Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-29

The enterprises OF the United States,
said the deputation, were developed TO
the highest state in point OF capital spe-
OF products and OF magnitude
of operations: the enterprises or Cam
ada were undeveloped. due to restricted
markets: 1t was obviously Impossible TO
withstand the competition that would fol-
low reductions in the present state OF
Canadian tariffs. IL the United States
were ready for reciprocity Canada was
not. Dutiable products from the former
were admitted into Canada under an av-
erage of - per cent. while the United
States, to protect their own industries.
imposed upon Canadian products an av-
erage duty OF AZ per cent. TX reciprocal
trade agreement embracing manufactured
goods were now entered into with tho
United States. the latter country would
have an immense advantage. Canadian
manufactured goods had been excluded
from the United States because OF the
high tariff and were therefore practically
unknown to the consumers az that coun-
try.
On the other hand, the manufactures
of the United States. by reason or the
lower Canadian tariff. have been freely
sold in Canada. The deputaton en-
phasfzed the large sums expended by
Americans in establishing branch fac
tories i'm Canada. and also the neces-
sity of conserving Canadian raw ma
terials.
Sir wifrid. replying to the deputat1on.
declared that Canada was a democratic
country. administered by
Laurier'S democratic government.
which desired. as far as pos
ncPiy. sible. to meet the views OF
the different classes OF the people. II
would have been more advantageous III
farmers and manufacturers had appeared
before the government together and en-
deavored to reconcile the different state
ments. Farmers wanted reciprocity with
the United States. while manufacturers
opposed it, The governments difficulty
was to be able to draw the line be-
tween the opposing interests. The gov
eminent had ceased to make pilgrimages
to Washington, but 1t could not repel
friendly advances. Sir Wilfrd expressed
the belief that a measure of reciprocity
would be effected. which would not in
jure either the farmer or the manu-
facturer.
La Presse of Montreal furnishes other
evidence OF opposition to reciprocity. At
a banquet of the Manufacturers Associa-
ton OF that city. the evening OF Jan
uary 10. the president said:
1.-THE object of the association was to
create nation. to favor the preference
for the mother country, to support the
imperial federation. Canada desired the
protection of Canada against the COM
mercial rivalry of certain robber neigh
bors in finance, who permit the products
OF our fields, forests. fisheries and mines
to be carried free to the United States
to be returned to us afterward I'm fabrics
which injure our markets. Do not sub
ject us to such administration, but saw
nPUOflaf0rE
liver us from the evil OF reciprocity, keep
us under wise protection as q guarantee
for our industries"
M. Lemieux. minister OF posts. in his
discourse at the banquet, said: Look
at our railways, they have been con-
structed to run from east TO west AMI
not from north to south. / do not object
to the most cordial relations with our
neighbors Of the south. but / am for
Canada before all and above ALL
!; x
The Hon. Clifford Sifton. ex-minister of
the interior and actually chairman OF
the Dominion conserva-
Reciprocity tives' commission. is fatty
n...J opposed to reciprocity
VPPoSeu. and declared that IL Can
ada was to conserve her resources and
protect her people this is not the time to
lane dOWh lI0 diid lilIh luSSo re-
sources over to the United States.''
The ex-minister OF the interior believes
that the success hoped for at Washing
ton would signify inevitably that Cana
dian trade and business and the very life
of Canada would become so mixed M
with the Americans that Canadians would
become dependent on them and ultimately
form with them a political union. 1.-THE
Americans" he said, with their GUS
tomary disposition to grab and bubble
over interpretations of the treaty. would
have Canada in a hole and in ten or fif-
teen years she would be obliged to start
anew and put herself Alright.
MY view" continues Mr. Sifton. ais
that the best way Of continuing good re-
lations between Canada and the United
States is that each should attend to its
own business independently and have no
ENHANCEMENT, nothing in the world u
quarrel about.
Mr.. Sifton's sentiments, which are dis
tinctly anti-American as well as anti
reciprocity, are cited because they repre-
sent the Industrial opposition. The
speaker appears to have been ne aI,lI
cheered by his audience. 1t is instructive
because it teaches us that If there Is
party in Canada in favor of RECIPROCITY
there is another in favor of Canada Tor
the Canadians.
The members of the commission present
at the proceedings have been Mr.. Phi
lander C. Knox. Secretary of State Tor
the United States: Mr.. Chandler Anderson,
solicitor of the State Department: Mr..
Charles Pepper of the bureau of trade re-
la lions. Mr. Montgomery of the bureau
of customs The Canadian representa-
tives are: Mr. W. s. Fielding, minister
of finance; Mr.. William Paterson. minis
ter of customs; Mr.. James a. Russell,
tariff expert of the finance department,
and Mr. John Mcdonald, deputy minister
of customs.
1t il doubtless true, as suggested. that
the Canadian farmers have been almost
unanimous in their demands for free
trade in agricultural machinery, ana
these persistent demands have Doubt
less impressed the Canadian govern
ment with the necessity OF reciproc
ity. But there will probably be oppo-
sition in parliament, and the Washington
agreement or treaty may form the plat
form on which the liberal party In the
Dominion must stand or fall.
A recent dispatch from Winnipeg to the
Montreal Daily Star cites the Hon. Robert
Rogers as expressing the opinion in an
interview that the I-alIrier government
was planning an appeal to the country
in advance of the census, and that the
interest of government in reel
procity was the hope that out of ii there
might grow an opportunity for calling a
be completed and thereby further deprive
western Canada for the next five years OF
it's legal and rightful representation IN
the Canadian parliament.
But on the other hand reciprocity Is
not exclusively an interest of a local