THE RECORD OF

THE MONTREAL STAR IN 1911

It is not very often in the history of a young, or indeed of any country, that a single newspaper wields a powerful influence in the overturn of a Government and the defeat of a political policy. Such, however, was the record of the Montreal Star in 1911.* That the Government was strongly intrenched in power, that its policy of Reciprocity had many popular features, that its defeat was not expected by the public, that The Star, itself, had been independent and somewhat aloof in the Elections of 1908, lent all the more interest to the stand which this virile organ of national thought adopted from the early development of the new trade policy and from the first months of the year.

On Jan. 9th, when few Canadians thought that an agreement would be reached or a serious departure in the country's policy be proposed, this journal's Washington correspondent stated that the Reciprocity Commission had practically arrived at a conclusion as to general terms and main principles. Then followed the official announcement on Jan. 26th, the plunging of the two countries into a discussion which lasted the greater part of the year in Canada and promised to be a United States Presidential issue in 1912. There was no question as to the attitude of The Star from the inception of the Washington Agreement. It took straight issue with the project at a moment when many politicians were in doubt, when public opinion was unformed and uninformed, when the first feelings of indifference and ignorance were at the crucial point of change into interest and inquiry. Whatever may have been the original idea behind the negotiations, the merit of the freer trade principle involved, the historic justification of the Government and Liberal party, and possibilities of advantage to the farmer, Reciprocity was to The Star an altogether dangerous, seriously injurious, anti-Canadian, anti-British and anti-Empire policy.

On Jan. 31st it was claimed that the old adage of trade following the flag had been replaced in modern times by another of the flag following trade. So, in Canada it was asserted by The Star in many and varied ways and week after week, month after month, that United States Reciprocity would weaken the Imperial

NOTE. The History of this Newspaper, up to the close of 1910, is recorded in the Special Supplement of THE CANADIAN ANNUAL REVIEW for 1910.

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tie and strengthen American influence; the assertion of a nebulous Monroe Doctrine would further help the process of absorption and complication; United States settlers in the West would in time create an issue involving annexation or war. The Stars and Stripes would inevitably follow a trade built up by freedom and contiguity, held and intrenched by United States Trusts, helped by similarity of customs and habits, strengthened by public policy and 3,000 miles of invisible frontier.

The personal Appeal directed by The Star to Sir Wilfrid Laurier on Feb. 4 urging him on behalf of the Nation, of his own Party and of the Empire, to intervene and reject the Agreement negotiated by his own Ministers was a remarkable bit of Canadian journalistic tactics. It was clever, it was effective in arousing thought, it unquestionably attracted much public attention. The claim was earnestly pressed that this whole poliey was a trap set at Washington and baited for men who had an honest and lifelong belief in Reciprocity; the appeal was directed to Sir Wilfrid Laurier as being of the stature of a statesman and having long vision, deep insight and steadfast courage. The pivotal point was, perhaps, that of the following paragraph: "If we turn the swollen stream of our food exports away from the West-East lines that carry it to the British market and send it along North-South lines to the American market-or, rather, the American middle

'-we will utterly shatter the costly steel framework of this nation and debase the Dominion to a string of subject Provinces serving the convenience of the nearest American centres. The 'bridge' over the wilderness of Lake Superior will be broken. Confederation will be cut at a half-dozen vital points. The Provinces by the sea will be isolated, their industrial future negatived, the arteries that lead to Old Canada will collapse through starvation and the Americans will think of them chiefly as a collection of fishing villages. Quebec will be the back-yard and lumber camp of New England." Following this vivid presentation of the issue -which was republished throughout much of the Conservative press-The Star alleged on Feb. 15th that there was a determined American effort to suppress Champ Clark's Annexation speech in the United States newspapers and in despatches to Canada. This charge was revived later on in connection with other addresses in Congress and the country. Much was made. of Mr. Clark's utterances as coming from the Leader of the majority Party in the House of Representatives and on the above date this query was submitted: "Why have the Americans suddenly awakened to the importance of diverting Canadian trade to the American market? Why have they, all in a moment, determined to press upon our acceptance the key to their market in natural produce. Is it because of any sudden and unselfish love for us; or is it because they realize that Canada stands to-day at the parting of the ways and that if we are not turned definitely

toward a commercial union with the United States during the next few years it will be everlastingly too late to decoy us into the surrender of our national identity."

Upon the first refusal of the Senate to accept the Agreement The Star appealed to the Prime Minister once more to take advantage of the opportunity and to guard what it termed the dignity and safety and self-respect of Canada by withdrawing from an untenable position. Sir Wilfrid was urged (Mch. 6) in his coming speech to once more enable Canada "to tread the upland road of fiscal independence" and to avoid turning from her high destiny in order to become "the lumber-camp and dumping ground of the proud and prosperous American Republic." For days this was urged upon the Premier and the check given the legislation at Washington was variously described as a freeing of Sir Wilfrid's hands, as a "Truce of God," as an opportunity to save Canada. Page after page of names signed to a Petition of protest against Reciprocity were also published and, toward the end of March, a vigorous campaign of education was commenced having in view the alleged condition of United States farmers in New England and in various border States, the steady decline in the value of many farms and the desire of American farmers to emigrate to Western Canada, the pressure of conditions which had created thousands of deserted homesteads and un-cultivated farms-all in regions blessed with free and life-long access to the great market of 90-million people.

Following this, and notably on Mch. 31, The Star had article after article intended to throw suspicion upon any "kindness to Canada," any "gift" in tariff or trade which "the quarrelsome, eminently practical, and naturally selfish American politicians might agree to offer. The only reason, it declared, could be a hidden hope of Annexation with, in the meantime, a check to Empire unity and partial control of Canadian resources and policy. Much was made of the rare Party unanimity at Washington: "Nothing (Apr. 12) is too good for Canadian Reciprocity. The rampant Democracy sinks party in the face of such an issue. They are as patriotic as they would be in the midst of a great national war. And the man who leads this party which has lifted Reciprocity out of the ruck of party politics is the man who said in explanation of his conduct on this very Bill that ' We are preparing to annex Canada.'"

Always and everywhere "the Parting of the Ways" speech of President Taft was put before the public, and on May 1st came one more appeal to Sir Wilfrid Laurier to adjourn the discussion of Reciprocity in Parliament so that Canada might be properly represented at the Coronation and the Premier perform his duty in this respect to the people and the Empire. In June much space was given to the power and wealth and alleged merciless character and influence of the United States Trusts; in July and during

August stress was laid upon Industrial conditions in the Republic, the hard times that threatened its people, the million of workers said to be out of employment, the consequent pressure which would follow Reciprocity in natural products to obtain admission for American manufactures to the prosperous and growing Canadian market. On July 3rd The Star pointed out that Canada was fairly bursting with prosperity, its factories working overtime and Railways being built as rapidly as labour and material could be secured, and inquired, "Do we want Reciprocity in depression?" Buffalo was described as stagnant and so with Pittsburg; Cleveland was facing a severe depression and Cincinnati had Bank clearings of 81 millions less than in the depressed times of 1907; Chicago was behind Canadian cities in business activity and prosperity; the New England States were suffering from contraction in the textile industries; Detroit was curtailing production and dismissing workmen. These conditions were elaborated on July 28-29, Aug. 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and other dates and the Canadian workingman was told that he had been forgotten and that the whole Government appeal was to the farmer. On Aug. 19 illustrations were given of the homestead at West Townshend, Vermont, once occupied by three generations of President Taft's family but now abandoned to weeds and decay and desolation. Such conditions, it was alleged, were to be met with all over the New England States and within all the boasted advantages of the great, free United States market for agricultural products.

As the Elections drew to a close cartoons were used to emphasize arguments and, on Sept. 7th, the remarkable cabled utterance of Rudyard Kipling was given full page prominence and, especially, the phrase "It is her own soul that Canada risks to-day." W. R. Hearst and his New York journals were vigorously attacked for circulating Reciprocity literature in Canada and, on Sept. 6, Montreal was stirred into holding a mass-meeting of opposition to the Hearst papers' intervention in a Canadian election. On the 11th The Star published a number of telegrams from leading Canadian journals (Conservative) joining in the protest against this policy. A day later it made public Cables from certain newspapers in South Africa, India, New Zealand and Australia declaring Reciprocity a menace to Imperial unity. The approach of Election Day made The Star still more aggressive in its utterances. A page was devoted on Sept. 16 to the consideration of a large heading: "Annexation the End; Reciprocity is merely the Means " and another page to an illustration containing the Stars and Stripes on one side and the Union Jack on the other with these words in the centre: "Under which Flag?"

The issue was finally urged and reiterated as involving the dissolution of the British Empire; the breaking of "the light and almost imperceptible bond" described by President Taft as uniting the Dominion to the Motherland; the prevention of a trade

agreement between Canada and Great Britain; the incorporation of Canada in the American rather than the British commercial system and, ultimately, Annexation to the United States. On Sept. 20 The Star proclaimed the defeat of Reciprocity and declared that Ontario would give a big Conservative majority with the probable defeat of several Ministers. The result-the defeat of the Government on the 21st-was described as meaning that “there shall be two great nations on the North American continent." Such, in a brief summary, was the position of The Star during 1911-a position which it afterwards claimed to have been amply justified by President Taft's admissions in the corre spondence made public during 1912. Whatever may be thought individually.or politically of its opinions, its policy, or its statements, there can be no doubt of the influence wielded and of the energetic and able character of The Star's opposition to Reciprocity.