Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-07-31
CAMP PAIGN OPENED
BY BOTH PARTIES
IN CANADA
RECIPROCITY SOLE
ISSUE BEFORE PEOPLE
Laufier Issues Address to Vot-
erS Declaring Opponents
Have Gone Back on Tradi-
tiOnaI Policy of Conservative.
Party.
rBy Morning Journal Special Led wiz.

tBy Morning Jeurnal Special Led Wiz. j.,
ottawa, Ont, July 30.-The ppynlne
gun in the campaign which VIII de-
termine the fate OF the reciprocity
agreement between the United states
and Canada, was fired today by the
/ liberal leader. Sir Wilfrid iauricr. II
was In the form of an open address
to the Canadian people and In il ID set
forth clearly the issues involved in the
present campaign.
/ The question at issue Is not a new
| one, Sir Wiltrid asserts, reciprocal re-
( lations with the United States having
! been sought by both parties for over
half century The present conscrya.
tive party, he declared, is seeking TO
! reverse the lifelong policy Of It's
/ leaders of the past. The enactment
| of the agreement. the premier pre-
| diets, would further Improve the
+ friendly relations between Great Brit
I ain. Canada and the Unitprl States.
| and would be an important factor In
/ bringing about general treaty Of
arbitration.
AT all times during the last forty
years" says Sir Wilfrid. 1T has been
the constant effore of all political par
ties In Canada 10 make with the Unit
ed States an agreement for the free
exchange of natural products between
tho two countries.
"In 1854 Lord Elgin. on behalf of
Canada and the Maritime provinces.
negotiated with the United States n
treaty for that purpose which lasted
until 1866 and which. within the mem-
ory of many still alive was of the
greatest advantage
Ever since the termination OF that
treaty all public men of any promi-
nence in Canada. whatever their diff
ferences on other questions have been
unanimous in the attempt again to Sc
cure the free exchange of national
| products.
Nor is this To be wondered at, see
ing that In the industries of agricul-
/ ture. fisheries. numbering and mining
/ Canada possesses advantages not en-
1oyed by any other country on earth,
and that upon the markets secured
Tor the products of these Industries
depends the growth of our manufac-
turing and commercial interests and
the proprietary interests OF all classes
in the dominion
The last attempt of the conserva-
tive party to that end was made by
Premier Sir John A. Macdonald. who
dissolved parliament in 1891 for the
purpose of submitting to the elector-
ate Of Canada the expediency Of his
approaching again the American at-
thorties tor "a removal of the treaty
of 1854
After the present government took
office ii renewed in vain this offer to
the United states but meeting with
no response, Ii decided that no other
overtures of this nature would be
made by Canada.
Within the last twelve months the
president of the United States sent to
ottawa two commissioners from
Washington for the purpose OF open.
ing negotiations looking toward the
lowering of the tariff barriers which
have hitherto stood in the way OF
freer exchange Of commodities be-
tween Canada and the United States
These negotiations eliminated In an
agreement.
This agreement was strenuously
resisted in the United States by varl.
Gus interests on the alleged grounds
that .it was all to the advantage OF
anada and to the dctriment OF the
other country, but the view that II was
mutually advantageous to both coun-
tries finally prevailed IN congress and
the agreement stands today as an Of
fer by the United States TO Canada OF
that very measure Of reciprocity
which for more than forty years has
engaged the earnest and constant ei-
forts of every leading Canadian states
man.
The present conservative party In
parliament seeks absolutely to reverse
the lifelong policy Of its great lead
ers OF the past, declaring that II will
oppose to the bitter end the yer,
principles enunciated by both Sil
John Thompson. in the last election
addresses upon which both OF these
statesmen ever appealed to the Canad-
ian people.
Not content to debate this PROPOSE
tjon upon its merits the conservative
party i'm the house of commons had
adopted a system of organized ana
avowed obstruction to prevent any
vote being taken In parliament by
which the opinion of your represent
tives there could be expressed.
"Day after day when the presiding
officer has tried to put the question,
he has been met with obstructive de-
vices OF every kind, each put forward
on some specious preteXt. but In real.
lty nothing else than an abuse of free
dom of speech in parliamentary ue-
bate.
such pretenscs are simply n
clumsv attempt To give some color to
and undlgnifled obstruc-
tion. TO overcome that obstruction
after session which mas already last
cd eight months. would not only mean
the continuation of an unsecmly
spcctaele presented by the opposition
in the house of commons since the
resumption Of It's sittings on the eigh-
teenth instant. Dut would also mean
weeks and months Of wasted time ana
perhaps. in the end the loss Tor the
season to the Canadian producer OF
the free American market
I'm this condition Of things It has
seemed more In accordance with the
dignity of parliament, with the tra6i- |
tlons OF those British institutions |
which all through Canadians value so
highly and which the present Opposi- !
tion degradcs with such light heart |
with the best interests OF the coun-
ire AS n whole to remit the Issue to
the people themselves, so that the
people may Judge between the govern
ment ana the opposition ana declare
whether they nave changed their |
minds or whether they Will or Will not |
A. AYn.Yi,.au- f,ut.if,4I rpr I'm |