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Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1926, Page 2

Canadian politics arc of interest to the Empire, because of the reactionary political spirit abroad in the Great Dominion. On the occasion of the late general election the parties finished up very even. The latest news on the subject revealed the fact that the Governenmt held a small majority, but it is doubtful in all the circumstances if the majority will last. The election while inconclusive from a party standpoint, does show a drift to a higher form of tariff protection. Tf. as anticipated, another general election is to follow, this drift may be emphasised. As matters stand now. no legislation other than of a routine character is possible in the coming Parliament. A division on some question will clearly reveal the inability of Mr Kipg or

Mr Meighen to hold a Government together, and then an appeal will have to he made to the country. In the next election the issues will he more of a National character. Canada has watched with envy the success of the United States in reducing her debt and taxation and the lesson has not been lost. She feels that her political leaders have paid too much attention to local issues, and too little to major problems. While this may or may not he true, the excuse is that Canada has not had a clearly dominant party in power for several years, The 'Dominion has really been under a coalition government made up of irreconcilable elements. It is remarkable under those circumstances that any legislation of a national nature did become law. So far as the United States is concerned, she has been following the Canadian election with great interest. This is only natural, considering that Canada is the second host customer that the United States possesses. The Dominion feels that the imposition of the tariff act of the United States hits rather hard here and there on particular Canadiu products, and some resentment has arisen on this account. It had been anticipated that a tariff party victory in Canada would have brought into being a pressure for retaliatory legislation. But this tit-for-tafc policy is not probable, except that it may lead to a trading arrangement in the way of favored duties for particular imports and exports. Even that will have to wait until Canada decides what she is going to do with her own tariff. So fur as Imperial preference is concerned, all parties in Canada seem to he agreed that no change in policy is necessary. Preferential tariffs within the Commonwealth receive ninth support in the Dominion. A Canndiau-Austrulian reciprocal tariff law lias lately been put into effect and Canadian preferences with British West Indies arc also in operation.