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The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les ca'.tes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reprodult en un seui clichd, il est filmd d partir de I'angle supdrieu- gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 ^1 " ' Y ' 3 4 5 6 \ 7 try hai of loss trade, ingas It app thougl order t more j remem thesar ads of ' I cann gentle ganof ■ - ^PHVXT c^sE N". ; :'OSeP/Vpo^ UNRESTRICTED RECIPROCITY. SPEECH BY HON. THOMAS W^HITE, M.P. Delivered in the House of Commons, on Wednesday Evening, March 14th. What It Means and What It Would involve. THE LARGER MARKET IDEA. A Critical Analysis of tb«' ICxfkort Trade ol €anu4la to (tae Uni ied States. The following is the verbatim report of Hon . Thomas White's speech in reply to Sir Richard Cartw right in the House of Com- mons on Wednesday night during the unre- stricted reciprocity debate : — Hon. Mr. White — Mr. Speaker, I have fre- quently listened to the greater part of the hon. gentleman's speech delivered here thia evening, but I confess that on no former oc- casion have I heard him deliver it with greater weakness, if he will allow me that expreseion, than he has done to-night. (Heaf, hear.) During the earlier pert of his speech the hon. gentleman dwelt almost ex- clusively upon the statement that this coun- try has not been progressing. The old story of loss of population, the old s\aij of loss of trade, the eld itory that we are not progress- ing as we ought, was repeated ad nauseam. It appeared so well to please him that, al- though he dropped it from time to time in order to go on with the subjecf which is more particularly before us, the house will remember that he invariably fell back upon the same old statement, the same old Jeremi- ads of ruin and decay for this country. Sir, I cannot do bettei than give to the hon. gentleman the advice which the leading or- gan of his own party gave him and gave to this country — if, indeed, the Toronto Globe may now be tailed the leading organ of hen. gentlemen opposite. Only a few weeks ago the Globe sa: 1 : " Distrust all figures professing to show that Canada has retrograded instead of advancing. Eschew association with the teachers of de- spair. Old men who, with worn-out powers, assort that naWonal suicide is the only course to national salvation, may be excused by con- sidaratioiLs of their senility, bu. young men who echo their doleful refrain can never seem otherwise than contemptible." (Cheers.) These, Mr. Speaker, are not the words oi a Tory newspaper, or of a Tory public man; they are the advice given to the youug men of the country by the leading organ of hon. gentlemen opposite, and I commend them as the best possible answer to the Btatemente that we have heard to- night. (Cheers.) I think we have a right to complain, also, that the hon. gentleman was not as distinct as could be desired in his statemer t of what his resolution really means — whv..bcr it is commercial union tkat we are to have, or whether it is unrestricted reciprocity, which would leave rs free to deal with other nations as w« thought pro- per. That was not very definitely stated by the hon. gentleman, unless, indeed, we take one sentence in which he suggested that the position taken by Mr. Hitt, a member of Congress, embodied principles which went rather farther than he would desire to go. But, sir, what is it that has led to the sudden discovery of this panacea for the ills of Canada ? What is it that has brought us, in this session of Parliament, to discuss a question of this kind as the only course which offers to us any assurance for the future well-being of Canada ? We can remember that, although the question of jv Reciprocity Treaty, is an old one, so far as hon. gentlemen opposite are concerned, and BO far as any public man in Canada, having the responsibility of a public man upon him, is concerned, until tbe last few months, we never heard of this question ni Commercial Union, or the question of Unrestricted Re- ciprocity, as a remedy for the ills which arc alleged to exist. Sir, all the stntcments made by the lion, gentleman against the policy of the government were made over and ov«r again before the last elections — aye, I may say that before the olections which preceded the last, all these state- ments wcrt made. When we came to the last election, the two parties faced the elec- torate, nominally at any rate upon distinct issues. MB. BLARB'a FBOHISE. The ittte leader of the Liberal party went through Ontarioand delivered speeches which, for elaborateness of preparation, for d«votion to detail, have, perhaps, never been exceeded by the speeches delivered by any other publ'c man in Canada. They form a volume which I hold in my hand. And yet, Mr. Speaker, what will hon. gentle- men say when I tell them that in th« whole of these speeches, the only referee ce to re- ciprocity is embodied in two single liacs of type delivered, the first at Welland and next, if I mistake not, at Malvern. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentlemen pledged them selves, through their late leader, to a par- ticular course in the last elections. 1 have the pledges here, and it is worth while read- ing them, delivered by their leader. He delivered tliem, remember, not as an ordin- ary citizen, but as the leader of the party, speaking for the party, declaring himself to be authorized to speak for the party, and what did he say ? "T gpoke In 1883, 1 spoke a few weeks ago In loronto, I speak now as the leader of the party, expouncfing on all qnestions of princi- ple, not merely my individual views, but the common sense, as I understand it, of the great body of the party, the general lines upon which the party, as a wholo would act, if en- trusted, as they will soon be, with power." (Hear, hear.) They were not entrusted with power, and they arc now acting upon differ- ent principles from those wiiichthoy pledged themselves to the people of this country they would act upon if they were entrusted with power Me went on to say : " What I have said, and am about to say, on all questions of principle, you may then take as authoritative, to whatever extent a leader tas authority, and so far from there being divergence, 1 can assure you that there is, In my belief, a general concurrence of sentiment between us, including Sir Richard Cartwrlght, whom I nai^e only oecause our adversaries delight to rtQ>Te8ent him as holdlnc other views." (Hear, hear.) Then, sir, what naore did he say ? " We liave no longer a large surplus to dis- pose of. We have a larg« deficit and a greatly increased scale of expenditure to meet, and it is clearer than ever that a very high scale of taxation must be retained, and that manu- lacturors have nothing to fear. I then de- clare that any readjustment should be etfect- od with due regard to the legitimate Interests of all concerned. In that phrase, ' all con- cerned,' 1 hope no one will object to my In- cluding, as I do, the general public, in any readjustment I mainta n that we should look eepecially to such reduction of expenditure as may allow of a reduction of taxation, to the lightering of sectional taxes ; to the lighten- ing of taxation upon the prime ue ssarles of life, and upon the raw materials c manufac- ture, to a more equitable arrangement of the taxes which now bear unfairly upon the poor as compared with the rich, to a taxation of luxuries just so high as will not thwart our object by greatly checking corsumption, to the curbing of monopolies of production In cases where, by combination or othurwise, the tariff allows an undue and exorbitant profli, to be exacted from consumers, and to the ef- fort—a most important point— to promote re- ciprocal trade with our neighbors to the south.". And that, Mr. Speaker, is the only refer- ence in this whole book setting torth the policy of the Liberal party — that is the only reference whatever to the question of reci- procity. I notice that hon. gentlemen oppo- site smile ; 1 notice that they think they have something because the term reciprocity is used here ; but how do they reconcile this principle of reciprocit)', if it be unrestricted reciprocity that was meant, with the promise that the manufacturers have nothing tc fear, with the promise that the tariff canno' be materially reduced, with the promise that our large expenditures will require a high tariff to be maintained, while their policy to- day as announced is that the tariff is to be abolished altogether, in so far as the trt de between our neighbors, our great competi- tors, and ourselves is concerned. (Cheers.) 1 find the hon. gentleman (Mr. Blake) went on further to say : " No man, I care not how convinced an ad- vocate of absolutely free trade for Canada he may be, has yet' suggested— no man, I believe, can suggest— a practicable plan whereby our freat revenue needs can ne met otherwise han by the continued imposition of very high duties on goods similar to those we make, or can make, within our bounds, or on the raw materials. I invite the most ardent Free trader in public life to present a plausible solutionof this problem; audi contend that he is bound to do so before he talks of free trade as practicable in Canada. I have not be- lieved it soluble In my day; and any chance / of its solubility, If any chance there were, has \ been destroyed by the vast Increase of our yearly charge, and by the other conditions which have been created. The thing is re- moved from the domain of practical politics." < e I r d e n a C( o C( tl ac w h( P< 86 to dc (Hear, hear.) And yet within a little over one year from the day when that speech was delivered and that pledge made as indicating what would be the policy of hon. gentlemen opposite if their anticipations had been realised and they had occupied these trea- sury benched, wo have a three and-a-half houvd' 3pt!«ch delivered in this house for the purpose of showing us that free trade is not only practical but is absolutely essential if this couniTf is to escape the ruin which I threatens it. (Oaeers.) I might go on ; quoting oth>«r '^yjLiixgin from that speech, but > I will not d(»i..iii liie house longer. I might point out wh^'i\5 .aj hvin. gentleman declared that the idea qs d.reci taxation Was absurd, was not even to bo thought of, and could not be thought of in connection with our affairs in Canada ; bat I have read enough to show that in assuming the position which hon. gentlemen opposite have taken to-night, they have entirely changed their position from that which they occupied when appeal- ing to the people a little over a year r.go, and I think they are bound to show that our con- dition has so changed since that time as to justify that remarkable change of position on their part. THE CH>NGK OF TRONT. (Cheers.) One might speculate, but of course we will not do it, that it is not so much the interests of the country as the ne- cessities of the party that have oauced this change. TLey htd been taunted by their own friends, as well as by their political op- ponents, as being a party without a policy. They had been taunted with being a party of negations without any positive idea to submit for the acceptance of the people, and as they were beaten at two elections and as bye-election after bye-election gave the same record and the people showed their confi- dence in the policy repiesented by this Gov- ernment, honorable gentlemen opposite have made up their minds that something new is required, and they submit a policy, not a policy which this Government could carry out if they would, not a policy which those hon. gentlemen could carry out if they were on this side of the house, but a policy dependent upon the action of a foreign Govemment without whose consent nothing could be done. (Hear, hear.) So that after nearly ten years of op- position, after ten years of grcping after semething through which they might appeal to the people, hon^ gentlemen have come down to a policy which is a safe one for tho^i because they could not v^dopt it if they were on the Treasury benches, and the adop- tion of which depends entirely on tie action of a foreign Government. They Lave coiie with a policy for the United States for the acceptance of the people *f Canada. (Hear, hear.) That is the position in which we find hon. gentlemen to-day. Sir, THIS QUESTION OF RECIPROCITY is au old question. Both political parties !n Canada have been in favor of it Some hon. members. — (Hear, hear.) Mr. White (Card well). Both parties have been in favor of reciprocal traele in the na- tural productions of this country ; both par- ties have been in favor of reciprocal trade, in BO far as that reciprocal trade can be car- ried out having regard to the great ind istrial interests of this country. What has been the history of negotia- tions in the direction of reciprocity ? The treaty of 1854, eommonly known as the El- gin Treaty, was, if 1 mistake not, negotia- ted under the direction of the Liberal Con- servative party, the McNabb-Morin Govern- ment being in power at that time. The treaty was denounced at the very first mom- ent it could be denounced by the United Slates. From that day to tliis, this Govern- ment, both pai-ties I may say in Canada, havd been ready to enter into negotiations for a fair interchange of the commodities of the two countries. In 1874, the late Govern- ment sent Mr. George Brown to Washing- ton, and he and Mr. Fish drafted a treaty, which was going to be, in the opinion of everyone who favored it, of great advantage to Canada. What was the fate of it ? It dealt not only with the natural productions of the country, but also with a considerable line of manu- factures. It went even further than that : it ensured the Americans the use of our great public works. It went further than that: It obliged the people of Canada to build a new canal, commonly known as the Caugh- ntiwaga canal, which would give easy access for the lumber of the west to the American market. And yet, in spite of the great ad- vantages to bo given to the United States by that treaty, in spite of the fact that it went as far as the people of this country could possibly go in negotiations of the kind, what was the result of it ? Why, it was simply hung up in the Senate, denied even the cour- tesy cf a reference to the ordinary commit- tee, and from that day to thie all efi'orts te failed. What was the position of the b-^n. gentleman at that time? Why, I In d that the hon. gentleman ■who has <»ddre88ed the house at such length to-nigfct, wh<'n addressing a meeting in Charlott«toi«Ti, dealt with this subject. He said : " They say we must have reciprocity, and we cannot live without it as a Dominion. I take exception to that statement. While re- ciprocity Is defiirable, we arc not in such a statoof subjection to the United States that we cannot live without It. Wo have mtn and ships and ' will carry the war into Africa.' Wo will find new markets for ourselves, and cub them out. There is nothing better calcu- lated to prevent the bringing about of recipro- city than to tell the Americans we cannot live without them. It would induce them to be- lieve that they had the powr to drive us to their own terms." (Hear, hear). I shall not make other qvota- tations, as I might make them, to show that this was the current of public opinion in this country at that time. I do rot quote this with the object of putting the hon. gentleman in contradiction to himself I quote it as I might quote extracts from the leading organ of that party at the same time, to sliow what was the current of public opinion then, which was that, having mads every effort that we possibly could make to secur.e reciprocal free trade with our friends on the other side of the line, bo far as we could do it coneJ3*:entIy with the interests and welfare, and revenue requirement of this country, we ought to go on and develop our own interests and our own destiny in our own fashion. (Cheers). Now what did this Government do? Under the act of 1879 — an act which embodied the mandate of the people at that time, commonly known as the National Policy act, we incorporated a clause which gave to the Governor-General-in-council the power practically of entering into a recipro- cal treaty for the free interchange of pro- ducts between this coimtry and the United States. That act is on the statute book to day, and it remains there an authority to the Government, whenever the United States will show any disposi+ion to meet us, to enter into freer trade relations with them in so far as we can do. I think 1 may fairly say, therefore, that our record in the past, at any rate, is such that the people of Canada can say to our f iends on the other side of the line: 'We ^e ready to consider the question with you whenever you shall sig- nify your decision for such consideration ; yre are ready to consider with yon the beat means of pro naoting the free interchange of such produciri in this country as we can ex- change with you, having regard to our great interests," and until the people of the United States are so ready, the history of thfl past clearly shows that the true policy of Canada is to act upon the principle laid down by the hon. gentleman himself in the extract which I have just quoted, that is, to work out our own destiny In our own way. (Cheers.) HISTORY OP UNRESTRICTKD RECIPROCITY. This question, however, of commercial union, or of unrestricted reciprocity — the latter term being apparently a modification of the former principle — is not altogether a new ouc. In 1871 I had myself the privilege ef being present at a meeting of ihe National Board of Trade of the United States, in the city of St. Louis, and on that occasion the chairman of the Canadian dele- gation, the late Hon. John Young, consented to a scheme for unrestricted reciprocity or commercial union. But there is this fact to be rem( mbered in connection with that : Mr. Young, as everyone knows, was in favor of the separation of this country from the mother country, in order that we a might enter into such an ar- ran ement. He took the ground at St. Louis, as lie did in the city of Montreal and in the press when he discussed the question, that without independence we could not enter into arrangements of this kind, and that therefore as precedent to such an arrangement and for the purpose of bringing about such arrangement the true interests of Canada lay in her separation from the mother country. Did any public man in Canada, having the responsibility of a public man upon him. sanction that view at that time ? No. Although Mr. Young was a prominent Liberal, although he was a strong supporter of the Liberal party, al- though he was a man of great influence who had been a Minister of the Crown, the Tor- onto Globe, then edited by the late Hon. Geo. Brown, denounced him and renounced the proposition as utterly opposed to the best interests of this countiy and as impossible of fulfilment except on terms of annexation itself (Cheers.) That was the position taken at that time in connection with this question. What is meant by this QUESTION OP COMMKRCIAL DNION ? I take the opinion of those who may fairly be assumed to be at any rate the best au- thorities upon that subject. We wonld 5hange of re can ez- our great e of the ory of th« policy of ciple laid self in the that IP, to own way. OCITY. immercial )city — the )dification together a ! privilege ig of ihe le United id on that idian dele- consented iprocity or his fact to I that : Mr. i in favor ntry from •der that an ar- ;round at ! city of liscussed enre we of this edent to urpose of the true separation my public sibility of hat view •. Young lie was a party, al- ienee who the Tor- Hon. Geo. unced the the best mpossible nnexation position with this N ay fairly best au- wonld never have heard of it, apparently so at any rate, had not Mr. Erastus Wiman, a gentle- man of groat influence and of great ability in the United States, a Canadian by birth and I believe still n Canadian by allegiance, taken it int big head, having plenty of leiiurc on his bands, to come to Canada and carve out a policy for the people of this country. (Hear, hear). H« did the oonsUtueney of o shall appoint three commissioners to meet tho.se who may lie likewise designated to re- present tlic Crovornment of Canada to prepare n plan lor the assimilation of the Import dalles an'i intornal 7'cvcnuo taxes of the two countries, and an equitable division of re- ceipts undor commercial union, and said com- missioners shall report to the President, who shall lay the report before Congress." Now, that is the only proposal before the Congress of the United States to-day, and I think we have a right therefore to ask hon. gentlemen whether they are prepared to ac- cept that proposal, or if they are not, why they should, in view of the past history of this question, trifle with the time of Parlia- ment in discussing this matter. (Hear, hear.) Now, sir, this does not mean unrestricted reciprocity, because Mr. Hitt, in a letter to the press says : — " The tariff would have to be the same in Canada and the United States, or there would be infinite fraud and disturbance of trade." So that you will see that upon that question Mr. Hitt speaks with no uncertain sound, and that the only proposition which comes from anybody in the United States is a proposition for a union or a reciprocity dififercnt, I take it, from that which is embodied in this reso- lution, although the saiuv as that which, up to the time the hon. member for West Ontario (Mr. Edgar), wrote his let- ter to Mr. Wiman, was accepted by hon. gentlemen opposite, includ- ing the hor. member for South Oxford and the hon. member for North Norfolk. (Cheers.) The change came suddenly. Tho hon. member for West Ontario — the power behind the throne under the late leader, and I assumo the power behind the throne under the present leader as well, if we may judge of the wonderful effect of that letter — wrote to Mr. Wiman, to say that the people of Canada were so enamored of tho ttrm "custom houses " that they loved the exist- ence of the Custom house so much, that tho proposal which suggested the abolition of tho custom houses along the lino would not likely meet with general support in Canada ; and, therefore, he suggested that we should have all the advantages of Commercial Union plus the expense of keeping up tho line of custom houses between the two countries ; and that is the proposal we hare here. (Cheers.) WHAT IB INVOLVED IN THE QUESTION. Now, Mr. speaker, what does this proposi- tion which is submitted to us involve ? In the first plaee, I take it that it involves, as I think I have shown, similar Customs dutiea to those imposed by the United States agaiuRt all other countries in the world, ex- cept the United States , and I take it, not- withstanding what the hon. gentleman has said, that that practically means separation from the mother country. Now, I am not going to raise the loyalty cry in any sense whatever. I accept the suggestion made with the honorable gentleman that wr should deal with this question from tho standpoint of our own interests, that we should deal with it as it aflects Canada ; and I do not feel dispoBcd, therefore, at this time to raise the general question of loyalty to th« mother country, and the danger and in- gratitude involved in the separation from the mother country. But I think it is im- portant, when we are discussing the ques- tion, that the facts should be stated, and let the people draw their own inferonce and their conclusion fiom those facts. (Hear,) For anyone seriously to pretend that this country should remain conpf^cted with the mother country after adopting a principle by I which we beoam* commnrcially a portion of u foroign natiou and charged against the mother country the same duties that foreign nation charged, seems to me to ask people to bclicre that whi.>h no reason- able purson can very well bc'.iove. (Hear, hear.) So that we must take the proposition as meaning sepo ation from the mother country. I doubt very much whether a high spirited people like the people of Canada would be mean enough to accept a continu- ance of the connection under such condi- tions as would bo involved in that arrange- ment, even if the mother country were generous enough to consent to it. (Cheers.) Then, Sir, it AFFKCT8 CUB FINANCES SERIOnSLY and I think you will agree with me, that, having regard to the fact that the lion, meiu- b«r who has addressed us at so great length to-night irt an ex-Finance Miriister, whoso f^peciality it is to deal with finance, the house has reason to complain that upon that branch of the subject he was not very lit;- tinct nor very clear. Now, 8ir, let us look for a moment at how we stand financially to-duy. Our expenditure for the fiscal year of 1887 amounted to $;35,658,000. Of this, The charges on debt amounted to.$ 9,970,071 subsidies to provinces 4,1 « it ;ui Sinking fund l ,502,952 C'ollectiori of revenue 8,:J75,920 Total $ 24,108,890 Now, I think, the house will agree with nic that these arc charges that uo commercial union, no unrestricted r'.viprocity, would enable us to escape. (Hear, hear.) They are the fixed charges of the country, and cannot be got rid of in any way whatever. Then we hare the charges for other expcnsen, a little over If 11 500,000. How are these met? Civil government, $.,211,850. It may be, if hon. gentlemen opposite wore on this side, they might possibly take a f«w hundred dollars otf that, or they might not. I think it will be found on examination, especially if you look at the estimates, for instance, of this year, where hardly an increase has taken place except the ordinary statutory increase, that the expenditure under this Lead cannot very weil be reduced. Administration of justice, $G75,114. That is an item which cannot be reduced. Fisheries, the protec- tion and bounties to fishermen, $415,443. I do not know whether hon. gentlemen oppo- site will abandon protection to the fisheries or the system of bounties to fisher- men ; but imless they do so that item cannot be redaced. Then there is the expenditure on the Indians in the Northwest territories, $1,201,301, and in view of the fact that the only complaint we have from the hon. gen- tlemen opposite is that we permit the In- dianb ♦' starve, that we ('.o not give them enough food, and therefore do not expend enough on them, I do not think that is an item that can very well be reduced. Legis- lation costs us $977,302. That cannot be re- duced. Militia, $1,193,002; lighthouse and coast service, $512,811; Mounted police, $781,644 ; peniteatiarie», $311,267; and pub- lic works rather under $2,133,315 — or in all $9,395,759. And I think I may fairly say that by no process of economy, even if the hon. gentlemen, with thcii cheese-paring methods, were on this side of the liouso, could these amounts be materially reduced, or at any rate so reduced as in the slightest degree to affect the general question of the applieation of this policy for carrying on the Government of the country. (Hear, hear.) How do wc meet these expenses to-day'! We have a revenue althogethor of $35,754,- 993, of which the customs yielded $21,- 377,800, leaving a balance from other sources of Sl3,37fi,]93. On the imports we get from tlie United States to-day the duty amounts to $ ,299,591, so that we have a re- ventie, from Customs duties on imports from other countries, of $15,079,209, and adding to this the revenue from other sources, which, as 1 have stated, amounts to u little over $13,250,000, wc have a total of $28,455,40?, irrespective of the duties on American im- ports. The deficit, therefore, if wc gave up the revenue from the imports from the United States, which wo would have, on our present expenditure and present general re- ceipts, would amount to vtry nearly $7,250,000. That, I take it, must De made up i>y direct taxation. It is quite clear, as I pointed out, that we cannot, if wc arc to carry on the government of the country and pi'o- ceed with the public improvements neces- sary to develop the country, do with a less expenditure than that Avhicli we have to-day, so that if we give up tlii'' amount that we re- ceive from customs duties on the imports from the United States, we will have the large deficit to meet of $7,300,000. But that is not all. THE EFFECT ON OUR COMMERCE. That is assuming that all our imports from other countries would come in as they como in to-day. That is assuming we would still have English goods coming by the St. Law- rence or landiQg at Boston or New York and coming here in bond. Can anyone pre- 8 tend to Hay th''.i would be the result Y Im- mediately wc would find the overwhelming proportion of the noodn wc now receive from Great Britain wou!<." bo displaced by goods of a similar chanuter manufactured in the United States, and we would find, not that ■we lost simply the $7,300,000 which wf»now derive from customs duty on imports from the Unitud State«, but al-io at least one-half of the customs duties that we receive from foods imported from England. (Hear, hear), venture to say it would be very much more than one-half, nnd that practicallv we would surrender the whdeof our customs revenue. But that is not all. Wo would find also that the largo importing trade of Canada would bo transferred from the St. Lawrence, where a great part of it is dons to-day, to .American ports. Wc would actual.'y by thin itrocess de- stroy the great trade by the St. Lawrence, which, I believe, both silcs in this house dea're to see built up. Gtatiemen may say that if our duties were somewhat lower than those of the United States that British goods for consumption in the Western states would come by the !St. Lawrence. I do not think thii hope could be realized. Why should ships come by the St. Lawrence, why should goods take that route and pay us large duties, and then again pay the American dniieb when entering the Western states, when thoy could go to the American ports, pay duties there and be scattered through the United Stateu, while we would receive goods ot American manufacture in their place ? There would be really no motive for these goods coming by the St. Lawrence 4t all, and thus wc would destroy not only the manufacturing industries of the country, but another trade as well, which is too seldom thought of when we are d ;aling with the question of the trade interests of the country, and that is the great distributing trade of the country. (Cheers.) Youwould find, Sir, American merchants in their great cities all along the border becoming the distributors to the retailers of the Dominion, thus verifying the statement made by pro- minent Americans in support of commercial union, that the effect would be to place American goods direct from the American ■warehouse into the retail stores all over the Dominion. A great injury would thus be done to the importing and distributing trade of Canada. HOW THE nB VENUE IS VO BE MADB UP. How are we going to make up this rev- enue? The hon. gentleman does not seem to feel very much alarmed at direct taxation. He thinks direct taxation is more readily collected and costs less, and is more equit- able in its distribution than the system of taxation which wo now have by means of customs duties. I will not burden this de- l)ate by a general discussion of that ques- tion, although I think I could show, and that without much difficulty, that the people who would suffer relatively the most from the system of direct taxation are those very poor people in whom the hon. gentleman affects to be so much interested. What did wc sec a short time ago in the city of To- ronto when the publication wac made of the assessed incomes of a number of the .vealthy people of that city? Wc saw that the poor man, with his income of $500 or $500 a year, was assessed to the full amount, but in regard to the millionaire with his $40,000 or $5 1,000 a year, no as- sessor would think of putting him down for ihat, and he was put at $5,000 or \ $6,000, or perhaps $10,000 ayear. (Cheers.) i And, as with incomes, so with real property. If you go into any of our large cities you I will find that the poor man's house can be ; easily assessed at its full value; but, if you j take the rich man's house, which has cost ' him $50,000 or $100,000, with its almost ' park-like lawns around it, you will find that ! it is assessed at one-third rone-fourth of its , value, for no assessor would think of putting I it down at its full value. (Hear, hear.) That is known to every one who has watched the record of the assessment rolls. So this system of direct taxation, instead of being one which would relieve the poor of an excessive burden, would really impose upon the poor far more than their proper proportion of taxation. Under the present system the poor man can get on practically without any taxation at all. Our taxes are largely upon luxuries. It is the wealthy, under the present system, who pay the large proportion, because it is upon the expensive goods that the larger proportion of the taxation of the country is levied, while a poor man can sit down and look over ■what he catR and what he wears, and see what he payfi for it, and can ascer- tain the fact for hip comfort that the tax- ation he pays is practically nil in this happy country of ours. (Cheers.) Nor can we adopt the principle of excise duties, in rela- tion to which, I think, if I read the resolu- tion o.' the hon. gentleman aright, he pro- poses a L'pecial exception. We ceimot put on extra duties of excise for this reaf on, and that there is a limit beyond which you can- not go in exciHc duties. You mtifit have re- gard, in the imposition '^f these duticH, parti- cularly in this country where for between three and four thousand milcH our territory adjoins tho' of our neighbors on the other side, to the duties imposed by them and the general cost of the article iu order to know what amount of excise duty is collectable under any system you may adopt, and there- fore we ar« restricted eren in tho matter of excise duties. We would have to ADOPT DIRECT TAXATION. No Other moans could possibly be adopted. (Cheers.) Of coiirse, there is one way in which we might reduce our ex- penditures to some extent. We Bpend to-dny some four million dollars on provincial subsides. The hon. gentleman opposite re- ferred to the action of the Quebec conference, the members of which, in a lapse of exces- sive candor, he described as liiH friends, cor- recting himself immediately afterwards — (hear, hear) — and he refen'ed to the resolu- tions passed by that conference as if they were the embodiment of the wisdom of this country, as I believe they are to be the em- bodiment of the policy of hon. gentlemen opposit But they do not contemplate a redact''*., in the matter of subsidies. (Hear, hear.) On the contrary, the ypry thing which will commend them to some of tne provinces is that resolution which proposes largely to increase the subsidies. (Cheers.) It is true that the hon. gentleman after speaking of these resolutions as the embodiment of wis- dom, Btiid that this commercial union would prevent absolutely an increase of the ex- penses of the country ; but if we are to reduce the oxpeuditure, if we are to resort to direct taxation, I think the people of this country will at once say that it would be little less than absurd that the Dominion Government, the central authority, should impose direct taxation through the machinery of municipal government — because there is hardly any ■other way in which to do it — in order to dis- tribute a portion of the proceeds back again to the provinces. (Cheers.) I am not go- ing to say whether we ought to do away with Provincial subsidies or not. The hon. gentle- man, in a former session of Parliament, did suggest that he believed it would be for the interests of Canada if the Provincial subsi- dies were done away with altogether, I leave him on that subject to make his account with his hon. friends on that side from the other provinces, and I think he will find some difficulty in convintiing them that that would bo a wise system to adopt iu C^anadti. (Cheers.) So you see, by the adoption of this policy, we are to find ourselves reduced to a Hystem of direct taxation by which wo are to levy at least $15,000,000 to make up for tho loss in Customs duties which the adoption of this system of so-called unres- tricted reciprocity or commercial union would impose upon us. (Hear, hear). Now, WHAT IS CANADA TO GAIN as a return for this sacrifi«e, because, after all, this is a business matter iind ought to be discussed as a business proposition. What are we to gain for this sacrifice? We give up a large portion of our revenue, we sacri- fice our distributing trade, we sacrifice or wo risk the sacrificing of the manufacturing in- terests of the country. What are wo to get in return for all this? Hon gentlemen tell US wo are to get an enlarged market in tho United States. I suppose it is really the enlarged market which is the chief advan- tage proposed, f he market which is to be opened in this country for our friends on the other side is their side of the subject. Our side is that we are to get an enlarged market in the United States. (Hear, hear.) How do we stand in regard to that matter at present ? Let us look at our exports to the United States and to Great Britain. Our exports tc the United States amount to $32,- 273,033, and to Qr«..4^ Britain they amount to $38,714,331. Here are the figures as pre- sented by the Canadian r ..turns : To United To Great Produce of States. Britain. The mine $3,085,431 $ 477,732 Fisheries 2,717,509 1.704,100 Forest 9,353,506 9,445 491 Animals 7,291,369 16,;U5,474 Agriculture 7,960,248 9,438,408 Manufactures 1,289,062 1,270,162 Miscellaneous 569,918 62,884 Totals 132,273,033 $38,714,331 I will deal simply with the exports to United States, and if wo examine the figures we will find this result: Of tho $9,353,506 worth of the ^/roducts of the forest, $1,600,- 000 enters free under the present system, and the duty on the remaining portion is proposed to be remitted by the Tariff bill now before Congress. (Hear, hear.) Of the exports of the mine, coal amounts to about $1,252,867 ;goldquartzto$l,0l7,401 ; gypsum crude to $165,497 ; copper ore, $181,000 ; iron ore, $71,930; atone and marble, $69,300; making the total of $2,754,000. Coal, as the hon. gentlemen know, over a million dol- ''^r- "'-■ ^''^'U S Xi,.:-^,}'^-^ vr:~''», \ 10 lars worth of it, in fact nearly the whole ex- po'-t of coal to the United Statee, goes from the ooal fields of Vancouver Island to the markets of the United States on the Pacific coast, chifcfiy to San Francieoo. Now, the question of duty on that might be an import- ant matter, but I am inclined to think in that case we may accept the general view which the hon. gentlemen opposite in former con- troversies «n the National Policy have im- pressed on us, namely, that it is the con- sumer who pays the duty. Of the fisheries, $2,717,000, no less than $1,130,000 worm is already admitted free, so that the advantages of a free market, undoubtedly very great, may be, after all. over-estimated. Eveiy- one who hae watched the progress of the fieheries and the fish trade during the last two years in our Mmtimc provinses knows that there has never been — I think I am within the mark in saying — there has never been in the histoiy of the Maritime prov- inces more profitable fishing than that which occun-ed during the last year or two. (Cheers ) Now wo find in regard to the fisheries that new markets are beinfj opened up all the time. Horc, for instance, is what the Halifax Chamber of Commerce said upon this subject on the 7th of March, only a few days aco ! — " Now that we have been for a time in sole possession of our fisheries ^ are realizing more than ever their very at value. The product of our fisheries lo Uated at about twenty millions of dollars. Of this great fn- dustry Nova Scotia is credited wit', at least one-half of the whole. While the available consuming population is rapidly increasing, a single square mile cannot bo added to these productive grounds, the product of which must, In the very nature; of things, continue to incre^.se in value. Their accessibility, yro- f'uctivencss and extent place thera before us as the most valuable in thewoilu. Tlie mar- kets «f the world are v/ldeenougli if nroperly cultivated for all we catch for export, with an ever-inoreasijig demand. Our merchants seem fairly alive to the value of these more dlstantmarl.'ots, and eac)' year ought to find them more capable of utilizing them. Let us then be alive to tliegreat value of this source] of wealtli and employment, quite satisfied, while in full possession of our own, to allow our noighhors across the line the full posses- sion of their own, and get ready, should they come to H just and equitable view of the whole premises, to meet them in a icciprocity treaty of fiiendly commerce worthy of the two most advanced nations of the world, and members at the same time of one great fam- ily." Now, sir, you will see that the Chamber of Ci»mmerce of Halifax, thoroughly familiar with the p>j6ition of the fisheries, recognize that they have, under the present conditions, opportunities for the profitable employment of those fisheries, and that they look forward to them as a great source of wealth, and be^ lieve tliat other l.irge markets may be opened for them, even if the United States should, ■nfortunately, continue the policy which they have adopted in the past. (Hear, hear.) Now, of animals and their pr(,duce, we exported $? ?S1,369, and of these there were already fr»e of duty $2,G69,628, leaving a little ov( r four millions and a quarter sub- ect to duty ; and the exports of the products of the farm reached $7,400,777. With a view of ascertainJDg the duty which we pay on our exports I take the American trade re- turns, because they gi'-e the exact amount of duty paid upon the exports of Canada into that country. The imports into the United States from Canada in 1887, which were sub- ject to duty, amounted to $25,997,1 l.S. I have taken thti def;ails of twenty-four mil- lions of this sum ; the others were very small amofnts, and in the hurry I did not go into them. But upon twenty-four mil- lions of exports the duty paid was $4,715,- 46 1, or on the whole exports from Canada into the United States the duty paid was about $5,000,000. Unrestricted reciprocity would remove that, so that as a mere matter of bargain, as a mere matter of profit and loss, v/e wosld receive about five millions, assuming, of course, that the exporter pays the dKty, that the producer pajs the duty, whieh is rather ptrange doc- trine, coming from hon gentlemen opposite, in view of the discussions we have had in the past. (Hear, hear.) But assaming that the producer pays the duty, wc save $5,000,- 000, and for that we would saerifice the duties on American goods '^oming into Canada, amoimting to over sevci millions and a quarter. (Cheers). It is a new doc- trine that we pre to give up seven and a quarter million dollars in order that we may get five millions in return. THK CONGRESSIONAL BILL. Now, sir, it is impossible, in the disscussion of this question, to avoid some reference to what is going on in the Congress of the United States. A bill, as hon. gentlemen know, has been submitted to Congress, put- ting < n the free list a large number of a~- titfles which are now subject to duty. Th . articles that would be exempt from duty, and vho present extent of our exports of those articles are as follows : — Lumber FUx - Tin plates Copper oro $7,820,811 298,079 222 188,329 u •ok f orwardT 1th, and be^ ' be opened Cs should, licy which St. (Hear, ir produce, those there 28, leaving uartor sul)- 10 products /^ith a vitjw we pay on 1 trade re- el amount Canada into the United were sub- )97,H3. I 'four mil- were very i' I did net '-four mil- iis $4,715,- )m Canada ' paid wag reciprocity lere matter ' of profit .'e about lurse, that e producer angc doc- i opposite, had in iming that $5,000,- ifice the ling into millions new doc- en and a that we SHCUSBlOn erence to of the eutlemen ress, put- of a-- ty. Th. ■)m duty, ports of r,829,81l 2'J8,079 222 188,329 Potatoes Ua'lin Beans and peas .... °°S'«o^ Wool 3d6,-J84 In all, $9,800,000 worth of exports from Canada to the United States, out of the 2b,- 000,000 that are now paying dnty, wonid be exempt from iuties if that bill passed. Nov, the amount of the duty on the articles which would be remitted if that bill passes, amounts to $2,778,961. As to the balance of the articles, this fact ought to be remembered, that our trade v'ith the United States is a trade of competition and not a trade of exchange. The articles that wonld go into the United States are articles which are largely produced by the people of that country. (Hear, hear.) "When the hon. gentleman tells us that we are to giv« up a market of 5,000,000 for a mar- ket of 60,000,000 of people, he ought also in fairnoss, to tell us that we give up our mar- ket of 5,000,000 for a market of 60,000,000 which is already so fully occupied that pre- cisely the same articl-^s we export to them, they actually are e .porting of their surplus u larger amount to other countries. (Hear, hear.) No one, therefore, CPU say that this is a market open to u, in the sense in which hon. gentlemen use that term. The dlKtinctiou between competition and exchange in matters of trade cannot be too strongly emphasised. We would thus find that the balance which we wo'-ld re- ceive, supposing that the bill now jefore Coiigress passes, from duty or- the balance of the articicE, would amount to $2,780,000, and for the remission of that amtunt the people of Canada, as I have said, are expect- ed to give up $7,300,000. (Cheers.) We are in r.ddition to risk the transfer of our import trade to United States ports, we are to iutrodu'^e discriminating rates against Croat Britain and to disturb our entire fiscal a.\d industrial system, for the hon. gentle- mi n himself admits that that would be the im.ncdiate result at all events, whatever might bo the ultimate result of the adoption of this principle of Unrestricted Reciprocity. (Cheers.) A few words as to the question of this larger market, because that after all is the one argument produced to induce us to accept this principle. THE EFFECT ON OUR MANDFACTDRES. First as to manutJttnres. lam relieved considerably from the necessity of dealing with this qucBtion by the admission of the hon. member for South Oxford (feir Richard Cartwright) that the effect would be certain- ly to injure many of the manufactures of Canada. Is it in the. interests of this coun- try that we should injire those manufac- tures ? What have the manufacturers of this country done that an injnry of this kind proposed to be inflicted on them should be treated as a matter not oidy of no conse- quence but as a mattci that a-laally should be received with coiisidcrable self-com- placency by Parliament? (Hear, hear.) True, it is said that the effect weuld be to induce us to do as is done in the United States, to adopt special classes of manufactures, that with the large market of 65,000,000 to supply instead of 5,000,000, manufatfturers would adopt special lines, Aud having adopted those special lines, on the whole manufac- turing interests of this country would be promoted rather than retarded, after, of course the immediate disturbance has passed away, which the hon. gentleman admits is inevitable. But the adoption of those special lines involves a change of our Uianufactures altogether, the iatrodnction of new machinery, the introduction of new capital ; and I will ask any hon. gentleman whether he thinks any man would be so foolish as to invest large capital in Canada for special lines of manufactures in the hope that wc might thereby get a market in the United States as well as in Canada, when by simply crossing the line he could secure for all time a market of 60,000,000 at all events, and for the time being the market of Canada as well. (Rear, hear.) Remember that this reciprocity an /.ngenient is not to be — I do not so understand it — a pe manvnt arracge- ment, I mean an absolutely permanent ar- rangement. It will be a time treaty, and 3 very one knows tho,t in a time tieaty there will always be the terminati'sn of the treaty in view of any man who is proposing to in- vest a single dollar in industries which may be affected by its conditions. (Hear, hear.) They will look to the past. They will re- member that every treaty that we have had, with the United States has been denounced the very moment thi terms of the treaty pevmitted it. The hon. member for South Oxford (Sir Rishard Cartwright) says we are still to remain an independent community on this rmtinent, that is independent so fa. as poiiti-dl connection with the United States is con«erned, and we are still to re- main connected with the mclhar country. The hon. gwntleman disavows any desirr that we should separate from the mother country. There is, therefore, still the coutirgency which eonstaatly mu^.t arise bet' veen nations of disagreement and rupture, i ana a rupture of friendly relations, as evetj- ii '« body knowd, ends a treaty ; bo that the manvfactarer who is going to invest bis money, baring regard to this market of be materially affected, ought to govern and supersede all other considerations in con- nection with the legislation of this Parlia- ment. (Hear, hear.) What is the fact in regard to them ? Why not more than 10 per cent, of the entire products of Canada go to the United States. I hear an hon. gentleman behind m«, who is thoroughly familiar with this subject, say that not more than 5 per cent, goes to the United States, but I plaee the quantity at 10 per cent. Mr. Welsh. More than 20 per cent. goes. Mr. White (Cardwell). The overwhelm- ing proportion if ♦consumed in Canada. I think I may fairly sav that ^360,000,000 worth is consumed in Canada out of some $400,000,000 worth, the entire production of the farms in Canada. So that the intsrests •«f the farmer are to be advanced, not by im- proving the market for his ten per cent., but by improving the market for the over- whelming quantity he sells at home, by causing an improvement of the home mar- ket. (Cheers). That is tho true policy with regard to the interests of the farmer in Canada. How is the home market to be im- proved? All will admit that it in by build- ing up urban populations that the home market is improved to the farmer. Has that been goiiig on during the last few years? Look at the city of T ronto. The hon. gen- tleman says one or two of our towns have made progrese. I say that all the important towns of Canada have made progress. (Hear, hear). Take the city of Tor- onto, whose assessed value in six years has increased $42,000,000, and there are very few cities in the United States that oan be said to have shown greater relative progress durinj; the same time. Take the city of Montreal. Its assessed value in one single year has increa8«d $7,600,000, and that increased assessed valce represents a largely increased populatioM, a largely in- creased consuming population, consuming the products of the farmers of the cowntry. (Cheers.) The «!ame progress substantially, though perhaps not absolutely may be said to have characterised all the great centres of Canada. Now, what is THE CONDITION 0? THB FARlfKRS ? ' at this moment ? The hon. gentleman has told UP they aro in a very desperate co«di- tion, that the cost of farm lauds has gone dewn, that the cost of farm produce has gone down ; and he proposes to increase the price of farm land and increase the cost of the various piroducts by destroying the manufac- turing interests of Canada, by compelling us to resort to direct taxation, by stopping pub- lic works of every kind, because that is part of the hon. gentleman's policy ; he pro- poses to increase the value of farm lands and of farm products by doing this, in order that he may obtain re-' ciprocal free trade or rather unrestricted re- ciprocity,with the United States. (Hear,hear). Now I will take some figures from an au- thority which can hardly be said to be un- favorable authority at any rate to hon. gentlemen opposite. The figures are given in the report of Mr. Blue. Mr. Blue, as is well known, has developed into somewhat of a politiciau and he is to-day I believe au ardent advocate of commercial union. Although it is none of ray business, and I have no right to interfere with the ofldccr of another Government, I am bound to say that having regard to the fact that he is the statistic ian of the Government, that he baa to give figures and returns on those very im- portant matters to the people of Ontario a« a whole irrespective of politics, I think greator confidence might be reposed in him if it were not known — I do not mean to say recollect that he has misstated any figures — but greater confidence would be bestowed upon him if it were not known that he is i>- terebted in a movement which will be pro- moted by showing that the interests of the farmers are failing, and that their profits are disappearing. (Cheers.) But I take hii; A- . 13 ty of T»r- six years ud there States that er relative Take the He in one 0,000, and presents a largely in- consurning coMntrj'. istantially, ay be said centres of rang !'■-.-■> ••" eman kas ate oo»di- has gone ! has gone ! the price !t of the manufiic- pelling us ping pub- at is part ; he pro- of farm by doing btain re-' trieted re- lear,hear). om an au- to be un- ! to hon. are giren Hue, as is acwhatof )elieTo au union. Bs, and I officer of ) say that le is the he has to very im- ntario as I think d in hjm an to say figures — bestowed he is im- 1 be pro- t« of the rofits are ake his> ' figures which cannot be regarded as unfavor- able figures by hon. gentlemen opposite. Ontario, according to Mr. Blue contains 22,- 000,000 acres of farm land occupied, of which 10,940,000 are cleared and 8,670,000 woodlands, and acreage in field crops 7,403,- 000, and iu orchards and gardens 186,616, and the remainder occupied by barns, build- ings and minor crops. The total acreage of the province in wheat (fall and spring) was 1,464,000 in 1886, and the product that year (it was less last year), was 27,900,000 bush- els. The average priee of farm land accord- ing to Mr. Blue in 1886 was $29.78 per acre, and that instead of being a reduction of price was actually according to Mr. Blue a gain of 22 cents per acre above the average in the years from 1882 to 1886. That is the statement made by Mr. Blue. The average value of the farm buildings was $8.44 per acre, and the increase 69 cents per aere over the average of 1882 and 1886. The average va- lue of farming implements was $2.32 per acre, or 21 cents increase ever the average from 1882 to 1886. The value of the live stock was 37 cents per aere above the five years' average. I tliink that those figures at any rate do not show that the values in the hands of the farmers are decreasing as the hon. member for South Oxford (Sir Richard Cartwright) would have led us to believe i j his speech. (Cheers.) We have here a very large increase in farm lands, buildings, stock and agricultural implements. We have on those an average increase of $1.50 an acre in 1886 ()v«k- the averae« of the preceding five years, or an aggregate increase of thirty mil- lions of dollars iu the pockets of the farmers of Ontario in 1886 over th* average of the previous five years. That is not by any means an evidence of that poverty of which we hear so mueh fr«m hon. gentlemen op- posits. (Cheers.) But they have told as and will probably tell us again, that those iTARHS ARE ALL MORTOAOED, that the farmers ere hopelessly in debt, and that, therefore, on that account they find that the burden of paying the interest on the ir debt having regard to the prices that they are now getting for their products, is a bur- den which is intcleraUe to them although how they are going to get out of that by un- restricted reciprocity I have ret yet brcn able to discover. (Cheers.) I thiak I will be able to show before I get through ihat this p-ilicy would send them tc the wrong mark'jt to get relief of that kind. Now there are s .xty-five loan and building societies who make reports to the Finance Department of Canada. The loans represented by tiiese companies who report to the Finance De- partment represent between $80,000,000 and $85,000,000. The value of property from 1880 to 1883, according to those reports, in the Provinces of Canada increased $32,000,000. The value of mortgages on property increased $18,000,000. Between 1883 and 1886 the value of property again increased, curiously enough, $32,000,000, while the value of mortgages on pro- perty inereased $12,000,000. In 1880 the default through the non-payment of interest or principal was about eight per cent, of the whole. In 1886 the default was reduced to four seven-tenths per cent., and in 1887 the condition of things was even better. (Hear, hear.) I take tw« companies as an illusfration, because recently thty have held their meetings and have made their statements. The Canadian Company held its annual meeting in Iiondon, England, since the beginning of the present year. From the report of the remarks of the chair- man I take the following : — " Tne chairman referred to two facts: first, that the conipanv had reduced their rat« of in- terest 1 per cent, because other companies were offering money at reduced rates, and, secondly, that the proceeds obtained last year (1887) from the sale of land in Canada were 25 percent, higher than the value in Decem- ber, 1886." Those were the actual sales, forced sales, I presume, some of them, as well as sales not forced, but of land falling, as the result of foreclosure, into the hands of the loan com- pany. The North of Scotland Canadian Mortgage company also held its meeting since the beginning of the new year : " The chairman referred to the falling off in interest received in 1887 on mortgages in Can- ada. That is explained by the faet that a very considerable number of the mortgages made three or four years ago at a higher rate of in- terest have fallen in and the money has been lent out at the much less rate of interest cur- rent now." - !\ . . They also report : " The amount of real estate fallen into the hands of the company through I'oreclosure was but £6,000 out of £600,000 the company had invested, or only about 1 per cent." Yet hon. gentlemen, in the face of those faets — facts which ought to be open to them if they were anxious to say something gO(xi 01 the country — tell us that the farmers of Canada have nothing but ruin staring them in the face. (Cheers.) The rate of interest has fallen within the last six years at least 2 per eeut., or a saving to the mort- gpgor^ in the operation of loan companies of a miUioB and a half of dollars iu a year. M / — Milwaukee. SO 60 to $0 70 89 to '>38 00 to 4 Ou CO 2 60 to 17 to 18 to oes 4 60 4 00 18 20 These are simply the ordinary market prices paid directly to the farmer, showing one rea- son, I £aney, why the official statistician for the Proviuco of Ontario can report a so much more favorable condition of affairs to farmers of that province than the official statistics of the United States can record with reference to the farmers of the latter. (Cheers.) I will not detain the house longer. As I said in commencing, the people of this country have always been and are still ready to enter into the freest commercial relations with our neighbors, consistent with tho great policy of developing our own industries. I protest against the character of speeches such as that to which we have listened to- night. If hon. gentlemen opposi ? have sat on that side for ten years, they owe that fact chiefly to just such speeehes as the one we have just heard from the honorable member for South Oxford. (Cheers.) They mistake tho temper of the people of Canada ; they mistake the temper of the electors of this country, if they imagine that those electors will tolei-atc this perpetual depre- ciation oi the country itself ; and I cannot in this sense do better tuan to offer as a heritage to hon. gentlemen opposite and through them to the country, the words of a former leader of the Liberal party, a great leader, who, whatever difference of opinion may have existed as to his methods and opinions upon some questions, was, at least, a sincere and devoted Canadian and loyal- ist — I allude to the late Hon. George Brown. I cannot do better, in concluding my re- marks, than quote his words : A heritage, it seems to me, Well worth our while to hold in fee. " Neither politically nor comimeroially does Canada need to change har position to secure a high degree of prosperity. In all that con- duces to pemonal comfort and happiness, In the steady development of home and foreign trade, in the extension of public enterprise, in the flourishing condition of our farmers and In the unlimitedscope for the employment of a vast population, Canada has all that a nation can desire." Mr. White resumed bis seat amid long and ooBtinued applause. i Milwaukee, i $0 60 to SO 70 83 to \> 38 to to 68 4 Ou to 4 60 2 60 to 4 00 17 to 18 18 to 20 f market prices lowing one rea- Btatistician for a report a so )n of affairs to lan the official tes can record 8 of the latter. i6 houae longer. J people of this i are still ready ercial relations t with the great 1 industries. I ber of speeches 'e listened to- poii have sat r owe that fact SB as the one the honorable Dheers.) They •pie of Canada ; ;he electors of le that those rpvtual depre- ; and I cannot . to offer as a opposite and the words of a party, a great ce of opinion methods and 8, was, at least, an and loyal- George Brown, udiug my re- old In fee. imeroially dbes Ition to secure n all that con- happiness, in nae and foreign )llc enterprise, ur farmers and smployment of las all that a amid long and