The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-08
THE FIGHT IN CANADA.

1t is curious to see presented in Can
adian reciprocity agreement, urged in
behalf of Canada, that were presented
and urged in behalf of the United
States while that agreement was pend
ing in our own Senate. It was said
in the Senate, and on that theory a
number of Senators voted against the
agreement, that the competition of
Canada in the products made free of
duty in this agreement would ruin the
farmers of the United States. 1t is
now urged in Canada in opposition to
this reciprocity agreement, that pre-
cisely the same things that we hold
up as scarecrows on this side of the
line are now held up on the other side
of the line as factors sure to ruin the
farmers Of Canada.
And here we have an identical argu.
ment introduced on both sides of the
line, an argument destructive of itself
as applied in both directions, For, il
the American farmer is to be ruined
by the import of Canadian farm prod.
ucts free Of duty, then certainly the
Canadian farmer cannot also be ruined
by the same thing. 1t is an argument
that falls to the ground because ii
proves too much; it cannot possibly
serve both ways.
IT is very justly urged by Premier
IN haf
party in Canada for generations back
has been urging the benefits to Canada
of reciprocity agreements with the
United States Canada has been con.
stantly urging such treaty; and IT
left off urging it only because in term
after term of our Congress, and in ad-
ministration after administration, it
was utterly ignored by the United
States. This would indicate. prima
facie, that the statesmen of our coun.
try considered reciprocity more to the
advantage of Canadians than to our
selves. But, if this assumed view is
correct, then the argument would have
such weight as it has on this side OF
the line, and none whatever on the other
side of it. This logic is freely used by
the proponents OF reciprocity in the
present campaign in Canada, for rati-
fication.
of Premier Laurier in dissolving the
Dominion Parliament and appealing di.
rect to the people on this question,
was statesmanlike and expeditions, for,
if he had undertaken to fight the mat
ter out in the old Dominion Parlia.
ment, there would still have been a
doubt of what the people thought
about it; in case he had his way; and
probably the final determination would
have had to be referred to the people
after all. And now the Premier, waiy.
ing all intermediate efforts, appeals di-
rect to the people for the final decis.
ion of the whole matter.
The Canadian opponents of reciproc
ity are evidently weakening; for il is
said they are undertaking to bring
other issues into the campaign They
would not do this if they considered
their opposition to reciprocity to be
strong for them; but, since they invoke
other issues, they confess that, for
them. anti.reciprocity is weak issue,
and that the Ministry is likely
to prevail unless the campaign can be
muddled by the introduction Of other
propositions and measures. II is q
favorite trick Of weak opposition;
but Premier Laurier Will doubtless be
equal TO this emergency, as he has
been the commanding influence in other
phases of this fight; and we feel sure
that the triumph of reciprocity in Can
ada at the election next month will be
as complete as it was in the United
States.