The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-26
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY.
The President Likely to Succeed
in His Desire to Bring the Eng
disappearing Peoples in Closer
Relations.

The Canadian reciprocity treaty.
which has been the talk of Washington
and the subject of no end Of specula-
ton, will be given to the public now
almost any day, and forthwith 1t will
be possible to tell something of Its pros
poets of becoming the law Of the land.
1t is essentially the work Of President
Taft, who wants to establish closer and
more friendly relations with the coun
try northward, and also with the moth
er country Of Great Britain as one of
the big and distinct features Of his Ad-
ministration. For some time he has
been urging general arbitration treaty
with Great Britain, that there might be
a conspicuous example Of peace and
good will. whose influence would be to
dissuade the whole world from war.
II the President had not hung to IT,"
when everybody else was skeptical.
there would have been no reciprocity
treaty with Canada The text of that
document promises to furnish a test
Of no small magnitude Of willingness
to make concessions. Toe Canadians
obtain better conditions for bringing
their food products into the markets
Of the United States and the manufac-
turers Of the States obtain better OPP
portunity for sending their manufac-
tured articles into Canada.
Incidentally, II the treaty Is well re-
isfactory manner Secretary of State
Knox, who has been one of the most
criticised members of the Cabinet, will
have scored something to his advan-
tage, and will have gained little pres
tige that should help him to other dip
lomatic ievements-perhaps to the
framing Of a general arbitration treaty
with Great Britain.
Friendships of English Speaking
Nations.
At washington the more friendly at
titude of the English-speaking nations
toward one another is becoming very
apparent. 1t was hardly 10 years ago
that the politicians were almost afraid
to voice any sentiment Of international
friendliness with England, lest 1t arouse
National prejudice and start men to
talking about the wars of the Revo-
luton and of 1912. In q similar way
the civil war can now be discussed
| without bitterness all of which goes
to show how the mind Of the average
| man Is broadening and how a founda-
| ton of universal friendship Is building
The craze for armament and armies is
| forcefm in the world. and existS in no
weak measure at Washington. But the
advocates of peace believe 1t will re-
cede before the crusade for friendly re.
lations, the sentiment for which IL
growing by leaps and bounds.
Perhaps the trade treaty with Canada
| which is in a little different category
may not be found altogether desirable
but it is regarded as noteworthy that
the officials of the two Governments are
able to reach an agreement, which
| would have been impossible few years
ago.
| More than a dozen years ago Rich
ard Olney, Of Boston, as Secretary OF
State, gave great impetus to the arbf-
tration idea, which may develop into
the browning achievement of the pres.
emit century 1t was embodied in gen.
eral arbitration treaty with Great Brit
ain, which he negotiated with the late
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British EN-
| bassador. A dominant purpose was tC
eliminate wars and unfriendly conflicts
between these two great nations.
The recent discussions about new
arbitration treaty are. in substance, q
continuation OF the efforts which Mr.;
Olney made. Secretary John Hay ne
| gotiated arbitration treaties embodiyna
the same fundamental principle, but the
| Senate ratified them with amendments
which so modified the original texts as
to leave them of little or no value.
Within few days President Taft and
| ambassador James Bryce have talked
| Foreign Office would apparently approve
a very comprehensive arbitration treaty
covering every possible dispute between
the two nations. President Taft is OF
similar mind, and, as he stated in g
1 public address a few weeks ego, de.
clared for a positive agreement with
some great nation to abide the adjudi.
cation of an International Arbitration
I Court in every issue which cannot bs
settled by negotiation, no matter wha'
it involves, whether honor, territory oil
/ money" The chief opposition to &
speedy contamination of such treatie!
is the United States Senate. That op
position is based quite largely on con
stitutional grounds.
Carnegie's Work.
Andrew Carnegie has done much to-
4 ward encouraging n resumption of ne
gotiations. He is an influential mem.
Der of the American Society for the
Judicial Settlement of International Dis
putes. 1t was at Mr.. Carnegie's re.
quest that President Taft last month
delivered an address before that So.
ciety and spoke out for an Information.
h al Arbitration Court. He had preached
] the subject to the President prior tC
that time and, ascertainiEg the Presi-
dents views, carried the message acros:
the Atlantic on his last visit 10 Lon
don, where he learned that the Fcreigr
Office was not unfrie ndiy to the pro