and should give
substantial preference to the mother
country and the other parts of the en-
pire. This was in 1902. Later in re-
affirming it's resolutions the associa-
ton made some additions. 1t declared
against subsidies instead of protective
duties, recommended the establishment
of permanent tariff commission of
experts to have supervision of the tar
if policy, and resolved that we are
strongly opposed to any reciprocity
treaty with the United States affect
ing the manufacturing industries of
Canada"
These recommendations bore fruit
in the Canadian tariff act of 1904
triple tariff. with maximum interme-
diate and minimum or preferential
schedules. This tariff is not so stiy
protective as the Manufacturers as
ISOLATION wanted. but is considerably
more so than it's predecessor. and it is
on the general lines laid down by the
association 1t was regarded as COM
citing Canada to the protective prin-
ciple. 1t is true that movement in
favor of reciprocity has sprung up
among the farmers of the Canadian
Northwest. as Sir Wilfrid Laurier
found in his late tour in that section.
The farmers of Manitoba and beyond
are finding it for their interest to
have freer trade with the United
States. and they have presented a me-
mortal demanding that the manufac-
turing interests shall receive only such
protection as revenue tariff will
afford, and declaring that "the western
farmers will watch with intense inter-
est the negotiations between the
United States and our government re-
garding reciprocal trade and strongly
urge that everything consistent with
national honor to secure such a meas
ure should be done"
1t is thus the east against the west
again. and it is evident that a strong
protectionst sentiment in the eastern
provinces must be overcome in order
to. secure any measure of reciprocity
which the United States would regard
as fair. In the course of events we
shall find out about this. What can
be done President Taft will do. But
there is nothing in the treaty of 1854.
The country will have no more of that