THE UNION JACK.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 41, 18 February 1911, Page 5

THE UNION JACK.

FLOWN IN CANADIAN TOWNS. ON THE BORDER AND AT SEAPORTS. DURING THE RECIPROCITY, DEBATE. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. (Received February 18, 8.10 a.m.) OTTAWA, 17th February. The Union Jack was ordered to be flown in all Canadian towns along the United States frontier, and at all seaports. The Hon. W. Pugsley, Minister for Public Works, announced this order in the House of Commons during the Reciprocity Agreement debate. ANNEXATION PROPOSAL. IS IT CALCULATED TO PREJUDICE FINAL DECISION? ,ME. TAFT CONSULTS SENATORS. LONDON, 17th February. Reuter's Washington correspondent reports that members of Congress who ■are- favourable to the Reciprocity Agreement are of opinion that Mr. B&naett's amendment, tabled in the United States House of Representatives, demanding the opening of negotiations for the annexation of Canada is simp%» calculated to prejudice its final ' approval. As the outcome of a consultation between President Taft and several leading Senators, it is believed that Senator Lodge will be asked to lead the fight for reciprocity in the Senate, with Senator Rcot, ex-Secretary of State for War, to support him. IN CANADIAN COMMONS. INTEREST FLAGGING. LONDON, 17th February. Reuter's Ottawa correspondent states that interest is flagging in the Canadian House of Commons debate on the Reciprocity Agreement. This, he adds, probably indicates that Canadians are becoming resigned to reciprocity. FRIENDS OF RECIPROCITY ANNOYED. 'A POLITICAL MOVE. OTTAWA, 17th February. The friends of reciprocity are annoyed at the annexation resolution in the Anierican House of Representatives, declaring that it is intended to arouse a scare in Canada and lead to a refusal to ratify the Reciprocity Agreement. Washington critics profess tc regard the resolution merely as a political move, not attended by much significance. The Foreign Affaiis Committee in the House is believed to intend to treat tjie resolution in all seriousness. The resolution empowers Mr. Taffc at any fitting time to negotiate with Great Britain. MR. BENNETT'S RESOLUTION. •THROWN OUT. (Received February 18, 1.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, 17th February. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs voted, by nine to one. against Mr. Bennett I s. resolution, suggesting thatnegotiations should be started with Great Britain "for the annexation of Canada. TRADE RECIPROCITY AND THE WAGES QUESTION. Mr. James J. Hill, the great railway builder of the American North-West, has (stated the Standard of Empire recently) advanced an argument for reciprocity between the United States and Canada, which is meeting with much American favour, and which may have important future consequences. In a letter from him, read at the annual dinner oi" the Canadian Society in Mew York, Mr. Hill developed the idea that reciprocity between the Dominion and America was perfectly natural and could harm- neither country, because wages on both sides of the- border approximated each, other :—: — "The theoretical impossibility," he said, "of any considerable permanent variation of the wage scale in the two countries is borne out by an examination of the pay sheets of any industry. There is less difference- in either wages or prices between Massachusetts and Quebec than belweeri> Massachusetts and Colorado; closer agreement between Montana and^ Saskatchewan than between Mont-ana and Georgia." Mr. Hill proved his statement by official figures, and, continuing said :—: — "There no-ver was a situation so favourable to agreement as the present. The advocates of reciprocity can count in ooth countries upon an, audience freer from political or' economic prepossession than ever before. If we are- to levy only such imposts as will equalise costof production here- and elsewhere — and that is now the universal slogan — then ■there would be- Free Trade beiwe-an the United States and Canada immediately." Mi". Hill's argument is in reality directed to American working men, and if its effect on them is favourable there may develop an insistent American demand for reciprocity in manufactured goods. The present demand, which is, almost exclusively for very limited reciprocity, concerning for the most part natural products, can have no very great camnvarcial effect on either country. But, if manufactured commodities were exchanged freely between the two countries, it is unnecessary to point out the inevitable significance from a political standpoint, unless Canada and Grsat Britain are brought closer together economicaHy. _ Mr. Hill is the first American of practical experience and occupying a commanding place in public opinion to attempt to prove the soundness of the doctrine of complete Free Trade between Canada and America.