Flirtation under difficulties

Uncle Sam offers a bouquet of flowers labeled “Reciprocity” to a woman labeled “Canada.” Uncle Sam is being held back by a businessman labeled “Trusts” whose feet are planted against a rock labeled “High Protection” and is pulling on Sam’s coattails, while the woman is being held back by a military officer labeled “Toryism” pulling on her fur wrap.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Canadian reciprocity — a phrase routinely invoked as more palatable than “free trade”; almost a euphemism in arguments against high protective tariffs — was a common theme of some politicians and many business through the years. A shared boundary between the United States and Canada was one logical reason, and traditional amity between two similar peoples was another.

President McKinley had come to favor negotiating reciprocity agreements when he was assassinated, and the Roosevelt administration continued this policy, but without fervor. William H. Taft was to make Canadian reciprocity a hallmark of his presidency, but treaty terms were so botched that neither side, nor any commercial parties, were satisfied, and his presidency suffered at the ballot box.

Pughe’s cartoon portrays the inherent difficulties in effecting reciprocal trade agreements. American trusts — not only manufacturing, but agricultural, interests — often were reluctant to allow cheap competition into their United States markets. On the other hand, certain industries were hungry for raw materials that could be accessed from Canada, as well as markets to sell to. James J. Hill, the railroad baron, was one trust magnate who argues for reciprocity as his northern rail lines would profit from increased trade. In addition, he viewed Canadian reciprocity as an antidote — from the point of view of businesses like his — to the shift in commerce southward, once the Panama Canal would open.

Pughe’s cartoon illustrates the complications on the other side of the border. Canada was not yet as independent of Great Britain as now. Diplomatic disputes with Canada — for instance, over Alaskan borders that absorbed President Theodore Roosevelt so much — often went through London. The “Tory” restraining amorous Canada in the cartoon represents London’s proposed tariff “reforms,” largely designed by Joseph Chamberlain of the Tariff Reform League. Prompted by the United States and Germany’s intrusion on its global domination of world trade, as well as their activity in England’s domestic markets, the United Kingdom would include every part of its empire in a free-trade zone. High tariffs would apply to other countries.

As colonial structures would dictate, Canadian-American reciprocity might benefit local Canadian businesses, but would be a back-door threat to London’s economic policy. This was Great Britain’s point of view as it was reluctant to endorse reciprocity.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1904-03-02

Creator(s)

Pughe, J. S. (John S.), 1870-1909

Period

U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)

Repository

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Page Count

1

Record Type

Image

Resource Type

Cartoon

Rights

These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.

Citation