New-York tribune., 1911-02-13
RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA
Tariff Reform Knocked Out
Natural Law VS.. Preference.
London. February

President Taft has thrown a bomb.
shell into the Tariff Reform camp in
England. His trade arrangement with
| Canada has made imperial preference i'm
uossible. The truth is acknowledged by
men of all parties that with a free ex-
change Of foodstuffs between America
and Canada Mr. Chamberlain's proposals
! for taking up imperial federation on the
business side cannot be carried out. Free
Traders joyfully welcome the result.
ism in the United Kingdom. Tariff Re-
formers reluctantly concede the fulfil
ment OF Mr.. Chamberlain's forecast that
Canada would be forced into reciprocity
with America and other countries II
there were undue delay in reciprocating
the preference freely given to England
Imperial preference was the cornerstone
Of the federated empire which appealed
! TO the imagination Of the Tariff Reform
leader. It has been rejected by Canada.
the progressive nation. which was ex-
pected TO lay the first course of the
stately fabric and TO command the loyal
support of the other self governing colo
nies. That splendid dream has been
shattered by a single bold stroke at
Washington.
| Irritable pessimists are portraying the
! situation In the darkest coors and Ia
menting the Duke of Connaught's de-
parture for an empty throne" since it
is now too late to avert the separation
of Canada from Great Britain. especially
when American settlers are crowding
into the middle west. Jeremiads like
these are not TO be taken seriously.
Englishmen in their sober senses and
not blinded by partisanship do not ques-
tion Canadian loyalty to the mother
| country; much less do they suspect the
opening Of an unnlanageable annexation
movement in Washington. Certainly
they ought not to be astonished If Ca
nadians have not been convinced Of the
practica bility Of a customs union within
| the British Empire, when that policy mas
met with relentless hostility in the
United Kingdom. Mr.. Chamberlain had
| barely succeeded in converting the ma
jority of the Unionist party to imperial
preference when he was incapacitated
for active leadership; and how sluggish
and half-hearted was Mr.. Balfour's ad-
vocacy of the new fiscal policy of reel
I procity with the colonies! The generai
| electorate has been against II in the last
three contests, and Mr. Balfour and MS
| lieutenants. while agreeing that 1t stlll
retains it's place in the party programme
are pledged TO submit il TO the country
by special referendum before there can
be a revised tariff The recent prospects
of tariff reform have been so depressing
that nobody ought to be surprised by the
evidence that Canada has lost falth IN II
as a practical issue.
The trade statistics, moreover, nave
demonstrated that the wheat area IN the
United States has become stationary
that the exports of foodstuffs are declih-
| ing and that the supply in the course u
few years will barely equal the nome
requirements. Ten years ago third OF
the American crop was exported; no"
the dwindling surplus available Is aooaI
| one-siXth, and with the enormous III
! crease in population the time is raploiy
approaching when this margin VIII De
vined out President Taft, in anlclpa-
ton of this inevitable shrinkage OF iood
surplus. has made in good time a traoe
arrangement by which shipments to
creat Britain will be diverted southwark
across the border. Reciprocity IN 1oou
products forestalls shorta &c Of nome sup
nIv and is prudential measure in the
interest of the main body Of consumers
Canada. instead Of remaining the princl-
pal granary for England. VIII be con-
verted into a fresh source of supply TOT
the United States BY cooperation on
hoth sides of the long frontier Nof'h
America becomes self-sustaining for an
Indefinite period. while England Is search
ing in Argentina and Northern India for
feeders of it's own industrial systems.
Tariff Reformers like Mr.. Hewins. Sil
Gilbert Parker and the editor OF IhF
| Morning Post" admit at once that the
diversion of Canadian food supple:
scuthward will increase the cost OF Nv
ing IN England. Fresh sources of sup
niles which might have been secured
,hroush co-operation with Canada and
other British dominions. will he founc
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