Show COMMERCIAL UNION WITH CANADA The annexation of Canada to the United States is not a thing impossible nor even improbable since its advocates both in Canada and the United States are daily increasing But whatever the final results may be of all this talk about annexation annexa-tion we have every reason to believe that the commercial relations between the two countries will soon be materially improved The Canadians on their part appear most anxious to form a commercial Union with our country To facilitate such an action Mr RICHARD CUITWKIOIIT offered a motion In the Canadian parliament the other day I demanding Canadian independence in treatymaking affairs The motion was defeated de-feated by a amjority of twentyeight a majority so small that the liberal party which favored the motion are considerably encouraged Failing in this move the liberal leader Hon WILFHEU LAUKIKK iu troduced the following resolution That In view of the rejection by the henate of the United States of the treaty of 1818 and the unfortunate and regretable differences existing between Canada and the United States on the fisheries question this house Ls of the opinion that steps should be taken at an early date bj l fb f 1 the government of Canada for the satisfactory adjustment of such difficulties and the securing of unrestricted freedom in the trade relations of the two countries and that in any negotiations entered upon for such purposes Canada should be directly represented by some one nominated by its government That in the meantime and to prevent such negotiations being unfavorably entered upon and to afford evidence of the anxious desire of Canada to promote good feeling and remove all possible subjects of controversy that this house Is of opinion that the modus Vivendi proposed on behalf of the British government to the government govern-ment of the United States with respect to the fisheries should be continued in operation during the ensuing fishing season On our side of tho line what may be rightly considered the commercial advances of Canada have been most favorably met The late Congress in the last hours of its session passed Mr HITTS of Illinois joint resolution to promote commercial union with our northern neighbor The said resolution provides that whenever it shall be duly certified to the President that the government of Canada has declared a desire to establish commercial uni n with the United States having a uniform revenue reve-nue system like internal taxes to be collected col-lected and like import duties to be imposed on articles brought into either country from other nations with no duties upon trade between the United States and Canada he shall appoint three commissioners to meet those who may be likewise designated to represent the government of Canada to prepare a plan for the assimilation of the import duties and internal revenue taxes of the two countries and an equitable division of receipts in a commercial union and slid commissioners shall report to the President Presi-dent who shall report before Congress The committee on foreign affairs in rc this resolution said The tendency of public pub-lic opinion is plainly toward the enlargement enlarge-ment of trade between the two countries In Canada the movement has advanced from what was a few years ago an effort for partial reciprocity to a wide expression ju favor of unrestricted intercourse and voaiinercial union The chambers of commerce com-merce and boards of trade of the leading cities of Canada and more than fifty farmers institutes and conventions have adopted resolutions declaring in favor of commercial union or unrestricted trade be twcen the two countries The similarity of the present tariff s stems s-tems in the two countries the facility of assimilation what may be justly termed the enormous increase of our exports into Canadafrom fifty to seventy or eighty dollars per annum the great saving to both countries and hence increased prosperity to both to say nothing of the guarantee such a union would be of peace and har inouj for the future are considerations which may be trusted to bring to pass the desired commercial changes |