The Board of Trade of Detroit, Michigan, recently ordered a
committee to report on the proposal to abolish the reciprocity treaty with Canada. They did so, and people who believe that no American can understand free trade should read their report, as clever a statement of free-trade ideas as even Mr. Cobden could desire. The opponents of the treaty say Canada has raised her tariff, but, retort the committee, so have we, and our commercial treaties are not thereby abolished. But Canada and Great Britain have shown us no sympathy? This is not a question of likes and dislikes, but of trade and commerce. There is too much compe- tition in timber and coal ? No—there is not, but for Canada a few great capitalists would have both trades in their own hands. Too many breadstuffs come in? Well, they bring profit. The treaty injures American "transportation interests?" There is not half enough means of transport. Each of these plump denials is supported by unanswerable figures, the committee finally remarking that to punish enemies by crippling trade is Japanese policy. Mr. Seward should get Mr. Duncan Stewart, draughtsman of this report, to write his despatches. They might be as silly as • before, but they would be readable.
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