The Worth of a Boy

THE WORTH OF A BOY. 447 should learn how to invent and construct his own playthings. Every boy should have a garden and one or more living pets. He should have some means of earning money, and his property rights should be strictly respected. No child will give the best of him- self in service to a tyrant. If he is treated as an equal, a partner, a companion, he will live up to the best that is within him. If his individuality is respected, and he is given a chance to express his opinion and make known his purposes, he will feel the joy of being a helper, and will exert his best efforts. A child's rights should forever be respected and upheld. He has a right to the best songs, the best stories, the best books and the best companions obtainable. He has a right to learn to give and to take, and to willingly obey law. He has a right to his childhood and the stages following it, — a right to live out his true ideal in freedom. He has a right to his belongings and a place for them, and a right to the employments that give him the most joy. He has a right to justice and to truth. He should be loved and protected and assisted to grow into an independent, loving, helpful boy. His freedom and happiness should be guarded as a sacred trust. From earliest childhood he should learn to be self-govern- ing and self-sustaining, as far as possible. His undesirable traits of character should not be aggravated by punishments, but the oppo- site virtues should be educated. Repeated slight experiences in the right direction develop moral strength. All punishments should grow out of the offense, as a natural result. Restrain him in great matters, but overlook the trivial ones. Make the boy feel that he is loved and trusted, and that true love is willing to labor and endure sacrifice. He should be taught that every cause has its effect and that he will get exactly what he pays for. Let him feel that he is a brave little hero, that he is needed to do his part of the world's work, that life is worth the cost, and that his effort will help to make the world more good and beautiful and true . Any one who helps to bring a boy to a higher, better life, has lifted his hand in the cause of righteousness ; while any man or woman who fails to do their portion in the redemption of child- hood, has put a block in the path of the progress of the world; for in a way, every man is a keeper of his neighbor's child. Lbwisvillb, Idaho.

Reciprocity With Canada. BY DR. JOSEPH M. TANNER. The question of reciprocity is one of foremost commercial importance to the United States, at this time, — one of very gen- eral discussion. For many years our trade relations with countries whose productions are not likely to interfere with the commercial interests of the United States, have been up for discussion under the subject of reciprocity. Many years ago James G. Blaine, called the father of reciprocity, advocated strongly mutual trade concessions with the American republics to the south of us. President McKinley, in Buffalo, at the Pan-American Exposi- tion, declared that the people of the United States must take a broader view of their commercial relations, and make concessions to those countries against which we do not really need any pro- tection. The declarations of our late president have been the sub- ject of prolonged discussions among the political parties of the United States, and political conventions have not unfrequently declared that there must be some change in our commercial policy with those countries whose interests are identical with ours. For many years Canada has sought commercial reciprocity with us, which that country clearly foresaw would be mutually advan- tageous. The position of Canada has been somewhat peculiar. It is a country of about eight million people, and the demands upon its population for the farming interests of the country have been so great that the manufacturing establishments of the country, through want of capital and experience, could not meet the demands of the west for agricultural implements and allied machin- ery. For that reason Canada has been compelled to draw upon the United States for supplies which it could not itself provide.

RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA. 449 As a result, Canadian tariff has been low, and the United States has profited very largely from these Canadian necessities. Little by little, American capital has crossed the line, manu- facturing; establishments have been increased, and new ones have been established, but the supply was still insufficient to meet the demand. However, Canada's rapid development in manufacturing-, and the consequently increased flow of capital from this country across the borders, has given rise to a fear that too much money was leaving our country, and that steps should be taken to main- tain, if possible, the most excellent markets which Canada fur- nishes us. Today we are selling in Canadian markets more than two hundred million dollars worth of goods every year, a market which eight millions of people furnish us. In return we are taking from Canada less than half that amount. In consequence of these unequal conditions, Canada came to what might be termed a parting of the ways. That country must do one of two things. It must either raise its tariff and do as nearly as possibly all its own manufacturing, or it must secure from the United States, by the terms of treaty or otherwise, some reciprocal relation that would open the American market to more Canadian produce. Heretofore Canada had been doing all the wooing, but the executive department of our country was apprised of the fact that Canada's most excellent market might be lost to us in a large measure before many years, if something were not done by us to retain it. It is generally believed, therefore, that this time the invitation came from us, and those who believe in reciprocity think that we, having wooed them, should meet our advancement more in a spirit of fair play than has hitherto existed. The situation commercially is simply this: a great agricultural country like Canada, whose population is comparatively sparse, needs some close neighbor for its surplus produce. The surplus, however, is so small when compared with the powers of consump- tion of the United States as to be of no great consequence. When the reciprocity treaty was under consideration, the president and his advisers had at their disposition the best expert knowledge that the country afforded. The facts and figures were, therefore, at his command, and he was in a position to answer every objec-