MORE TALK ABOUT ANNEXATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1115, 1 May 1911, Page 5

MORE TALK ABOUT ANNEXATION.

♦ UNITED STATES AND CANADA. ONLY ONE AIM. " WHAT UNCLE SAM WANTED , - By Telecraph—Press Association— Copyrieht (Eec. April 29, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, April .20. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Prince, of Illinois, speaking on the Tariff Bill, referred to the pouring of Americans into the Canadian North-west. The altitude of the Democratic party, followed by efforts to sreure free trade, had only one aim, and that was the annexation of Canada. Canadians ought not to deceive themselves. What Uncle Sam wanted he generally obtained. History showed this. The other speakers made no reference to Mr. Prince's speech. SPEECH BY MR. TAFT. THE RECIPROCITY QUESTION. "IRRESPONSIBLE PERSONS WITH IMAGINATION." New York, April 28. Speaking at a banquet, at which Mr. W. B. Northrup, a Canadian M.P., was one of the guests, President Taft declared that the reciprocity question was now at a most critical period. He reiterated that the United States had offered complete free trade to Canada, and criticised the Farmers' Free List Bill (now before the United States House), declaring that if the United States granted Canada more than tho Agreement required, the question arose whether this would not constitute a sure gratuity which must be extended to all other nations under the favoured-nation clause. Mr. Taft denied emphatically that reciprocity would injure the American former, and added that if it was found to do so the Agreement could be revoked. He was not an anti-Imperialist, but strenuously held that America would have sufficient on her hands presently without dreaming of annexing Canada. Annexation talk could be attributed to the drnams of irresponsible persons with imagination. JTe declared that such people liked to picture ".-tarry flags" waving from Panama to the North Pole. "That," ho added, "is either all bosh or a platform joke!" POSITION IN. CANADA. UNCOMPROMISING OPPOSITION OF CONSERVATIVES. WILL SIR W. LAURIER ATTEND THE CONFERENCE? Ottawa, April 28. Mr. E. L. Borden (Leader of the Canadian Opposition) announces the uncompromising opposition of the Conservative party to the Reciprocity Bill. Ho has made suggestions with a view to allowing Sir Wilfrid Laurier to attend the Imperial Conference. .(Rec April 30, 5.5 p.m.) ' Ottawa, April 29. Mr. Borden offered to end the existing deadlock in order to enable Sir Wilfrid Laurier to attend the Coronation provid-. Ed the Government postponed tho Reciprocity Bill. Mr. Borden urged that there was no need to hasten reciprocity, and asked if the trade interests of the Empire were less important than 'those of the United States. Sir Wilfrid Laurier replied that he would not go to London unless the Reciprocity Bill was allowed to pass. Mr. Borden retorted that tho Conservatives would maintain their opposition to the last. RECIPROCITY AND IMPERIAL PREFERENCE. AN "UNABASHED CONFESSION." (Etc. April 30, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 29. The "Pall Mall Gazetio" says if . Sii" Wilfrid Laurier's intimation that he would not attend the Imperial Conference unless his opponents abandon their resistance to reciprocity prevails his action will come within measurable distanco of being a deliberate affront to the Mother Country. Any doubts' existing about the trend of reciprocity should be removed by President Taft's unabashed confession that only tho immediate passage of reciprocity could avert the consummation of Imperial preference.