New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-09

built navy and In 1910 against a Canadian
navy, but In favor OF cash contribution to
England TO build two Dreadnoughts. In this
connection II may be said that Immediately
after Nh Fielding had introduced the reel
procity measure In the House Of Commons
last January hasty council of leading
Conservative members of Parliament was
called by the leader of the Opposition to
consider the position to be taken on. the
question At that conference member after
member stated that his constituency would
favor the agreement because of the advan-
tages TO be derived from II. This was es-
pecially true OF members representing rural
constituencies. This conference was fol-
lowed for days by caucus after caucus,
while in the mean time the opposition in
the House cautiously and half-heartedly OPP
posed the adoption of the agreement. II
was only after many days of conference and
q threatened revolt against Mr.. Borden's
leadership, in the course of which the pro-
prietor of one of the Conservative organs
personally voiced his approval of reciproci
", that the leader Of the Opposition man
aged to get his followers into line to oppose
the reciprocity pact.
Anti American Sentiment Famed.
The activity OF the Opposition, under Mr..
Borden's leadership, is being concentrated
on efforts to fan ant-American sentiment.
The Fenian raids that occurred before the
average voter Of to-day ever heard the
word reciprocity are being referred to at
the meetings held along the boundary line.
and II is not unusual at those meetings
for some old resident 10 shout out: Eyes.
remember II all The Yankees never
apologized for II, either!'
The campaign for the most part is being
fought out in the country rather than In
the cities The explanation is simple. The
cities are uuderrepresented in Parliament.
The city Of Winnipeg. with a population of
10000, sends only one Member Of Parlia-
ment. while the constituency Of Soulanges,
with q population OF 1000. sends men,
Der whose vote is quite as effective as that
Of the member for Winnipeg. The cities OF
Montreal, Toronto. Winnipeg and Van
couver with a total population of over a
million, send only thirteen Members Of
Parliament out of total Of 22l.
A feature OF the campaign that is OF
interest is the continued reiteration OF
charges by the leading opposition organ
IN Montreal that vast sums have been
raised in the United States by interests In
favor Of reciprocity to corrupt the Ca
madam electorate Similar charges have
been made 10 the effect that vast sums
have been raised IN the United States by
interests there which are opposed To
reciprocity and 10 be used for the same
diaboical purpose Of corrupting the Ca
madam voter or Of influencing him In some
mysterious manner. II the stories are TO
be believed. and they are not believed by
sane men, then II is apparent that this cam
paign will result In a great influx OF good
American money into this country.
The one great striking feature Of the
campaign is the lack of discussion by the
Opposition OF the reciprocity pact on Its
merits. devoid OF extraneous matter such
as appeals to prejudice or passion. The
same thing was observed during the dis
cussion OF the measure in the House OF
Commons The supporters of the measure
are ready with facts and figures and APP
peals TO business experience, while the
opponents Of 1t devote themselves largely
TO denunciation and appeals to passion
Sydney Fisher, Minister Of Agriculture,
is making telling appeals to the farm
ers by dealing with concrete facts.
But there is no general discussion OF
reciprocity from the standpoint OF political
economy The discussions in Congress
dealt far more fully with the probable
results of the adoption OF reciprocity than
did the discussions in the House Of Com
mons