New-York tribune., 1910-09-03
AMERICANS IN CANADA
A Political Stalking Horse-Cob-
denism and Tariff Reform.
London. August >

that the trend Of public opinion in the
Northwestern wheat belt is toward Free
Trade rather than toward preferential
trade with the mother country. The
-,eu converts TO Cobdenisrn are the re-
Vatriated Canadians and American col
onists. who have been crowded out OF
Minnesota the Dakotas. Idaho and
washington and are opening sections Of
virgin soil hundreds Of miles beyond the
frontier
With easv-Eoing credulitv the Liberal
editors assume that these immigrants
from the Northwestern States have left
their Protection principles behind them
and become the evangels Of Free Trade
IN the Canadian wilderness Their in
fuence Il is gravely argued. is already
sufficiently powerful 10 Offset the self
interested policies Of Ontario manufact-
JI-ere and the traders Of the Maritime
Provinces As the reaches Of Western
Canada are filing up with American set
tiers there is 4 growing revolt against
rrotectionisn, This is the CONCLUSION
with which Radical writers console
themselves while waiting for the ldes OF
November and z fresh onset Of the lar
if Performers II the next general elec-
tions
on the Juionist side the American n i'm
--i--a7rs are regarded with suspicion
and distrust as conspirators against the
British Empire. II they are not annexa-
tionists bent upon breaking up the Do
Triuion and charging the territories OF
the great Republic until Alaska shall no
longer be isolated from Minnesota and
Michigan. they are. al least. misstoners
Of continental reciprocity and CONNER
ciaI absorption
Instead Of welcoming reinforCenents
for Free Trade from protectionist Amer
ics as the Cobdenist press is doing with
more zeal than discretion the Tariff Re
form editors are sounding a loud and
rather frantic warning against unpatri-
otic campaigning against imperial trade
and federation. What viii be the ef-
feet. they ask with undisguised alarm.
if Americans offer reciprocity on the
most generous terms. while the mother
country grudgingly withholds preferen-
tial trade Absolutely fatal" is their
answer They consider il inevitable that
Canada viii be drawn toward the nearer
and larger market. and that its Anerl-
oanization in policy and sentiment will
be rapidly completed The only weapon
against imperial wreckers. in the esti-
nation OF these Cnionist Croakers. Is
Tariff. Reform with the closest possible
commercial and political alliance be
tween the United Kingdom and the self
governing colonies.
These vagaries Of British opinion are
Tot perhaps 70 he taken too seriously in
-re dogdays when politicians are scat
tered among the four winds. and there
is much ado about nothing in the news
paper Offices Il may be Z safe inference
that there are no Illusions among Eng
iishn1en respecting the adventures of the
American immigrant across the Cana
dian frontier. and that he is accepted for
what he is-a restless wanderer in
search Of new lands rather than con-
spirat0r against the British Empire or 9
fanatical pioneer of Free Trade.
The importance Of the exodus from
rhe Northwestern states and Of the in
filtration Of American ideas into the re
mote reaches Of Canada is obviously eX
eege-a-ed by partisan writers for their
own purposes; and Vet judicious fore
casts Of party policy may be based upon
these fictitious appeals to prejudice.
The American immigrant is the COM
mon stalking horse behind which the
Free Trader and the Tariff Reformer
conceal themselves from the sight of the
game The screen may be z hollow pre-
tence. but II viii not be long before the
firing is rapid and deadly.
The coronation viii draw the colonial
preriers to London next year, and when
TIE pageantry is over there will be re-
newed attempts To bring the states OF
the empire into more intimate relations
with the mother country. II Mr.. Bal
four be Prime Minister the colonial con
ference viii be Z most servicea bic in
strUment for forcing Tariff Reform upon
the kingdom. There viii be g revel Of
loyalty after the coronation. and the
nation and its remote dependencies Will
be in = congerial mood for considering
concessions for mutual advantage. Min
sisters and premiers viii he in readiness
70 take I'D imperial federation. as the
Missioner from Birn1in CHAM used TO say.
on the business side. and King George,
who IS as broadminded and convinced
an inperialist as there Is IN the empire.
VIII be IN fun sympathy with the move
rlert
In view or the approaching conference
and Of the proba biIity that Mr.. BaIfour
viii be Prime Minister. II the election
comes on in January. the Unionist dec
lanation over the Americanization Of
Canada IS timely and inteIligible. How
opporrune and plausible is the warning
that the empire may be broken up in the
7rilds Of Canada unless the Tariff Re
formers come in with precipitate rush
and battle the willy Americans by bind
ing together John Bulls scattered es-
Iates with businesslike preferential con-
tracts,
The Liberal government. which has
seemed TO have a charmed life during
the last SIX months. may survive both
The 1-icissitudes Of the veto question and
the exigencies Of the general election.
Nr Asquith may still be Prime Minister
when the colonial conference assemblies,
end ministers may not be in a position
- make any concessions 10 Canada and
the other commemorative. When the
last session was held they played with
many safe subjects. established an in