The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1911-09-28
Duped and Delivered.

Duped and Delivered.
The defeat of reciprocity in Can
ada is attributable to two main
causes: the selfish Interests" and a
mistaken patriotism.
Thesinterests' constituted, first,
Of the spoiled protection beneficial
ries, included also the railroads and
kindred powerful factors. The pro-
lection benefieiaries have proved
that they have a stronger grip upon
Canada than their kind have even
upon the United States. They have
refused to loosen in the least that
grip, and in their fight to retain it
have worked on the agricultural
clements their bunco even more eff
fectively than the same bunco has
been worked on the farmers Of this
country
The other leading influences in the
condemnation of the treaty was un-
doubtedlY the sentiment against an
neXation, or any diminished nation
alism, stimulated to the utmost by
the protectionists. There is no
question that Champ Clark made a
bad@4blunder when he gave voice to
any such idea on this side of the
line. Joke or no joke it played
havoc with the enlightened plans Of
the Canadian Liberals, serving, as
nothing else could have done, the
sordid designs Of the protection
lists. 1t was not subject about
which Canadians were disposed to
Joke, even If they saw the joke
and British blood has always been
exceedingly obtuse to Yankee jokes.
The result of the election merely
shows how easily majority may be
imposed, upon by small minority
when that minority lis selfishly in
terested and the majority views the
issue merely as public question.
The annexation hobgoblin was
cleverly dangled before the eyes OF
the Canadians by protectionists who
wished to continue to fill the pockets
which protectionism has been lining
for some time 1t is not so remark
able that the coalition of politicians
and plunderers should triumph in
the name of patriotism when pro-
tectfonism has bamboozled the ma
tority on this side Of the line for 50
many years upon pretexts quite as
f1imsy as annexation was in Canada.
II manufacturers allied with office
seekers are able to convince Amer
lean farmers that protectionism
profits them in country which ex-
PORTS farm products upon which the
prices are fixed in open world mar
kets on the other side of the Allan
tic, is it astonishing that gentry OF
the same sort should be able to per-
suade Canadian farmers that Ameri-
ca wishes to gobble their territory
when the only actual object is to inn
Rrove trade relations and bring about
mutual benefits?
Nothing that can happen in Cana
da can detract from the glory of the
victory of reciprocity in the United
States. That victory recorded
plainly an economic awakening in
this country It seems wholly prob
able that events now casting their
hadows before them will prove that
the enactment of the reciprocity leg
islation was incidental to broader
movement in the direction of the
abolition of the most pernicious
form of grating that has operated
20 eurtail the profits of legitimate en-
leayor in the United States. That
movement will be accelerated rather
than retarded by the evidence of the
failure OF the majority of the Can
adams to appreciate a proffer of
neighborly trade relations which the
rafters in the United States fought
for the same reason that the pro-
tectionists in Canada opposed It.
although the methods Of attack they
adopted We're somewhat different.
II there We're any real sentiment for
ANIMATION upon the part of Amer
leans the refusal of Canada to be
neighborly and the slamming of the
door in the face of, America would
be more likely than the removal or
custom houses from the frontier to
increase that sentiment but happily
there is no popular desire in Amer
lea for ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF territory.
II a poll of the people were taken
there would be handsome majority