IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT.3) /. b^ /#r^^ /^*^ "■^j.^ /.. ^ 1.0 I.I (^ U^ 112.2 2.0 1 1^ 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 4 6" ► *>:^*' '> Photographic Sciences Corporation <^ <^^ 4 ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film^s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul ciichi, il est film6 A partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 i 5 6 HON. OB XBIBIUi ' i ^ t--^ 1S< i^ CANADIAN RECIPROCITY. REMARKS OF Y ■tfs. HON. N. S. TOWNSHEND. OF OHIO, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FEBRUARY 24, 1883, BILL BnCABUIBnro BSdPBOCBL TR&BB WITB m BBIHIE HORXH iMEBJSBX PBOvncBii ox caoAXM ooananxm. WASHINGTON: BUELL & BLANCHARD, PRINTERS. \) ■*-*■• U.-x^ c,~v4- M p^'KC-U l^' I'O^-D •f* { *-'*'^ iW^ '1 REMAEKS OF ME. TOWNSHEND. OF OHIO, ON CANADIAN RECIPROCITY. ^« r.< i; t Mr. TOWNSHEND Baid : Mr. Speaker : At this lata dav of the seMion, I would not tax the patience of the House by any further discussion of this question, were it not that no gentleman reprc:>enting any part of the valley ol the St. Lawrence— the region es- pecially interested in some of the most import- ant provisions of thia bill— has yet been heard opou lue subject. AGRICULTURAL INTEREST. And in the first place I beg to oifer a remark or two for the purpose of quieting the fears of some gentlemen here— opponents of the meas- ure—who seem to imagine that reciprocal free trade with Canada is likely to be prejudicial to the agricultural interest of the country, and especially to that of the Northwest. Perhaps I may venture to speak for this interest. I am myself a farmer, and I represent, in part, one of the best agricultural regions of the whole oountry. The Canadas annually produce some fifteen millions of bushels of wheat, not more than one third of which can be spared for exporta- tion. This surplus, it is supposed, may come into competition with the wheat grown in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. But when it is recollected that the price of wheat in those States, and also in Canada, h governed by the European, and particularly the English mar- ket, to which our surplus together with thatof Canada is sent, it is easily seen that it cannot be possible for Canadian producers to under- sell us in our own market. But all these (ears are utterly groundless, in view of the fact that the produotioa of wheat in the Britiub Ameri- can ProTineea is necemarily limited by the rigors of the climate, a part of Canada only being adapted for wheat culture, while the amount that may be produced in our North- western States is almost illimitable. VVhy, sir, one of the counties of the Congressional dis- trict in which 1 reside, the county of Wayne, had, last year, seventy thou»iand acres of wheat, the crop of which averaged thirty bushels an acre, or, in the aggregate, amounting to over two millions of bushels. In Ohio there are eighty-five counties, each one of wh'ch could readily produce one million of bushels n year, without interfering in any inconvenient degree with other agricultural products. Under these circumstances, does any one fear the competi- tion of the Canadas? The idea is absurd. All that the agricultural interest of the Northwest demands, is the removal of the ob- stacles thrown in the way of trade by a high and unequal tariff, and to secure the free navi- gation of the river St. Lawrence. Only permit us to sell where wo can sell dearest, and to buy where we can buy cheapest — permit us to avail ourselves of any market we can find for our Vheat and pork, beef, cheese, and other arti- cles— permit us to buy lumber, fish, and what- ever else we need, without restrictions, and we ask no favoirs of this Government or of the rest of mankind. We have no conscious weakness to excite our fears of competition, we are not contending against the economy and laws of nature, and therefore we ask for no artificial protection. This point settled, I come now to consider briefly the bearings of reciprocity on the coal trade. • COAL INTEREST. It ia to be regretted that the bill reported by the committee do«8 not provide for the free ex- Eortation and importation of coal. I sincerely ope it will be amended in this particular. My anxiety for this amendment does not ariae dim- ply from the fact that the shippin;; interest of the Lakes dcsireei the profits of the trade, nor merely from my conviction that it will directly promote the general interests of the country*; Dot also from the fact, which is or which ought to be perfectly understood, that without this provision for free trade in coal, our proposed reciprocity will not be accepted by tlie Provin- cial Parliament. To obtain a market for this coal is the principal object with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and the only considera- tion that will induce them to concede to us the benefits of their coast fisheries. At present, Pennsylvania almost monopolizes the coal trade of the country. That State sella some five millions of tons annually, at a co.st to consumers of $20,000,000. It is not, therefore, surprising that the coal interest there should resittt the free import-^ tion of coals from Nova Sergio, where they are found in great abund- ance and of excellent quality. It may, however, be seriously doubted whether the coal interest ot Pennsylvania has anything to fear from free trade in this article ; though if it has, it is just ae certain that other important interests of that great State would be proportionately pro- moted. The coal imported from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is highly bituminous, some of it con- taining as much as sixty per cent, of volatile matter. Such coal as this can never come into competition with the anthracite of Pennsylva- nia. The latter will always be preferred for domestic and some other purposes ; and in con- firmation of this, I may refer to the fact that the British Cunard steamers, which stop at Halifax, do not and cannot use the Nova SScotia coal, but obtain the coal they use from Penn- sylvania, though at a much higher price. It is also equally notorious that all the anthracite in Pennsylvania would not make gas enough to supply the city of Philadelphia for a single evening; nor from the Cumberland coal can gas be made, without the adpiixture of some more bituminous variety. Free trade in coal will therefore result in the exportation of Penn- sylvania coals, to be used for purposes to which they are best adapted, and in the importation of coals from the Provinces), to be used for the special purposes to which they are suited. It is also true that an increased consumption of anthracite will, to some extent, take place, for it is known that some factories in the Ea»t ure now lying idle, because they cannot, without |)ayiQg a high duty, obtain a certain amount of Piotou coal which they find it beneficial to use in connection with that from Pennivylva- nia. Such is the ditfercnce in the qnalitie.9 of the.se coalii, and so different the purposes for which each is especially adapted, that Pennsyl- vania and Nova Scotia can scarcely come into direct competition. But the Liverpool <^flal, which more closely resembles that from Nova Scotia, will suffer more by this competition, and ta\}i*t ultimately be driven from our market. The importance of the Western coal trade can scarcely have been taken into considera* tion by thooe representing the coal interest here. This is already of great consequence, but it is epeedily destined to bo immensely in- creased. Our Lake trade now employs about seventy-four thousand tons of steam vessels, mostly using coal, and the whole of the Cana- das are entirely destitute of the article ; so that Toronto and other growing cities will be com- pelled to obtain their supplies from the western part of Pennsylvania and from Ohio. The de- mand in this direction will be an equivalent for any competition or diminution of demand in the Eastern cities. Pennsylvania is also largely engaged in tb< manufacture of iron ; this is, in fact, her es pecial manufacturing interest. The iron man ufacturera are now compelled to compete witl those of England at a great disadvantage, not only on account of the difference in the price of labor, but also on account of the difference in the price of coal. In England, iron can bl afforded cheap, mainly because, in many local- ities, the iron and ooal, and a clay suitable for fire-bricks, and of which furnaces can be built, are found in alternate layers ; it therefore costt nothing to bring the iron and coal together. Should, therefore, the introduction ofcoalfrota the British Provinces have the effect to reduce the price of coals, as some suppose, it will in the same ratio increase the profits of the iron- masters. The manufacturers of the East are also equally interested with the iron men in obtaining cheap fuel. But there is another consideration which, of itself, ought to be conclusive in favor of fret trade in this article. Fuel is about as much t. necessary of life as food ; and for those that live in the great Atlantic cities, cool is fast be- coming the only fuel. Now, tho question is, shall we, by legislation preventing competition, compel the millions who want coal, and must have it, to pay an extra and exorbitant price, in order that a few brokera. owning coal stocks, may realize enormous profits? At this age of the world, will a monopoly, which bears with such crushing weight on the working classes, longer be tolerated ? I think not. And I be. lieve I may safely leave this matter, and pro- ceed to ^reak of the lumber interest. if > raefioisl to Pent! !»yl va- in ali ties of urposes for at PennRyl- 1 come into rpool cnal, from Nova ctition, and market, coal trade ) coDsidera* al interest {uence, but leusely tn« )loy8 about III) veseelfl, ' the Cana* lie ; so that ill be com> ihc western >. The de- livalent for demand in nged in tb> ict, her es ) iron man npete witl. intage, not D the price difference ron can bt nany local* uitable for ^n be built, efore coutt together, f coal from to rcducfl it will in f the iron- e East are [>a men in which, of or of fret as much t. ie that live is fast be- uestion 18, )mpetition, and muiit ant price, oal stocks, this age of bears with ig classee, And I be> , and pro- y \ i Vi THE LUMBER TRADE. The British Provineen have almost inezbaiist- Ible mppliea of pine lumber, Thii* is greatly needed for building purpoAes in most of the Western cities, and through the prairie cotin- try of the West immense quantities would bo utted, could it be freely imported. It is needed also in the Eastern States, by those of our manufacturers whose wares are made wholly or in part of this material; and in all the Eastern cities it is as absolutely needed as in th« VVest, for building purposes — in fact, it is there a necessary of life ; house and home, which cannot be built without lumber, are just as necessary as food and fire. Maine and North Carolina have pine lumber for exportation. The lumber from these States, and particularly that from North Carolina, finds a market in our Atlantic cities, and aho in the British VVest India Island.^, where it is received without any discrimination bning made in favor of Canadian lumber. This West India market is so valuable, that North Carolina makes little or no objection to the free admis- sion of Canadian lumber into those sections of the Union that could not. from their geographi- cal position and the want of water communi- cation, be supplied from that State, the VVest India market being an equivalent for and bet< tcr than that of the Western States. But Maine, from which a large share of the best timber is already cut, wants to exclude the Iuml>er of the Canadas, and to force her spruce and inferior pine on the market at high prices. It is asserted, that unless competition from the Provinces is prevented, and the absolute mo- nopoly of the trade be secured to Maine, her hardy lumbermen cannot make fair wages, be- cause, as they express it, " stumpage is so high." This stumpage is the price paid by the lumber men to the landed proprietors for the privilege of cutting tbe timber, and varies, I am told, ac- cording to the quality and location, from two dollars up to eight dollars a thousand feet. It is the monopoly of the trade excluding foreign lumber that enables the Maine landholders to charge so much for stumpage. Increase the duty on imported lumber, and stumpage will rise still higher ; reduce the duties, and then stumpage will be lower. Prices regulate stump- age, and the lumbermen will not be afFected, whether stumpage be high or low. The hardy lumbermen, over whom tears are almost shed, are not benefited in tbe least, but rather in- jured, by those high duties : and all this hum- bug of protection is not designed for their ben- efit, but for the benefit of the wealthy few. The Provinces are ready to concede to the United States the free navigation of the St. John's ; but with this bonus Maine is not satia- liod. She demands, in addition, not only the West India market, which is alr<>adv granted, but als') that all the ports of the UiitHh it ted States on ^oods imported from t)ie Canadaa IB twenty-thrco jier cent. This inequality of duties accounts in part for the diifcrcnce be- tween our exports and imports, which in a great measure destroys the mutual advantage of the trade. But the worst effect of such high duties ia to stop trade in many articles alto- gether. Our merchants cannot now import an article, however much it may be needed, unless it will pay a sufficient profit over and above the twenty-three per cent. ; nor can they carry there tho productions of our skill and industry, unless they can make on them a living profit over and above the tweivo per cent, duty charged in Canada : and consequently the ex- change of many articles is entirely prevented, which else might be exchanged with great mutual benefit. These restrictions on our trade are of course highly injurious to our shipping interest. Freights have to be increased, as the certainty of return cargoes is lessened. But let trade be free, and the number of articles of exchange increased, and freights might be greatly reduced, and yet larger profits be made. And when these restrictions are removed, other sections of the Union will share witi. tho Lake country in the benefits of the Canadian trade. Kentucky will find a new market for her tobacco and hemp. Louisiana secures a market for her raw sugar. South Carolina gains admission for her rice; and in addition to these products from opposite sides of the Union, our manufacturing States will find a new and profitable market for their wares. FREE NAVIGATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE, But the principal obstacle in the way of the commerce of the lakes will only be removed when Great Britain shall be induced to con- cede to us the free navigation of tho river St. Lawrence. What are these great lakes but expansions of this magnificent river? It is their natural outlet to the ocean, and not less k it the natural highway for ouroommotoe with the world. But because this river has been closed ogaioHt us, other and artificial channels of communication between tho lukta and the reaboard have been conNtructed at enormous exp'^nse, wiiich has been justifitd by the inciUculal)Jo benefit tome of tlit^se, as the Erie caual, have been to the country and to the WcLit. But benides the cspensivencss of using these artitxial channels— and that is no tritlo, for tho Erie canal levied SiS.OOO.OOO last year io tolls on produce going Kust and on merchandise going West— there is another and still more serious objection: they are inade- quate to our wants; not uU the railroads and canals that have been constructed since the Erie canal, are able yet to meet the demands of our commerce. Tho trade of tho great lakes in 1851 wo* 832G 000,000, or more by $40,000,000 than the exports of the whole country. This trade cm- ploys some two hundred and fifteen thousand tons of shipping, of which about two-thirds are in sailing ve»^!n thousand n-thirdd are lird ia pro- !ted in this loD^ as ire . Lawrence, idle and un- f the year, ms invcKtcd navigation > lit), a hirge load up in 28t, and «un ) sea bef'oro ig the win- land, to tho or to South uld return, !s they had n the Prov- be 00 tho '*that tho navigation if St. Law. : men who ere ia nel- kvill not be thei? place pears since, •aded with ime of my down the , then out San Fran« )lving thill ate, there- a. Make of Tes£old )f the St. Lawrence are of the opinion that the OoTcm* in«nt of the United Stated ought to make an effort in reference to thin river, as decided as that which wan so Buccensfully and properly made in 1803. to secure tho freedom of tho MisHissippi. The St, Lawrence is to the North and West what the Mississippi is to the West and South. The valley of the St. Lawrence is not less important to the country than tho val- ley of the MissiHsippi. It contams half a mil- lion of Sfjuarc niilec, embracing, on our side of the line, western Vermont, northern and west- ern New York, northwestern Fennsylvania, the northern portions of Ohio, Indiana, and Illi- nois, tho whole of Mxhigun, and part of Wis- consin and Minnesota. It already has a pop- ulation exceeding four millions; and it is not unworthy of note, in estimating its future, that it lies within those latitude*! where the densest tK)pulatt()n of the Old World is to be found. VVith tho exception of tho agricultural, the most, important resources of this great valley are almost entirely undeveloped. Scarcely anything has yet been done to open to the world the immense mineral resources of the Lake Superior region. Aro'md that vast io- land sea, the whole country almost f^eems to be but a succession of rich ore beds ; copper, iron, and lead, are found there in greater abundance than elsewhere in the world. When tho ship Canal around the Falls of the St. Mary's river, now about being commenced, ehall have been completed, tho whole mineral wealth of this region will be made available. Millions of tons of coal from Ohio and from Pennsylvania will be carried thither, and copper and iron brought back in return. But besides the agricultural and mineral resources of the St. Lawrence val- ley, it is possessed of unequalled hydraulic power, which is to be applied, and at no dis- tant day, to manufacturing purposes, To say nothing of the various rapids between the head waters of the St. Lawrence and its mouth, there is Niagara, where alone seems to be power enough to turn all the wheels in the world. Hitherto^ this prodigious accumulation of power has run to waste. This cannot be suffered longer. The people who tame the lightning, and compel it to run on errands, will soon put bands on this old giant, and compel him to grind in tho prison-house. There is therefore in nature nothing wanting to make this valley the great manufacturing region of the country, but the removal of those commercial restric- tions which alone prevent the development of its immense resources. COAST FISHERIES, ETC. But we have still another inducement to adopt a liberal measure of reciprocity, inas- much as on this is likely to depend a eatiefac- toiy adjostmeat of tha difficultiM growiog out of the coast fisheries. By an existing conven- tion, as wo all understand, our vessels are not permitted to fish within a marine leagtio of the shores of tho British I'rovinees, nor have they tho privilege of drying and packing on shore. By tho first of these prohibitions they are ex- cluded from the beat fishing grounds'; by the second, they are prevented from securing prop- erly what they da take. From both those re- strictions they would gladly ejjcape, and it is not surprising that both are often disregarded : and hence Great Britain has to s^nd ships of war to secure to tho fishermen of the Provmoen tho enjoyment of their monopoly. Our vessels are often seized, and much irritation and somo danger grows out of it. If wo can offer to the British Provinces a liberal scheme of reciprocal free trade, it is understood they will surrender all exclusive right to take lish upon their coasts, and our fishermen will have free acccfij to the best iishing grounds in tho world. Should this anangnment he made, every family in the Union may be benetited, because fish may then be obtained at lower rates and of bettor quali- ty. In its national bearings, this free access to the Provincial fishing grounds is universallj- conceded to be of vast importance. TIio fishing trade thus opened will give employment to tens of thousands of men and boys, and so become the great nursery for seamen, from which our naval and mercimtile marine may always bo supplied. The importance of this consideration cannot easily be over-estimated. Wo come, then, to the conclusion that this measure of reciprocal free trade with Canada will not injure ony section of this Union, nor scarcely any of its particular interests, even temporarily, while it is of vital importance to a large portion of the country, and will, by it» direct effects, or by the collateral advantages secured in connection with it, be highly bene- ficial to the whole. So far as this measure goes, it is a step in the right direction ; it knocks off some of the fetters with which com- merce has too long been bound. I believe that "sound policy requires a system of free trade with all nations that will trade free with the United States." We think this especially true in reference to these neighboring Provinces, settled, as they are to a great extent, by a people having the same origin, language, and pursuits— being, in fact, in many instances, our relatives or friends, and often separated from us merely by an imaginary line. It is for the interest of these neighbors to trade and make exchanges, and they will do it. Then why not openly permit what you cannot and ought not to prevent ? 1 know that some of the friends of this meas- ure have doubts of its success at the present leuioD. Wo ar» now oear ita close, aad per* ? i- vV.«>' hapH attention ban not been suffiuicntly turned to this Niitiject. r.OHt theno ibiirs should prove to bo well founded, which however I urn not wiUiiig to believe, I take thiu occaHion to Hay that thin bonelioial measure can certainly be Hoourod, if those interested in the commerce of the valley of the St. Lawrence will bestir them- solves. The subject is but imperfectly under- stood, oven by those most immediately interest- ed. The press must do its work, and the pub- lic mind must bo informed and aroused. Let the Bepresentutivos to Congress from this no- ble valley come thorouehly posted up on this question, and prepared ot the outset to insist tnat the most efibcient man from the whole Lake region be placed on the Committee on Commerce. Finally, let them act in concert, and -.vhaluvcr is not obtained at this session will be secured at the next. Before taking my seat, Mr. Speaker, I would move an amendment to the bill, by inserting the word " coal " among the articles enumera* ted in the lirst section. I desire also to move an amendment in reference to lumber, but, as there is now pending a motion to commit, those amendments I know would sot be in order. I hope to have an opportunity to propose them at the proper time. There ia, howesttf anotlitf chanf^e which I tety murh desire ; and aa I cannot move it as an amendment, I ask that by general consent it may be made as a cor« rection. The bill provides for the free exchange of undricd fruit, while dried fruit is not em- braced witliin its provisions. The south sboro of Lake Erie is a beautiful fruit region ; our peaches are equal to those of New Jersej, and our apples I think the best in the country. These apples in the undried state are barreled up for exportation, and this trade is of soma consequence to us ; but our trade in dried ap> pies and peaches is, I believe, much more im* portant, and restrictions on it would operate severely on the fairest portion of our constita* ents. oir, the pretty daughters of our Weetem farmers have a oommendablo way of making their pin-money by drying this fruit. I trust, therefore, that no gentleman will think M raising an objection to a correction, so that the bill, instead of "undricd fruits/' may read " fruits dried and undried." The SPEAKER. No objeoUon is made. The Clerk will make the correction. Mr. TOWNSHEND. Then I conclude^ £t. by expressing the hope, that when the bill comes up for final aokion, it will first be amend- ed, and then pasaed. irt: t' V .A I h Amitt; and m I indment, I Mk that f bo mado m • cor* )r tho freo cxohange od fruit iH not em- ). Tho south flbore 1 fruit region ; our of New Jcnoj, and 98t in the country. 1 state are barreled is trado is of aome trade in dried ftp- fo, much more im* n it would operate ion of our conetita- tors of our Weetem )Io way of making this fruit. I trustt lun will think M rrection, so that the fruits," may road ictionismade. The lion. iien I ooDoIudfl^ air. ^at when the bill will fint be amend*