Commercial union in North America; some letters, papers, and speeches.

DEAR SIR:For several years I have believed that <>m troubles with Canada would never be permanently and satisfactorily settled by any measure short of commercial union, and the removal of all restrictions upon trade and intercourse between the two countries.As to other nations, both could maintain a tariff, set limitations upon fishing privileges, and upon participation in the coast trade ; but as to each other every barrier should be swept away in a commercial union.Partial arrangements and half-way measures must fail hereafter, as they have all failed heretofore, and troubles arise again.The reason lies in the position and circum- stances of the two nations.Canada, however large it may appear on the map, is really a long, unequal strip of population, extending from East to West thousands of miles, every- where right beside us.The portions, or Provinces, along the line differ widely, in many respects, but they agree in this : that they seem to be less to each other than to the States close at hand.The natural lines of commerce for the ex- change of products are not so much East and West as North and South.It is the unlike products coming from different latitudes that seek exchange.Intercourse, active and profitable, there will always be between this country and Canada.Restrictions irritate, and are always liable to breed troubles.Now, if they can be removed without injury to either party, the Canadian question will disappear, and two harmonious peoples will flourish beside each other with mutual good will and respect.The fishery question has been four times settled, as statesmen supposed, first by one and then another arrangement, all of which proved temporary ; and it is again in dispute.The trading intercourse has been under in- cessant discussion.The partial reciprocity treaty of 1854 was at first popular and pro- mising.It included a considerable list of articles to be mutually admitted free.But the ill-fortune that has attended all our diplomacy with the North soon appear here again.The reciprocity proved one-sided, and we terminated it after twelve years' trial.80 skillfully had It been framed, so far were we They would probably accept commercial union, with unrestricted trade, common fish- ing rights, and coast trade privileges.An equalized tariff would abolish the expensivedouble line of Custom Houses and officers along the border, and all consular service in Canada, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.This would be a large saving to both sides.The coast provinces could freely sell coal to New England, and Pennsylvania could supply coal to Upper Canada.The Manitoba farmers could buy their implements and supplies and sell their crops in St. Paul, or where they pleased.It would give Western farmersfree lumber, and would open a wide market for the products of the Canadian forests.It would secure to our fishermen rights to fish on every shore clear to the Pole, to buy bait and everything else, and it would give our people free fish.The Tariff would have to be the same, and internal revenue taxation the same, in Canada and the United States, or there would be in- finite fraud and disturbance of trade.This, would require some changes, but not great ones.The Canadian Tariff is now not very- far from ours.It collects on the total imports into Canada about 10 per cent, lower average duty than does ours on the total imports into the United States.The internal revenue taxes on whiskey and tobacco are now not very different.Receipts from revenue might fairly be divided between the two countries according to population.The rate of revenue now collected by our Government from customs and internal revenue is about $0.07 per inhabitant ; that in Canada is about $5.90.In a commercial union, with a common tariff and the l.oiiler free, probably a larger part of the imports of Canada than at present would enter by way of New York and the New England ports, and the receipts at Canadian porta would, of comae, correspondingly fall off.This would have to be adjusted by pass- ing over a fail proportion of the revenue to Canada.All these details could soon be fairly settled if the matter were once earnest- ly undertaken."Who would oppose it ' In this country, some special interests fearing Canadian com- petition in the trade In logs, the supply of tish.and in barley, perhaps ; but with general discussion this would be soon overcome, in view of the great advantages to be gained.Within five years, it would probably double our sales to Canada, already about $50,000,- 000 annually, in but, we now export more to Canada than to all the Central and South American States.Everyone would see the benefits of a wider market for our manufac- tures, and an ampler supply ol raw materials.< >ur rapidly disappearing forests, w hich will be all gone in 25 years, ai the presenl rate of destruction, would be re-enforced by i he vast w ood-Of < 'anada.Many Of OUT people distrust reciprocity trcati.-. ami changing revenue laws by diplo-

Récupéré en direct depuis OpenAlex et désinversé. Les résumés ne sont pas conservés dans cette base de données : les index inversés représentent 8,6 Go des 9,3 Go de texte de la base, et le serveur dispose de 13 Go libres.