[To THE EDITOR or THE " SEECTATOR."1 SIR, —Allow me
to congratulate you on the stand you have recently taken in reference to the embargo question. By removing the embargo it simply means that we are now right- ing an ancient wrong of thirty years' duration. May I sax
that I have no financial interest in this matter? I am moved purely by the desire to see justice done to a great and loyal Dominion, and further to ensure a larger supply of good store cattle being brought to our shores. This would undoubtedly have a tendency to lower the price of fresh meat as well as the chilled variety, and would also affect the strangle- hold that the Chicago packer is getting on our home market, amounting to some 45 per cent. of the total meat supply of Great Britain. As a ranchman in Canada for thirty years, retiring in 1914, I speak of what I know when I say that there is a great deal more behind this embargo question than merely a few store cattle.
The embargo legislation was introduced some thirty years ago on the plea of disease which did not exist, and Canada has shown a clean bill of health for her cattle ever since. There has been a steady agitation in Canada for the removal of the embargo, and I can personally state that a great deal of ill- feeling has been created over the treatment which Canada's representatives have received at the hands of British Ministers on this question. The pledge was given in 1917 by Mr. Prothere (now Lord Ernle) in the presence of Mr. Walter Long (now Lord Long), who presided over that meeting of the Imperial Conference when also were present, representing Canada, Sir Robert Borden (then Prime Minister), Mr. Rogers, and Mr. Hazen. May I beg any person interested to obtain from H.M.'s Printers the White Paper, price ld., in which the pledge is given? I venture to say that if any doubt exists as to the pledge having been given on reading the White Paper their minds will speedily be disabused. I am quite aware that Lord Ernie has now qualified his pledge by stating that "it synchronized only with War conditions which then obtained." Surely this is an unworthy method of trying to evade a definite promise. Sir Robert Borden clearly regards it as such, and it has been denounced by him in no uncertain manner in his recent letter to the Times. As a high Canadian official -lately remarked to me when discussing this subject : "If British Ministers give us a pledge in war time, which they do not fulfil, will they be likely to keep a pledge given us in peace time? We simply cannot do business on these lines." In giving evidence before the Royal Commission I told Lord Finlay that I would not support the removal of the embargo if I considered that by so doing it would injure the British smallholder and breeder of store cattle. Knowing, how- ever, that the overhead charges from Canada are some £12 to £16 per head, general opinion should agree that this is an ample measure of protection. The Canadian farmer cannot, after all, breed cattle for nothing.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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