AMERICAN-CANADIAN RECIPROCITY

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 May 1911, Page 3

AMERICAN-CANADIAN RECIPROCITY

* DEBATE JN THE HOUSIi OK LORDS. THE EARL OF SELHORNE'S WARNING. iirX-ISTFAt FOR WAR DICNOUXCES PR RFEREXOE. ' HY ELKCTIUC TBLEGiIArn"COrTRIGHT.J I.L'JCIt PUEHB AbHOCIATUIN.j (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 19. In the House of T/ords, the Eairlof Selhorne raised a debate on Ameri-can-CaJiadiaiii reciprocity. Mis lordship saidl tliat this was the first time in ite history when one part of the Empire obtained better terms from a foreign country than Great Britain and the rest of the Empire. The precedent wn.s capable of larjce extension if it became general, it was difficult, he lnaintained, to see how the Imperial system was going to work if such precedents -veto established, and criticised tßie British Government's supineness in tho matte.r. He declared that the only oscajje from difficulties ahead was Tmperial Preference with joint Imperial negotiations with foreigai. countries. Lord Lucas replied for the Government, who, he said, was not alarmed at the c.runi'bling of the American-Canadian tariff wall. Tt was impossible for Great Britain to interfere without infringing Canada's fiscal liberty. Fie agreed , that Great Britain was entitled to t/ho same treatment as Canada and declared that the Foreign ' Office woii'ld not accept the American interpretation of the Favoured! Nation Clause.

Viscount Haklane lnnint-ainoti that tlio enlargement of Canada's trade with tihe United , States would *ncrenso markets for British goods. His Majesty's Government regarded preforwieo as an utterly unscientific policy.

(Chronicle Note: Mr Forstor (Conservative), ex-Minister of Finance, speaking recently in the Canadian House of Parliament, and replying to Sir Wilfred LauHer, the Prime Minister, delivered a four hours' addross on Reciprocity, and it produced a profound impression both :n. Canada and the United States. He declared that in his judgment Reciprocity would inevitably weaken the ties of Empire and wean the affections of the newer generations, if not of themselves, towards the oredominant Power (the States). With all the solemnity tbnt he could invoke he declared that £hero was a great danger ahead. This path which they had entered upon would lead; the Canadians away from Home to a strange country. He hoj>ed that when the full meaning of this step was realised by tlie "£iovornment and the country it would be recalled, and the old pathway between East and West, leading to f.id from the old Motherland, would again be resumed—a pathway .vlm/i was without doubt the true nat'-mal hisrhway. (Prolonged Opposition cheers.) )