TO THE UTMOST. CANADIAN CONSERVATIVES'.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1911, Page 5

TO THE UTMOST. CANADIAN CONSERVATIVES'.

DECISION. RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT. A WARM FIGHT IN PROSPECT* By Telegraph.— Pres» Association.— Copyright. (Received April 8, 9 a.m.) OTTAWA, 7th April. A Conservative caucus endorsed Mr. R. L. Borden's leadership of the Conservative party in the Canadian House of Commons. It also decided to press to the utmost limit the party's opposition to the Reciprocity Agreement between Canada and the United States. DLiberal papers recently declared that Mr. Borden ' has resigned the leadership of the Conservatives. They asserted that he received a round-robin asking him to resign the position. Mr. Borden, K.C., was elected Leader of the Conservative Party on the resignation of Sir Charles Tapper, in February, 1901.] UNITED STATES WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. CONSIDERING THIS AGREEMENT. NEW YORK, 7lh April. The committee of Ways and Means of tha United States House of Representatives is considering the Canadian Reciprocity Bill. [On 17fch February, according to the Toronto correspondent of The Times, the Board of Trade of Torpnto, at a largelyattended meeting of members representing both political parties, passed a resolution condemning the Reciprocity Agreement by 289 to 13. The resolution was moved by Sir Bdmund Walker, president of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, and hitherto identified with the Liberal Party. It declared that the Agreement would hamper the development of Canada's resources in her own way by her own people, and that- any policy which would check the development of trade between the various parts of Canada with each i other or between Canada, and the various I parts of the Empire would be detrimental [ to the true interesis of Canada and Canaj dian nationality. It went on to point i out that very large sums had been expended upon railways, canals, steam- ( ships, and other means of transportation I between East and West, and that the I Beciprocity Agreement would seriously | check the growth of such development of trade and would curtail Canada's freedom vof action with respect to her tariff and channels of trade; that the Agreement would weaken the ties which ! bind Canada- to the Empire ; that the benefit to any section or interest would be more than balanced by the loss and injury to other sections and interests; and that to avoid the disruption of trade which would be developed under the Agreement, were the said Agreement terminated and a stricter tariff against Canada again established by the United States, Canada would be forced to closer trade relations with them, which would still further weaken those ties and make it more difficult to avert political, union ■with the United States.]