Bill (No. 177) to incorporate the Morris-burg Ferry Dock Company.-Mr. Broder. Bill (No. 178) to incorporate the Ottawa and Montreal Power and Transmission Company, Limited.-Mr. Perley. Bill (No. 179) for the relief of Helena Mellor Fleming.-Mr. Knowles.
Canal Statistics, 1909.-Hon. Mr. Graham. List of shareholders of chartered banks. -Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
Upon the orders of the day:
Mr. HAUGHTON LENNOX (South Sim-coe).
Mr. Speaker, I wish to read an item in the ' Citizen ' of to-day, and found a question upon it which I will ask the hon. the Minister of Finance, (Mr. Fielding) to answer. It reads, as follow's:
Fielding Returns-Tariff Conference at Albany ends in most Friendly Manner-Reported that probability of Tariff War has receded and a Settlement regarded as likely-Conference occupied Whole of Yesterday but no Conclusion was reached, says President Taft. Canadian Minister has left for Ottawa and may go to Washington the end of month.
(Special to the ' Citizen/)
Albany, N.Y., March 20.-There will probably be no tariff war between the United Mr. ARTHURS
States and Canada. The prospect for commercial peace with the Dominion is more favourable to-night than it has been at any time since the president caused it to he understood that the situation was critical.
By joint agreement between President Taft and Hon. W. S. Fielding, the Canadian Minister of Finance, the following statement was given out from the state executive mansion this evening for publication:-
' The President and Mr. Fielding were in conference in respect to the tariff to-dav for several hours. No conclusion was reached, hut the situation remains that of friendly negotiations/
Despite the late hour at which the University Club dinner ended Mr. Fielding and Mr. Charles M. Pepper, who is here from Washington as the representative of the state department, were at the executive mansion at half past nine o'clock this morning. They immediately went into private ' conference with Mr. Taft and remained closeted with him until he had to leave them to keep his engagement to attend church with Governor Hughes. The Canadian minister and Mr. Pepper returned together to the Ten Eyck hotel, chatting in a manner that indicated amicable relations, but they returned to the governor's official residence in time to resume the conference with the president after luncheon, to which Earl Grey and Mr. Fielding as well as the president had been invited as the guests of Governor and Mrs. Hughes.
After luncheon the conference was resumed, and it continued until four o'clock in the afternoon, when the president, by reason of an appointment of long standing, kept an afternoon tea engagement at the house of his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Ward. Mr. Fielding and Mr. Pepper again returned to the hotel. They repaired to the apartments occupied by the Dominion Minister of Finance and busied themselves in going over certain of the tariff schedules with a view of reaching some basis agreeable to both sides whereby the president would he justified in withholding the operation against Canadian imports of the maximum tariff as prescribed by the Payne-Aldrich law after March 31.
I wish to ask the Minister of Finance whether that statement is substantially correct and whether there was a conference between the President of the United States and our Finance Minister in Albany yesterday (Sunday) re tariff matters, as alleged in the despatch read? Was the invitation of the president, which was accepted by the government, for a Sunday conference?
Mr. FIELDING.
At the invitation of the President of the United States, I visited Albany and had the honour and the pleasure of meeting that gentleman on both Saturday and Sunday. We discussed matters which I trust will work for the peace, order and good government of these two nations; there could be no better Sunday work.
Mr. S. HUGHES.
In the New York 'World' of Friday, March 18, I see a dispatch speaking of the proposed treaty between Japan and the United States, part of which is:
England wishes to get away from her treaty with Japan, and Japan, it is said here to-day, is ready bo let her go at the expiration of the Lansdowne-Hayashi agreement. Japan is desirous, however, of having a government support her in the Orient without committing her against any nation.
The reason for this is that Japan does not feel capable of taking care of the commercial and industrial feature of China, but she also has her doubts as to the motives behind offers of certain European governments. With the United States ready to develop the far east in accordance with every provision of American ' commercial equality ' and without ulterior motives of aggrandisement, Japan feels that China's future and freedom from contention are assured. [DOT]
The points to be added on the new proposal, not included in the Root-Takahiia agreement, and which could not be embraced by the latter, even in its vague wording, are these: 1. Consolidation in Asia, especially along the Pacific shores. 2. To include Great Britain if she desires to become a party, through her alliance with the empire, by a triangulation of interests, or dissociate England entirely without in any way jeopardizing British interests. 3. Further definition of fisheries rights. 4. That the jeopardy of the rights of either nation requiring safeguarding of common and mutual interests and rights is not to be construed as open belligerents but a bid. for either arbitration or other outlet. 5. That the powers signatory to the Hay note do not figure in any way in the motives behind this new pact other than to share all the [DOT]benefits to be derived by a direct understanding between two nations politically, diplomatically and commercially identified wTith the Pacific basin, namely, Japan and the United States. 6. Japan will agree to maintain peace so long as her own sovereignty is not menaced. 7. Japan, in the event that the United States will concede the moral right to guide and control Chinese Manchuria and the Pacific basin in general, does not oppose Russia, nor does she seek any right other than that of mutual friend to all those interested; m the event of difficulties, the matter will then be referred to the participating governments for settlement. In courtesy to the powers they will be acquainted with the fact that Japan wishes to come to a more settled and definite amicable understanding with the United States. Might I ask the government, in view of the fact that in this despatch the Pacific ocean is regarded as practically a sea concerning which the United States, Japan and Great Britain (Great Britain, I presume, being more especially interested through Canada, Australia and New Zealand) shall have control, if the government have the intention of taking any steps towards safeguarding the rights of Canada, through the empire, in this proposed treaty.
Sir WILFRID LAURIER.
I have to inform my hon. friend that we have received no invitation at all from the imperial authorities upon this subject.
Mr. SPROULE.
Is the Finance Minister in a position to give any information as to what progress, if any, he afM the government have made in their negotiations with President Taft over tariff matters?
Mr. FIELDING.
I can only say to my hon. friend that I do not think the good purpose that he has in view, and that we all must have in view, would be advanced by making any statement at the present time. The matters in dispute remain as matters for friendly negotiations, and beyond that it would not be expedient to make a statement at this moment. At an early date I hope to give the House fuller and better information.
Mr. BOYCE.
I have read an item in at least one newspaper to the effect that there has been some correspondence with this government looking to the modification if not the entire abrogation of the Rush-Bagot treaty so as to permit of training ships or armed cruisers going up the great lakes, which is prohibited at the present time by that treaty. Has there been any such correspondence, and if so, has any conclusion been reached?
Sir WILFRID LAURIER.
I understand that an invitation has come from the United States with a view of having this Rush-Bagot treaty revised, but nothing more than that has been done so far as I know.