The Alaska citizen., 1911-05-08
DEFENDS
 RECIPROCITY
MAKES TELLING SPEECH ON THE PACT BEFORE CANADIAN
 PARLIAMENT.

OTTAWA, March 27.-Sir Wilfrid l.aurier today, when the debate on the reciprocity proposals was resum. ed in the house, made telling de fense of the proposed pact to be en. tered into with the United States. and set himself to refute the argu. ment that freer trade with the Unit. ed States would lead to political as. similation.
 Describing his ideal of the rela. tionship between the United States and Canada. Sir Wilfrid said :: There perhaps may be a spectacle of two peoples living side by side. separated only by an invisible line. with not a gun drowning across it. not q for "ess on either side. with no armament. one against the other but living in harmony. in mutual con fidence and with no other rivalry than generous emulation in com merce and the arts of peace.
 To the Canadian people would say that if it is possible for Us to obtain such relations between these two young and growing nations. Can ada will have rendered to Old Eng. land, the mother of nations-nay, to the whole British empire-a service unequalled in it's present effect and still more in it's far-rea ching conse. quences.
 T think l can venture the asser- ton that the policy involved in the agreement has met with the enthu. siastic appreciation of the majority of hn fectly aware that the policy has not been universally accepted, and has met in some quarters with rather stubborn opposition.
 It is well known that an orsani, zation has been created in Montreal and Toronto to fight this agreement 1 do not underestimate the import ance of such a movement or tha men al the head of it. Yet. do not think there is cause for alarm in the agreement.
 II is a wonder to me that here is any objection to 1t at all, for we have now achieved relations with our neighborS which all parties in Cana da have been seeking for the last forty years.
 What is the cause for the change Ot attitude on the other side of the house? The only reason given k that Canada today is more prosperous than she was ever before. If Canada were still in the position i'll which this government found it in 1896 when he took office. with industry stagnant. and with agriculture unre munerative, have no doubt that to- day the policy We are proposing would be received with favor. and, indeed, with eXultation by all. But now we are told by our opponents to let well enough alone
 Is this Canada or China? Our pol icy is advance.
 We are, above all, an agricultural people. Our object today is to open the door to American markets; and shall We be told that because such an arrangement is to go into effect, and Canadian vegetables, cereals and fruit can be eaten free of duty by the American people, it will be all over with the Canadian federation, end even that the British empire will reel on its foundations?
 Let us disregard these freaks of ullIedSoulllS panic All We dSh lS lo be allowed to obtain for the Cana dian who works in the field the best possible remuneration for his labor
 Sir Wilfrid denied that the agree ment would divert Canadian trade 10 American channels.
 Dealing with the claim that the agreement would disturb industrial conditions. he said:
 In making this agreement We took all the conditions into consideration. We took every precaution not to in jury any existing industry, and l think we have been successful. There should be no antagonism between manufacturers and farmers. The far mer is the best friend of the manu- facturer and the manufacturer the best friend of the farmer"