Evening star., 1932-04-24
1892 Canadian Trade Conference
To Find Changes Under New Policy
Continued From First Page,)

Continued From First Page,)
restrictions, was not the prime cause
of the American secession. The
Declaration of Rights drawn up at
Philadelphia read. From the neces-
sity of the case and in regard to the
mutual interest of both countries, we
cheerfully consent to the operation of
such acts of the British Parliament
as are bona fide restrained to the regu-
latlon OF our external commerce for
the purpose of securing the commercial
advantages of the whole empire to the
mother country and the commercial
Dement'S to its respective members" !"
What caused the revolution, Amery
states was not the regulation of colo
MAI trade, but the attempt to invade
what was rightly regarded as the right
iul sphere Of the colonial Legislatures
IN the imposition of direct taxation.
Aim at Conference.
1t will be the aim of the leaders in
the approaching conference to mani
fest due regard for existing tariff and
industrial systems in the dominions, and
to frame a moderate preferential sys-
tenn that will operate smoothly. The
old mercantile policy was not aban-
doned after the American secession, but
it was gradually modified into a system
OF preferences. Had the leadership of
Huskisson and his policy of sane free
trade been followed, instead of the radi-
cal changes advocated by Golden and
maugurated by Peel, the British Empire
would never have been the easy open
market for all kinds of industrial
products from protective countries
Amery argues that in spite of its later
start, Canada, up to 1845, was fully
holding her own in comparison with
the United States, having in the period
l8l5-l640 actually attracted 532, 900
British immigrants as compared with
458, 600 who went to the United States.
There Is, therefore, an inspiration for
the promoters of the Ottawa conference
In past achievements of imperial trade
policy.
Canadian experience in trade with
Australia and New Zealand in the last
five years impresses the idea that 1t is
advisable to pursue continuity of policy
on the basis of reasonably free trade
In 1881 trade pact was concluded
between Canada and Australia on the
basis of the British preferential tariff.
These two countries compete in some
lines of natural products, yet they both
find it mutually profitable to exchange
products to extent of $l1 900 900 a year.
In 1880 Canada denounced a trade ar
rangement with New Zealand by reason
of the heavy imports of butter from
that country, but experience has since
proven that high tariffs are unequal to
a period of falling prices; Canadian
butter prices have been lower without
New Zealand butter than when it came
in, and the former trade of S22, 900, 900
a year fell back to s5,000,000. A new
trade pact has been negotiated with
New Zealand and will be dealt with
by Parliament during the current ses-
sion.
Canadian Trade Declines.
Canada, the premier dominion, is in
the peculiar position of transacting
more trade with foreign nations than
with the British Empire, more trade
with the United States than with
the United Kingdom. In the early
years of confederation, l868-'72, Can
ada exported SO per cent of shipments
to the United Kingdom: In 1900 it was
48 per cent; in 1910 at 40 per cent; in
1890 at SOS per cent; In 1880 ct asa
per cent, and for 1891 total Of 36,4