RECIPROCITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 6

RECIPROCITY.

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE OPENS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Eec. January 9, 0.20 a.m.) New York, January 8. Tlio Canadian-United "States reciprocity conference lias opened at Washington. Mr. Philander Knox, United States Secretary of State, was present. Ail immense mass or details with reference to the tariff schedule will have to be examined. The belief is expressed that the most that can be hoped for from the present negotiations is a convention agreeing to reciprocity limited to a number of articles. • " CANADIAN FEELING. _. (Rec. January 0, 0.20 a.m.) Ottawa, January 8. Tho Canadian Government has taken preliminary steps in the trade negotiations with tho United States. Tho feeling with regard to tho reciprocity, overtures with the United States is keen. EFFECT ON LIBERAL PARTY. . . Ottawa, January 6. ' Mr. E. L. Borden, Leader of the Oppo-. sition in the Canadian Parliament, declares that the very existence of <te party led by Sir "Wilfrid Laurier depends upon the outcome of the. negotiations now being conducted for tariff reciprocity with the United States. COST OF RECIPROCITY.

. Sir George Ross, in a striking speech at the Canadian Board of Trade in November, set forth the reasons why Canada does not want reciprocity with the ■ United States. , Ho pointed out that the 'old'reciprocity treaty, according v to a United: States authority, was repealed in order, to force Canada into annexttion, and (he,, present movement, fostered by President Taft, was .entirely the outcomo oi political exigency. It was well to consider, Sir George said; whether tho general'advantage of reciprocity in natural products might not' be more than counterbalanced by the loss, to Canada in transportation. . If the natural products of this country, viero freely admitted to the Amercan market tho railways : of the United States would do a large amount of their transportation to .thoNmarkets of the worjd. . ; . . - : . . .

Under such iin ■ arrangement Canadian grain would be 'diverted .from the great systems of-transcontinental' railways east and-west which Canada has built, or is building, at enormous expense, to United States railways,, and the elevators at Chicago, Buffalo,. New York, and Boston 'would be substituted for the elevators at Winnipeg, Port William, Midland, Port Colborne, and Montreal. The speaker emphasised the unquestionably prosperous condition of Canada without a treaty and "the-freedom, we enjoy Of adapting our own tariff from year: to' year as circumstances. may warrant."' If a treaty were made that. liberty would be lost. In five years Britain's investments in ■Canada had been half a billion dollars. Would British capitalists bo as likely to decide for Canada in the future if tho trade of the .Dominion. were directed toward . the United States, .for that was .what reciprocity meant? "An adjustment 'of the. trade' relations' between::the two countries by tbe independent l legislation of both, rather than'by treaty," .'concluded ; Sir. George, "is ■ the only -safe course .as it affords publicity in tho first instance and . admits of perfect freedom of action thereafter."