Canada from such a meeting, she would consent that her commissioners should

once more assemble.

RETALIATION AGAINST GERMANY.

Upon Germany fell the full force of Canadian displeasure, for by a modification of the tariff law, announced as a Government measure, a penalty of an increase of one-third of the regular import duties was assessed against all dutiable German goods coming into Canada. The reason given for this retaliatory legislation was that there had been five years of fruitless negotiations with the German Government, and that Canada now despaired of securing what she considered her due.

There has been considerable talk in recent times of tariff wars between nations, but when German discrimination against Canadian goods and Canadian discrimination against German goods are taken into consideration, no such drastic measures have ever been indulged in by two civilized nations in time of peace, one against the other.

Canada issued her warning to England on April 16th, and on April 23d Mr. Ritchie delivered the budget speech in the House of Commons in London. As if in reply to the threats of Canada. no notice was taken of the Canadian situation except to deal an indirect but most fatal blow to all hopes of a colonial preferential by removing the grain duties. The statement that this was done to relieve the consumers of England of a portion of their heavy burden and thus to popularize the party in power, is true only to a limited degree.

It was the easiest and most direct route for the British Ministry out of a most perplexing and delicate situation in colonial relations. With the grain

tax in effect Canada had a handle to her proposition which was strong and effective. Without a grain tax there is little of tangible character which the great English bread-producing colony can grasp as a basis for its negotiations. for concessions.

It is possible that some intimation of this course may have reached Sir Wilfrid Laurier in advance of its publication to the world, for he suggested the possibility that England would not maintain this tax. But at the same time the hope of the Canadian Liberals was so strong that England would yield in this matter to the demands of the Dominion, that upon the very day the English budget speech was delivered in London the Premier stated in the Canadian House of Commons that he was as yet unprepared to say whether the abolition of this grain tax applied to all countries from which England imported or was merely for the benefit of colonial produce.

It took but a few hours, however, to dissipate this hope, and with the full realization that they had been deprived of their strongest argument in favor of a colonial preference came a feeling of defeat which emphasized to a point of bitterness the warning given to England by the Canadian Minister of Finance a few days before.

dian goods equal consideration with those of any other country.

A STRATEGICAL MOVE.

Canada was wise in the choice of her antagonist, for the Canadians consume nearly ten dollars' worth of German goods for every dollar's worth of Canadian goods sold to Germany. Such action against the United States could not be taken without arousing the people of western Canada and the maritime provinces to indignation, for from the United States comes a very large proportion of all the goods they consume, and the party in power in Canada is continually confronted with the necessity of so adjusting the tariff as to meet both the views of home industry and the necessities of the consumers who are importers. Canada is the best customer the United States has for manufactured goods and the third best for all exports. Over one hundred and twenty million of dollars' worth of United States products are sold in Canada each year, and the balance in this trade is seventy million dollars against the Canadians. With all this trade and commerce we have no treaty with Canada, whereby the value of the trade of this great customer is recognized. We have been and are still urged to make such a treaty. We are warned that Canada is fully aware of her own pow ers and the action in the case of Germany is significant as to the extremes to which Canada is prepared to go to assert her own individuality. In the careless insolence of greatness and power the United States is neglecting the amenities of international trade.

The High Joint Commissioners will meet again next winter to take up once more questions now at issue between

Canada and the United States. At previous meetings of this commission. the Alaskan boundary was the most disturbing feature. This has been eliminated by the reference of the question. to a boundary commission. It is already generally accepted in Canada that the United States will get the best of this controversy, for Canada's case was really an afterthought. England is extremely desirous of getting this boundary question out of the way, as it is an irritating point in her present amicable relations with the United States, and the English member of the boundary commission will undoubtedly lean toward a speedy and definite result.

A new great Trans-Canadian railroad is proposed, with a western terminus on the Pacific Coast at Port Simpson, just south of Alaska Territory. If the United States would be willing to give to Canada an island or two which command the entrance to this port, the Canadian Government would undoubtedly argue that it had not been entirely. worsted in the argument and the eastern boundary of Alaska would finally be determined as now claimed by the United States.

There is not really much hope in Canada that the High Joint Commissioners will arrive at any trade agreement which will be ratified by the United States Senate and thus lead to reciprocity. While the commercial feature of the commission was given greatest prominence in the discussion of the matter in the budget speech of the Minister of Finance, there are, however, many other very important questions in relation to fisheries, etc., which the commission can dispose of amicably.

The Canadian tariff is to-day much lower than that of the United States,

and, failing in any trade arrangement with the latter country, a strong sentiment is developing in Canada in favor of a general revision, to result in a maximum and minimum tariff law as a basis for negotiations with all foreign countries. Should the United States adopt a similar customs policy, as has been suggested by Senator Aldrich and others, a treaty between this country and Can ada would be quickly arranged. The general drift of tariff legislation throughout the world to-day is toward a maximum and minimum tariff, the margin to be used as a basis for international dicker.

The Liberal party in power in Canada, while primarily and ostensibly a free trade or low tariff party, has been forced to adopt a protection policy. The opposition or Conservative party stands avowedly on a high tariff platform. Both parties ostensibly advocate "a tariff policy which will give the maximum of protection to the producer with the minimum of injury to the consumer," and thus are not far apart.

If a general election should be held in Canada next fall, as is possible, the Liberal party under the leadership of Sir Wilfrid Laurier would undoubtedly be returned triumphant at the polls. Should this adroit leader from any cause or other be eliminated from the political situation, it is doubtful whether the Liberals would be able to hold their own, owing to the fact that few if any men now prominent in the party would be able to carry the French province of Quebec with its representation of sixty-five members in the Commons.

THE PROBLEM OF THE FUTURE.

The great Canadian Northwest is filling up rapidly with a more or less desirable class of emigrants. Farmers

from all parts of the world are seeking the wheat lands now being so generously distributed. Although the development of that country is comparatively rapid, it will take some time for this development to have an appreciable effect upon the export trade of the world in breadstuffs.

A future is opening for the Dominion, however, which is of great promise and full of strange possibilities to which the ablest men in Canadian public life are not indifferent. Eastern and western Canada have few ties in common and are separated by 1,500 miles of almost uninhabitable country. Western Canada is more American and is in closer touch with the United States. If annexation is one of the possibilities of the future the movement will start there, though the maritime provinces of the Atlantic Coast would offer slight opposition. To keep eastern and western Canada together is the great problem of government at Ottawa. This idea prevails in the treatment of England, and is paramount in all trade negotiations elsewhere. From western Canada is stretched out the hand which restrains the party in power from hostile action toward the exporters of the United States, even though the provocation be apparently great.-Courtesy of Collier's Weekly, May 23, 1903.

"Those barbarians that call themselves Christians are utterly unworthy of the name. They are a dishonor to Christianity and a reproach to humanity. If this massacre is the product of Christianity, then some of us are ready to forsake Christianity. I would rather be a Jewish victim of Kishineff than one of these so-called Christian murderers. Napoleon said: 'Scratch a Russian and you find a Tartar.' We may say truthfully of each Russian engaged in these recent massacres: 'Scratch a Russian and you find a demon.'"-DR. MACARTHUR.