UNITED STATES AND CANADA 43 



the scheme of a commercial union between Canada 

 and the United States, he said he had no idea that it 

 would be even mentioned in the negotiations. *' I 

 do not think Canada wants it," said he, ** and I do 

 not think the United States wants it. Sir Charles 

 Tupper, the Canadian member of the Commission, 

 is not likely to propose it, and certainly I shall not, 

 and I have no expectation that the question will be 

 raised by the representatives of the United States." 



He spoke as if he repudiated the idea of such a 

 commercial union as chimerical. He said he did 

 not believe the United States Government was yet 

 prepared for open free trade with all the world, and 

 that's what such a union with Canada would mean 

 for the United States, because, as soon as the United 

 States would begin to admit Canadian goods free of 

 duty, the trade of all the world might reach the 

 United States through Canada free. It would be 

 impossible in practice to say that articles made in 

 England or in Germany had not been made in 

 Canada. Besides, Canada could not make any 

 commercial treaty with the United States without 

 the sanction of the British Government. Some- 

 body suggested that, according to Mr. Butterworth 

 and Mr. Wiman, no treaty was required ; that the 

 commercial union could be effected by legislation 

 alone. Mr. Chamberlain, being prompted by Mr. 

 Bergne, answered that point by saying that the 

 Imperial Government could veto any such legisla- 

 tion on the part of Canada. He said that if there 

 was a universal demand for such a commercial union 

 in Canada and the United States, he did not believe 



