The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-11-09
he Other Side Of
the Question
By a. M. Y.

By a. N. P.
have read with interest in the
last few issues of The Mirror, some
articles written by III. r., and have
been glad to read views on the
great current topics of the day, but
at the same time have often won
dered if it was intended for infor-
nation or fiction. | think. though,
that he is giving to us his views as
he sees them. | would like, how.
ever, to give few points on the
other side of the question. / think
it will be allowed that informative
or descriptive writing of that sort,
the first and prime Importance must
be placed on accuracy. If we find
that some, il only one, or many Of
the facts adduced are inaccurate,
then we may and must doubt his
conclusions.
In his paper on Canada and
Reciprocity" we find such jumble
of statements that it is hard to get
down to his basic belief. But l
take it that he is believer Of reci-
procity for Canada. Now let us
look for inaccuracies in his two pa
pers that I have before me. First
He speaks of the clique who domin-
ate the G.. P. r., and the Bank of
Montreal, which he says include
nearly all the obnoxious trust Of
ficials Of the States. think to any
one who has followed public utter
ances and the public views, this will
show itself as inaccurate at the
start. 1t is a well known fact that
the men at the head of these con-
Germs are Canadians, pure and SIM
pie. Let us name few of them
and see if we can find the American
trust official. who or whatever he is;
First There was Lord Mount
Stephen, who was a Scottish boy
that worked his way up in the Bank
of Montreal to President and was
President Of the G. p. r. Then
comes Lord Strathcona, who, COM
ing to the Hudson's Bay Co.. from
Scotland. in his early years, worked
his way to the top and is now the
Chairman of both these companies.
Other names that we find are Mr..
Angus, the banker, lifelong Can
adian; Sir Thomas Shaunacy, the
present president of the 6. p. r.;
Sir George Drummond, President of
the Bank of Montreal; Sir William
Whyte. These are the men who
are in direct control of these COM
panies as is well known to all, and
they are not American trust of
fcials, except, in as far as they came
to Minnesota years ago and financed
and started another Canadian, j. J..
Hill), on his road to the coast with
the Great Northern, and in which
company they have large voice
even to this day.
Then for his second inaccuracy,
he speaks of several trusts doing
business in Canada. / have only
time to take up one and show his
false reasoning. / will take the one
that he says goes furthest the To-
bacco Trust. He claims that tobac-
co is twice as high on the Canadian
side as on this; tbat is correct. But
then he goes on to say that as they
have factories in Canada no part Of
this increae goes to the Canadian
people in duties. This is mistake
in two ways. First As Canada
imports the raw leaf, duty can be
and is collected on it. Secondly
there is what is known as the ex-
else tai, an internal tax levied on
tobacco, wine, spirituous and malt
ed preparations These articles
being not necessities. but luxuries,
bear the heaviest tax imposed and
altogether they pay about 1876 per-
cent. duty. That explains why the
price is doubletin Canada. But
H. r. does not give us the right
reason. Then his migration fig
uresa million q year of foreigners
going into Canada. If they 60 in
where do they 60 out? The census