THE IDENTICAL MISTAKE

Were American trade with Canada the subject of a discussion, the casual passer-by would probably smile knowingly to himself and mutter the one word, "bottlegging". However vast this traffic may be (and it looms up largest in the minds of those who know the least about it, no doubt) it is small compared to the rest of the exports and imports between the two countries. The fact is that Canada, close to us, geographically, is becoming more and more so in here various interests. The bond that holds Canada to England is probably not so strong, economically speaking, as that which brings it into contact with the United States. Just why this country should not take advantage of such a fact is difficult to understand.

It is true that our neighbor, some ten years ago, showed small interest in the matter of reciprocity in commerce--not that excuses our present attitude as expressed in the Fordney tariff bill--but it is equally true that Canada now realizes her mistake and seems ready to change matters. A changes, however, depends as a matter of course on what the United States will do; it takes two to make a reciprocity treaty or anything approaching closer relations with the Dominion. Mr. Fielding, in the recent budget report of the minister of finance, admits that Canada lost "a golden opportunity" and he has expressed the opinion that his country was "predisposed toward a reciprocity agreement which would make for better trade relations and operate to the advantage of both". The Fordney bill is not in the direction of improvement in our increasingly important trade relations. Canada made a mistake ten years ago which is no reason why the United States should make the same error today.