Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-08-23
#istellansuus &sading.
TARIFF FIGHT IN CANADA
Renewal Of the Demand for Reciproe
ty With This Country.

TARIFF FIGHT IN CANADA
Renewal Of the Demand for Reeiproei-
ty With This Country.
The eastern manufacturers and the
other supporters Of the present gov
ernment are beginning to be thorough
ly aroused by the unmistaken demand
Of the west for wider markets, as evil
denced in the recent Saskatchewan
election, in which the sole issue was
reciprocity. The campaign in that far
western province was poorly reported
in the eastern newspapers, but echoes
of the fight are beginning to be heard
here and the conclusion that the COM
ing session of parliament will develop
the greatest tariff fight ever seen in
this country is irresistible.
Two utterances have been made dur
ing the last week by men prominent
in Saskatchewan which show clearly
the temper Of the west The facts set
forth in them may be summarized as
follows:
There is a possibility Of another grain
blockade this year, as previously
pointed out several months ago in this
correspondence. The railways undoubt-
edly have done their best to prepare
for quickly handling the crop. the
Canadian Pacific, which will handle
the major portion of 1t and all Of 1t
practically east Of Port Arthur after
the close Of navigation, having added
greatly to its motive power and rolling
stock, has largely reduced its grades
and has double tracked large portions
of its main line, notably between Win
nipeg and Fort William.
AS the western crop increases the
necessity of free access to the. markets
to the south becomes all the more
urgent. Besides, 1t is pointed out that
Great Britain Is the only considerable
European purchaser Of Canadian
wheat, and Great Britain has about
reached the limit of her purchases Of
Canadian wheat, as there Is no pros
pect Of any considerable increase In
the population of the British Isles. As
the production increases, therefore,
other markets than Great Britain must
be looked for II the wheat growing in
dustry Of the west Is to continue to
flourish.
From Winnipeg to st. Paul Is less
than 500 miles and to Chicago 1t Is
only 800 miles, and the hauling Of grain
to those great markets does not involve
the crossing Of great deserts, or much
more than zero weather. The prices
in those markets are higher for all the
Canadian grains than at Winnipeg or
Fort William, so much so that If the
American duties were removed the Ca
nadians could afford to pay a stiff
freight rate and still get more for their
product than they do now.
1t Is generally believed, or at least
hoped here, that the Democrats will
win the presidency this year. In fact,
It Is assumed here that they will
win and that they will forthwith low
er or remove the grain duties. Assum-
ing this to be so, the Borden govern
ment will Immediately be confronted by
a difficulty. Immediately after such a
reduction or removal Of the grain du-
ties in the United States q large guam
tity Of Canadian grain will be shipped
during the winter months into the
United States markets, increasing rap
idly as the United States consumption
continues to increase there.
The advocates Of the renewal Of the
reciprocity issue point out that at this
juncture the Borden government will
find a still greater demand for the re-
moval Of the duties on United States
manufactures, for are the cars that
carry out the Canadian grain to return
empty? It Is believed that In this sit
uation Mr.. Borden's government will
meet with a storm that it can never
weather II 1t maintains, its present
stand.
Another feature Of the situation Is
the inevitable subsistence Of the infia-
ton Of values in the west. Enormous
liabilities have been incurred for ur-
ban property which Is not likely to be
built upon in this generation. The boom
in farm lands is less dangerous and
when the reaction sets in immigration
is likely to fall off.
Another spokesman for the west
says: 1.-THE Liberals are quite cocky
and think reciprocity Is far from being
dead; the Conservatives are shaking
their heads and admitting that the old
disloyalty cry and the religious cry
will not serve them next time, and are
openly admitting the necessity for a
reduction in the tariff. Now Is the
time to strike for wide range OF mar
kets. We asked last year for agricul-
tural products only. Let US go them
one step further and ask for reduc-
ton all around. 1t Is the old fable
once more of the Sybil who doubled
her demands each time she was re-
fused and her ultimate demands had
to be granted"
It is a certainty that the organized
grain growers Of the west are COM
ing here early in the next session Of
parliament to renew their demands for
reciprocity, and with the Saskatche-
wan election returns fresh in the minds
Of the government and with many
manufacturers freely admitting that
the defeat of reciprocity last year was
a great blunder from a tactical point
Of view, the coming session is bound to
write a new chapter in Canada's fiscal
history.-Ottawa Correspond Bos-
ton State Journal.