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Date: 1865-03-15
By: Montreal Witness
Citation: “Intercolonial Free Trade”, Montreal Witness (15 March, 1865)
Other formats: TBA

INTERCOLONIAL FREE TRADE.

One of the advantages of Confederation which its advocates claim, is the market which would be opened to our manufactures in the Lower Provinces. A large trade now carried on with the States would be in a measure directed to this Province. To our minds this, while a considerable, is the only commercial advantage derivable from Confederation; and as the scheme is not likely to be carried out at present owing to the opposition of the Lower Provinces, would it not be well to consider whether intercolonial free trade cannot be established without Confederation. The objection to this is, that the principal revenue of the maritime Provinces is derived from the customs, but the loss of this source of income would not be equal to the expense of maintaining the cumbrous form of double government and 500 miles of unproductive railway through an almost trackless forest. As the Reciprocity Treaty is about to be abrogated with the United States, let us have perfect Intercolonial free trade. If the revenue would not be sufficient for the maintenance of the local governments, direct taxation could be resorted to. Stamps and excise would in time fully make up the deficiency, while the wealth and prosperity of the Provinces would be increased by the interchange of commodities. Our manufactures and agricultural produce could be exchanged for the products of the mines and fisheries of the Lower Provinces. All this can be accomplished by making use of the great natural highway, the St. Lawrence in summer, and the Grand Trunk via Portland in winter. The advocates for Confederation declare that the great Intercolonial Railway is a military necessity for defence against invasion in the contingency of war with the United States. Let us see of what avail the railway would be, should such a contingency (which Heaven fo bid) arise. How many troops could be withdrawn from either extremity of the vast Confederacy without leaving it defenceless? In case of war, the first object would, doubtless, be to destroy this communication, and this could easily be accomplished by attacks at different points. So far as a means of defence is concerned, this railway would be comparatively useless—as a source of profit ruinous. As a mode of communication unavailable for a great portion of the winter season. Its construction would entail a burden of taxation upon the country, from which it would not recover in this generation. What then shall be done? Let us give up this chimera of confederacy and this idea of war. With the government of the several Provinces wisely administered there is no need of the former, and no fear of the latter. Let us have intercolonial free trade and the Provinces united by a community of interests and common attachment to the mother country. We shall then enter upon a career of prosperity, which will insure for us independence at home and respect abroad. Let us above all things, give up this apprehension of war which occupies many of our public journals, and which has already affected the value of our securities by causing the withdrawal of English capital.