New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-14
.IAUR|ER DENOUNCES
ANNEXATION AGITATION
.Never Had a Fight So lnsidious
and Dishonest" Says Can
ada'S Premier.
MALI LIGNANT POLITICAL FIGHT
Malicious Anti American Cam
paign Waged by Foes of Reel
procity to Defeat Measure,
Say Liberal Leaders.

BY telegraph 20 The Tribune
Ottawa. ont. Sept. 13.-'I have never
had a fight SO inSidious and dishonest
Is this. said Sir Wilfrid Laurier speak
ing in French TO an outdoor audience
Of four thousand people at the hamlet OF
Beauce Junction. 2. O., yesterday The
Prime Minister did not say all he had in
mind az the time about the insidious-
ness and dishonesty of the fight being
waged against him and the cause OF
reciprocity but il is known that he and
bis friends are taking serious counsel
together about the extraordinary efforts
being made 10 arouse an anti-American
sentiment through the eastern prov
inces OF Canada for the purpose Of de-
feating reciprocity.
The anti-American agitation is now
persistent widespread and thoroughly
organized. II is the cool judgment Of
the real friends in Canada Of reciprocity
and good Will between this country and
the United States that the anti-reci-
procity fight. in straying away from
a discussion Of its merits as measure
of political economy, is in danger of de-
generating into a malignant political
disease of an international character
that Will require many years Of careful
treatment to eradicate if. indeed. it
can be cured in an ordinary lifetime.
Some of the most serious-minded men
IN Canada are to-day giving the SUBJ
Jcct weshty thought and are eXorting
- D.
the influence which thcy fear may re-
suit in undoing the unselfish work Of
genera tions in attempting to bring the
Two great North American nations to Il
state of mutual good will and genuine
noigubor.iu-ss.
The wide International effect Of an
snu-reciprocity victo~y next Thursday,
which is not regarded in well informed
circles as probable. but is not highly i'm
probable. is in these last days OF the
campaign receiving the attention that
should have been given TO it weeks ago.
Anti American Campaign Bitter.
But il could scarcely he foreseen that
the anti-American campaign was likely
90 suddenly occupy such a prominent
part of the fighting plan of the opposi-
tion. such. however, is the fact and
there is here in Canada to-day an un-
exsmnled. continuous, litter and mali
clous hatred breeding campaign which,
il successful. must he followed by long
Years Of effort on the part Of the sane.
level headed. peace loving Canadians To-
restore the status quo of the days just
after the introduction Of the reciprocity
measure in Parliament last January. he
fore the opposition was builied or caj9led
into its at first half-hcarted decision 10
oppose the measure. The decision
reached at last by the Opposition was 20
aistasteful To many candidates for Par
Hamentary hcnors in the present cam
raigu that a handful of Opposition can
didates are already pledged TO vote for
reciprocity If Laurier is returned to
power by the electors next week. The
problem then was 20 arouse a real in
terest IN the campaign against rcciproc-
it,.
The only solution. at least so far as the
English speaking constituencies are con-
,crncd. seemed to be that provided by
the ultra-Tories of Toronto and Mon
treal. who entered who.e-heartedly into
al extensive campaign 70 arouse all the
Old anti-Americau prejudice and pas
sion If years gone by. Hundreds Of cx-
amples Of their subsequent activity
might be cited, but it is perhaps suffi-
Gent 20 mention the continuous ref
erence To President Taft in responsible
Conservative newspapers of Toronto and
Montreal as tricky Taft Taft the
swindler." etc. While these same papers
day after day print cartoons depicting
Uncle Sam as low, de5ased creature,
reptile. q tricky fox, hoggish fellow,
d-houorablc. mean. skulking beast Of
prey. defer of certain things, Presi-
dent Taft is shown daily by these papers
as "a repulsiya individual
The whole performance is carried on
with sort of ghouIlsh glee. Americans
are shown as gloating over the destruc-
ton oG Canada's nationality and rev.
cling in her downfall Annexation is
not strong enough word any longer for
these attackers of American honor.
and the antI-rcciprocity vocabulary is
searched for words 10 impute all that is
low and mean To CanaGas southern