CANADA AND THE STATES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 242, 18 February 1911, Page 5

CANADA AND THE STATES

DISLOCATION OF TRADE FEARED. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, February 15. At a dinner at the Canada Club Mr. Atwater, formerly Attorney-General in the Quebec Ministry, predicted that the reciprocity agreement would disorganise relations between Canada and Britain, and that Canada would be forced to political union with the United States, or if the agreement were abrogated Canada would take a generation to recover from the dislocation of trade. A -CONTRADICTION. London, February 16. In the House of Commons Mr. Asquith denied Mr. Bourassa's reported statement that the Imperial Government had encouraged Canada to malce the agreement. He also denied tbat Mr. Bryce, British Ambassador to the United States, had actively helped its promotion.

A PLEA FOR DELAY. London, February IG. London papers give prominence to the remarks of the Toronto News that Canada should be careful not to destroy her inteTprovincial trade and become a string of disconnected provinces. England knows that the fate of the Empire rests with Canada. With Canada's trade settled in American channels, with new populations without reverence for British traditions, and with no inherited loyalty, we should strengthen the influences of eontinentalism. In conclusion the News urges that there should he lio unthinking haste on the part of the legislatures to endorse the agreement without adequate consultation with the business interests of the country. MR. CHAMP CLARK'S "JOKE." t . London, February 16. American correspondents of English papers state that Mr. Taft desires it to be known abroad that the administration has no thought of annexing Canada. He considered Mr. Champ Clark's remarks unfortunate. Mr. Clark maintains that his speech was largely facetious. Sir Wilfrid Laurier declines to tr.eat Mr. Clark's remarks seriously. The Daily News says that Mr. Taft's repudiation reduces Mr. Clark's obser--1 vations to absurd rhetoric. The Pall Mall Gazette says that one result of the agreement will be the wip-ing-out of the British Columbian fruit industry.

A REPUBLICAN RESOLUTION. New York, February 16. Bennett, Republican representative for New York, who voted against the reciprocity treaty, to-day introduced a resolution requesting the President to negotiate with the British Government, looking to the annexation of Canada to the United States. The matter was referred to the Committee for Foreign Affairs. .^IVriHI THE ANNEXATION AMENDMENT. ANOTHER JOKE. Received 17, 11.25 p.m. London, February 25. Reuter's Washington correspondent reports that Congressmen are favorable to the agreement, and are of opinion that Mr. Bennett's amendment demanding negotiations for the annexation of Canada is simply calculated to prejudice its final approval. As an outcome of the consultation of Mr. Taft with several leading Senators, it is believed that Senator Lodge has been asked to lead the fight in the Senate, with Mr.' Root, ex-Secretary of State.

Reuter's Ottawa correspondent states that interest is flagging in the Commons debate, and this probably indicates that Canadians arc becoming resigned to reciprocity. Received 18, 1.10 a.m. Ottawa, February 17. The friends of reciprocity are annoyed at the annexation resolution, declaring it is intended to arouse a scare in Canada, and lead to a refusal to ratify the reciprocity treaty. Washington circles profess to regard the resolution merely as a political move, and not attended with much significance. The Committee of Foreign Affairs in the House is believed to intend to treat the resolution, in all seriousness. The resolution empowers President Taft, at any fitting time, to negotiate with Great Britain.