HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1908-10-15, Page 86
LAURIER AND THE LARGER OANAbA SUPPLEMENT
THE BRITISH
PREFERENCE
ik Master Stroke on the Part of
the Laurier Govern-
ment.
MADE CANADA PRE-EMINENT
En Heart of the Empire—Had
Marvelous Effect on Eng-
lish Nation,
RESULTING TRADE GROWTH
rhe Bond Between Dominion and
Mother Land Greatly Strength-
ened by This Policy,
The Liberal party deserves the full-
ist credit for the diligence, wisdom,
und success with which it bats labored
tor the building up of trade between
:lamed& and Great Britain. The pre-
sminent position held by Canada. in
She British Empire is due, to a large
ixtent, to the adoption of this wise
solley. The preferential tariff in fa-
vor of British goods had a marvelous
effect upon the hearts and minds of
the English nation. and did much to-
wards making Canada better known
than before.
This policy was the more appreciat-
e' because it was voluntary an the
,at of Canada; not the result of any
oargaining, but the spontaneous grant -
ng of special advantages to our co -
:Weans of the Empire. Nevertheless
tt did help our own country financial -
y, so that our trade with Great Britain
rent up by leaps and bounds, and it
'penes' up a new field for co-operation
Ind mutual help to all the territorial
livisions of the British Empire.
The resulting development of good-
will and mutual respect is too well
rnown to need any illustration or
proof. It finds exprepsion every day
in business, literature; and inter-com-
nunIcation. Canada would not occupy
to high a position. as she does, were it
sot for the wisdom that planned, and
the energy that carried through, the
preferential tariff Policy, which has
brought money to our shores, enlarged
sur trade, and made the necessities
jife cheaper for our own people.
Some idea of the effect of this pol-
icy, and other features of our present
edmInistrative system, upon the mag-
nitude and trend of our business deal-
ings with other communities, may• be
lathered from the following statements
:ancerning the last fiscal year of Con-
servative rule, and the fiscal year
which recently closed
1. Total trade of Canada, that is the
tg,grcgate value of all Canadian Itn-
,orte and exports for years named:
e•aa $218,906,211
1,08 • . 638.380,2.4
2. Total trade with Great Britain,
'hat Is, the value of imports into Can-
ecla from Great Britain, and exports
!nem Canada, to Great Britain:
1.896 895,542,40
1908 220,656,507
3. imports from Creat Britain to
:anada:
:890
loos
4. Imports
ela nada:
1896
1908
532,524,005
94,362,281
from United States to
538,629,390
79,126,167
The foregoing figures are most con-
vincing evidence of the effect of the
preferential tariff in directtng into our
sommerce with Great Britain a great
leaf of buelness that would have ben-
efited the United. States Instead of our
motherland If the old Conservative
policy had been continued. The fact
that the result has been very benefi-
cial to Canada Is strilcingly shown in
the Increasing market that we have
found In England for our surplus pro -
duets, as shown in the following
statement:
Value of goods exported from Can-
ada to Great Britain:
1896 ...... • • • • • • • • • •• • 62,717,941
1008 .... 126,194,124
Originally the, form of the pretense -
teal tariff was e, reduction of ane -
eighth in the customs duties levied
aeon goods corning from Great Bri-
tain. Later on, the reduction was
changed to one-quarter of the auty,
and subsequently the preference was
so adjusted as to be not only advan-
tageous to Great Britain, bat also
adapted to encourage Canadian indus-
try. On the whole, the preference now
overages about one-third of the gen-
• eral customs rate,
The preferential tariff is Only one
:Se a number of reforms that have al-
, ready been achieved by the Liberal
perty, such as reduction Of poetal
rates, anti-dumping legislation, sup-
, 'aresefest.of. the opium traffic, civil ser-,
g.1%%,n,e,,Z1
many other public benefits. ell in line
with the sound progressive prinelple of
govrrnment for the good of The in-
ter -1.0, of the whole community, not
epecial favors for any clese, Is the oh -
led tee. which the Liberal mirtY 011..
lets and strives.
THE CONQUERING OF WESTERN CANADA.—NO. 5.—THE COMMISSARIAT TRAINS.
A. series of eight cartoons drawn by ler. C, W. Jefferys representing the conquest of Canada for civilization and
the meet who are engaged in it.
THIS COUNTRY DEMANDS
ONLY MODERATE TARIFF
Work of Making Harmony, Which Laurier Has Been Doing in Racial
Matters, Is Being Accomplished by Fielding
in Fiscal Affairs,
In hiseMassey Hall speech, after re-
ferring to the work done by Sir Wil-
frid Laurier in making harmony be-
tween men of different races and
creeds, Mr. Fielding said that in the
revision of the tariff it was necessary
to work along somewhat similar lines.
In the meetings of the Tariff Commis-
sion he sometimes adopted the pian of
presenting the case agalnst each depu-
tation as it appeared. Ile would ask
the manufacturer to consider the case
of the consumer. He would remind the
farmer that h4s prosperity was bound
up with the suc.aer ur manufacturing
industry.
The Minister of Fintutte intimated
that unless this question was very
carefully handled there was danger of
a sectional conflict between the Man-
ufacturing East and the agricultural
West. It is true that the West has
manufacturing industries, and will
have more. But, on the whole, agricul-
ture will be for many years the dom-
inant industry of the country between
the Red River and the Reeky Moun-
teens, and the people will be disposed
to chafe against any restriction of
their liberty to buy their supplies
where they please.
On the other hand, expression is
Sometimes given in the East to a feel-
ing that the West has been built 'Ip
by Eastern money and that pastern
Manufacturers are entitled to a, return
in the form of a proteotive tariff which
will insure them the Western marIcet.
Obviously this Is a ease for careful
handling and moderation. If there
were a demand for free trade, It might
be necessary to remonstrate with the
Western farmer. But in this part of
Canada at least, the extreme against
which it is necessary to guard shows
itself in demands far great Increases in
the tariff. W,e must not push the
West too hard, nor carry too far the
contention that the East has put the
Wc.st uadee a tremendous obligation
by building railroads and bringing in
immigrants. There is danger of pro-
voking a reaction which will show It-
self in force as the growth of popu-
lation causes the centre of political
power to movo westward. All protec-
tive tariffs rest upon the consent of the
people, end Western Canada, When
thickly populated, would be a power'
fal addition to anti -protection senti-
ment. A moderate tariff is a politi-
cal necessity in Canada; as much a
political necessity as a policy of free-
dom and equality in religion.
THE CHARGES VARY.
Some Borden Supporters Want One
Thine, Some Another,
Mr, Thomas I)oherty, of Sarnia, is
put rward by the Conservative press
ea a lifelong Liberal, who carnet alb -
the Laurier Government because
pf Its tariff policy. Those who are
itimiliar With the usual line of attnelt
1=1, the Goverinnent will naturally
mileage that Mr. Eoherty is 0free
Wider or ft vivant tariff blab, who Is
THE CONQUERING OF WESTERN CANADA—NO. 6, --THE VOLUNTEERS,
A series of eight cartoons drawn by Mr, C. W. Jefferys representing the conquest of Canada for civilization and
the men who are engaged in it,
aggrieved because the tariff was
not sufficiently reduCcd, a.nd who
Ulrike that in this respect the Liberal
platform of 1865 has not been carried
out.
Not at all. Mr. Doherty is a high
tariff man. who thinks that the Lib-
eral Government has gone too far
tcward carrying out the Liberal plat-
0,rm of 1893. Formerly a low tariff
advocate, be finds in the advanced
conditions of the country the need for
an alteration of policy. He believes
that adequate protection would in
few years give Canada a population of
twc1ty itililous. "Vote for the party
which favors the protection of your
industries,"
Thus the Liberal Government is
blamed for carrying Out the platform of
1893, and for not carrying it out. It is
blamed because the tariff is too high
end because the tariff is toe low. What
sort of tariff policy is likoly to ema-
nate from a party which takes these
opposite positions?
THE TWO RECOFIOS.
Figures Show Striking Contrast Be-
tween Liberal end Conservative
Rule,
"The Conservatives spent money
when they did not have 12 20 spend; we
spent It when WO did have it to spend."
This sentence from Mr, Fielding's
Massey Hall speech puts in the brIefezt
and clearest possible form the differ-
ence between the financial record of
the Laurier A.dmirtistrEution and the
Conservative Administrations which
preceded it.
In the eleven years subsequent to
1806 the entire outlay of the Laurier
GoVernment--inclu ding the vast expen-
ditures on great public works, as well as
the eost of the ordinary services
the conntry--wes met ern of =tont
tevenue with the exception of a little
over five (Tellers In the eleven
years preceding 1890 the Conservatives,
with a great deal lees epent 00 per-
manent Dublin improvements, were ob-
liged to borrow sixty-two 1111111011 dot -
(era in order to Make erids Meet.
THE LIBERAL TARIFF
HELPED PROSPERITY
Tupper's Gloomy Predictions Did Not Como True —As Liberals
Would Have Been Blamed for Adversity, They Should
Get Pull Credit for Prosperity.
In 1897, when the first Fielding taniff
MBA 'submitted to Parliament, S1r
Charles TunPor; then leader of theCon-
servatIve Opposition, said "the Indus-
tries of this country aro already
psr-
aiyzed, while honorable members gloat
over the destruction of Canadiat in-
dustries. I was reading the wail, the
sorrowful wall, of these Industries in
the Montreal Gazotte, whore 0110 manu-
facturer after another declared that
those industries wore ruined, that
their mins might close, and that theY
saw staring them In the face a return
to the deplorable state of things that
existed when the hon. gentleman. who
last addressed the 1 -louse was in charge
of the meat policy Of this cotintry, I
Say that a deeper WrOng Was never
Inflieted upon. Canada. So far from re-
loicing at It from a party standpoint,
t deplore from bottom of tny heart
the rum that is going, to he inflicted
upon the hest interests of 'Canada, and
upon its groa,t iaduetries,"
As Sir Chitties Tapper really arid siu.
lc?
3
44.
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cerely deplored from the bottont of his
Menet the ruin that he 'saw in the fte•
ture, he must be now rejoicing at the
dispelling of his fears. In five yeas%
of Liberal Government the (capital in-
imsted In manufacturing industries was
intreased. by .5887,900,000, the wages
were Increased by 548,906,000, the value
of products from ,$296,898,000. In twelve
Years of Conservative administration
the exports of manufactures were $69,-
000,000. In twelve years of Liberal ad.,
ministration the exports of manufact-
tures were 6214,000,000.
Suppose Sir Charles TUPPee's fears
had been 'realized. Does anyone sup-
pose for one Moment that the Liberal
GoVerinnetit would not have been held
001)011811=19 for every ruined industry,
every desereted factOry, every desolated
Workmen's home In the land? Practi-
cally nothing else • would have been
talked of. Tho Liberal Governitent
would have been ern -aline" as the IVIac-
ketizie Government was smashed hi
1518. Then is it fair that a Liberal
Government shall bear the burden Of
adversity, and hall have TM Share in
the credit for pro14perity4
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Phenomenal Advance Under Laurier in All Lines
of Industrial Enterprise
The figures which follow give in succinct form the story of Ganacla's progress, in
the principal lines of industrial enterprise, under the Laurier Government, Where
possible comparison has been made between 1896 and the latest year for which statistics
are available. In some cases, as in manufaeturing, it has been impossible to do this, as
1896 was not a "census year,"
The whole story is one of amazing advancement and marvelous development
under the most progressive Government that has ever held power in Canada.
EXPANSION OF COMMERCE
Total trade, 1806. ..... ..... ,...... .......... 5217.000,000
Total trade, 1908 ... 5598,000,000
Increase
$381,000
Exports, Canadian products, 1896 5106,000,000,000
Exports, Canadian products, 1908 .,.. 8247,000,000
Increase $141,000,000
The above are figures which speak. And they do not lie. They tell in a word of
the wonderful expansion which has taken place in our trade with other countries in
the twelve years the Laurier Government has been in power.
In 1896 the aggregate of our exports to and imports from other countries, exclu-
sive of coin and bullion, was $217,000,000.
In 1908 the aggregate wits $598,000,000.
The increase in the twelve years was $38 1,000,000.
The increase in 1908 over the total trade of 1896 was $164, 000,000.
Taking our export trade alone the showing is equally satisfactory. The exports
of Canadian products in 1896 were valued at $106,000,000. The exports of like products
in 1908 reached a value of $247,000,000. The increase in this case was $141,000,000.
GROWTH IN THE WEST
Immigrants arriving in West and settling on farms in five years, 1881-95 32,292
Immigrants arriving in West and settling on farms in five years. 1001-6 ...... •••••••128,1300
Acres put in orop in 1895 by immigrants arriving in previous 5 years ------408,189
Acres put in crop in 1906 by immigrants arriving in 8 years prior to that date .... 114521791
"Growth" is scarcely the word to describe the onward rush which has character-
ized the West of late years. Stagnation has given place to abounding progress. Des-
pair has made way for compelling hope. It is really a new West that exists to -day. At
the end of 1895 less than 23,000 immigrants, who had arrived during the previous five
years, were settled on Western farms. In 1906 the number of immigrants so settled,
who had arrived subsequent to 1900, was 128,800. In the addition to crop acreage
resulting from immigrant labor the result is equally remarkable.
RAILWAYS KEEP PACE
Mileage in operation, 1896 ...... ..... ......... 16,270
Mileage in operation, 1907 22,452
Passengers Carried, 1896 14.810,000
Passengers Carried, 1907 32,137,000
Tons Freight Moved, 1896 .............. ........ 24,260,000
Tons Freight Moved, 1007 63,866,500
The mileage of Canadian railways in 1907 was about 40 per cent. in advance of that
of 1896. The expansion in traffic was vastly greater, passenger travel having much
more than doubled while the volume of freight was well nigh trebled,
MINES YIELD OF THEIR RICHNESS
value Output of Mines in 1001 . —848.000,000
Output of same in 1907 '"' $86,000,000
T,o the progressive policy pursued in the Yukon, the opening up of the Crow's
Nest Pass region, and the wise course followed along other lines, is largely due the
fact that Canada, as shown by the figures ;just given, is rapidly taking her place
among the foremost producers of the world in the riches of the mine.
MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT
Value of output of factories in 1901 5481,000,000
Value of output of factories in 1906 $718,000,000
Salaries and wages paid in factories, 1901 . $118,000,000
Wages paid in f actories, 1906 $134,000,000
With the opening up of the West, the growth in wealth clue to the expansion of
our foreign trade, and enlarged mineral development, new life has been infused into
manufacturing enterprises as well. Development along this line has been aided, too,
by the wisdom shown in so readjusting the tariff as to relieve consumers and manufac-
turers alike of hampering restrictions previously imposed.
BANKS GROWING WITH THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTRY
Bank capital paid up, 1896 • 562,000,000
Bank capital paid up, 1907 ............. ..... .......
Notes in circulation, 1896 • 531,000,000
Notes in circulation, 1907
Deposits, 1896
Deposits, 1907
The financial interests have felt the momentum which has been given to all lines of
industrial enterprise. As a result the volume of bank notes in circulation has much
more than doubled, while the prosperity of the country generally is shown by the Mell-
ing of the funds on deposit in chartered banks from $193,000,000 to $655,000,000,
$96,000,000
$75,000,000
.„ ;198,000,000
$655,000,000
ONWARD MARCH IN INSURANCE
Fire Insurance at risk, 1896 .. *846,000,000
Fire Insurance at risk, 1907 $1,615,000,000
Income Straight Lite Companies, 1896 ... ........ * 10,000,000
Income Straight Life Companies, 1907 $37,000,000
The story of progress in banking is duplicated in that which sets forth the ex-
panding business of insurance companies. Notwithstanding the wonderful growth
of mutual fire and life insurance organizations, the amount at risk by regular fire corn -
panics has almost doubled in eleven years, while the income of straight life companies
has increased well nigh four fold.
ENLARGED POSTAL. SERVICE
Post-officee in existence, 1896 9,103
Post-officet in existence, 1008 . . . . .. . . 11,823
Letters carried, 1896 . .. ...
118,000,000
Letters carried, 1908 396,000,000
Value money order% lesued, 1896 ..... ... 518,000,000
Value money orders issued, 1908 ...... „ „ „ , $55,000,000
The abounding activity in all industrial lines has naturally called for an extension
of the country's postal facilities. The demand has been fully met by the progressive
Government now in power. Nearly 3,000 new pest -offices have been established in
twelve years, and such, provision has been made for meeting the demands of the
people that considerably over three times the number of letters wore earried in 1908
that were carried in 1896. Now another and most iinportant further step is being
taken by providing for the organization of a rural mail service. Truly,
THE NAME OF LAURIER
STANDS FOR THE GREATER CANADA
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