Excerpt from Speech of Mr. John Charlton, M. P., In the House of Commons, March 28th, 1893: Reciprocity Negotiations, Documents and Statements, Criticism of Government Conduct and Motives, No Real Effort Made for Reciprocity, Explanation of Diverse Statements at Washington and Ottawa

In the conference of the llth the Canadian commis sioners stated that they had gi ren careful consideration to the suggestion that manufactured goods should be included in the schedules of articles for exchange in a reciprocity convention, and to the desire expressed b the Government of the United States that suc American goods on their introduction into Canada should be accorded preferential treatment over similar goods from other countries and they announced, with an expression of regret, that they did not consider it possible to meet the expectations of the Government of the United States in these res ts. In the first place they encountered a serious o tacle in the matter of revenue. If any considerable list of manufactured goods of the United States should he admitted free into Canada, it would entail a material loss to the Dominion Treasury, and if the same favours Were like wise extended to the merchandise of other countries the loss of revenue would be much greater. They felt that they would not be able to recoup these losses by other methods of taxation. In the second place. It seemed to be impossible for the Canadian Government, in view of its present political relations and obligations, to extend to American goods a preferential treat nent over those of other countries. As Canada was a part of the British Empire. They did not consider it com petent for the Dominion Government to enter into any commercial arrangement with the United States, from the benefits of which Great Britain and its cloonies should be excluded.

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