"CANADIAN-AMERICAN TREATY."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1059, 23 February 1911, Page 2

"CANADIAN-AMERICAN TREATY."

■ Sir,—As having lived many years in Wester,'n Canada, I have been asked fre- . nueiitly of late to give ray ,views of tne treaty proposed by Sir \vilmd Laurier on behalf of Canada with the Gov-' . eminent of ■ United ■'/States. ' ■ W oil, I tell you, sir, 1 it is ono Of the most infamous treaties ever arranged, and it is a scahdalous thing to give preference to a foreign I'ower, instead , of letting the Mother Country have it, and nowhere will this "treaty" be felt mora.than in British Columbia, where I lived many years. There our chief products are the fruit ■ industry, which have a famo _all over the world, in every market. They ,will be ruined, as cheap American fruit will now bo imported into the country free of cost. The present Canadian Government has always been against British Columbia. It was only two years ago that .Mi. .M/Bride, Premier ot British Columbia!was compelled to so to London to put British Columbia s case before the Imperial • authorities.. If SirWilfrid Laurier considers this "trcatv" to be in the best interests of Canada, let him like a man appeal'to the country, but he dare not—he and his Government would never be returned. The, people are tiinil of him, and the infamous treaty ho has now made has made him more unpopular than ever. I know there are certain individuals in this country, probably . supporters of the Word , uovernmant, who think - tho Canadian Government is all right, and Sir Wilfrid Laurier. is u' great man, simply because he has arranged to have a mail service between here nnd Vancouver. Bu,t let any unbiassed man or woman consider his latest and they must come to the conclusion that Sir Wilfrid Laurier aad his Gov

eminent have made a "treaty" not in the interests of England. Lfet me also spite that for the last'-ten years liritish Columbia has been "flooded". by the influx of Japanese and cheap labour, ihe Government would do 'nothing. Eight years ago British Columbia ,- returned •seven Liberals out of seven ; to", "/support the Government. At the last "election the Opposition won five seats out of seven, bo the Government is at the present timo not very fc : nd of British Columbia. —I am, etc., . • JOSEPH W. SPEARMAN.