Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-08
SIGNS OF OPPOSITION :
Disapproval Of Proposed Reel
procity With Canada.
G78.
NEW ENGLAND'S VIEW
FIGHT LIKELY TO BE MADE IN
CONGRESS.
It is Claimed That Only the Miller
Would Benefit From Free Wheat
Effect on the Farmer.

The vigorous campaign that has recently
been carried on by those who advocate
reciprocity with Canada has already called
| forth expressions of disapproval on the
| part Of some very prominent senators and
| representatives. This disapproval has been
expressed in private and indicates that
when the subject comes up for considera-
| ton there will be a very powerful oppo-
sition to any plan for securing reciprocity
with Canada. Those who oppose recIproc-
| ity are not inclined to come out publicly
with their criticism of such plans at pres
ent. They are entirely willing to have the
advocates Of this plan go ahead for time
in order that they may develop such
strength as is possible for their cause.
When that Is done and an effort is made
| to obtain practical results from the cam
paign. that is being carried on there will
be showing of hands.
The heart and soul of Canadian reciproc-
ity recently has been Mr.. Eugene 9. Hay.
counsel for the Minnesota branch Of the
National Reciprocity League. Mr.. Hay is
of Minneapolis, from which city the cam
pafgn to advance reciprocity with Canada
has been worked. He has largely confined
his efforts to the northern tier of states
along the Canadian border. New England
has always been sturdily opposed to inter-
fering with the duties that apply to prod
ucts Of Canada coming into this country
| and Mr. Hay has done little or nothing In
making converts in that part Of the coun-
try.
View Of the Opposition.
Those who oppose the ideas advocated by
Mr.. Hay claim that his reciprocity plan
will only require explanation to make 1t
obnoxious to the farmers of the country
The country north of the border beween
the United States and Canada beyond the
Great nndOubtpdlv
adapted to the raising of wheat. Great
| progress has already been made in de-
veloping that industry In Canada, until to-
day it's wheat product makes quite COM
parlson with the production of this coun-
| try, although it is but fraction Of the
amount raised here.
The argument of the advocates Of reciproc-
| ity is that II the duty of Is cents a bushel
now laid on Canadian wheat coming into
| this country is removed that product will
| seek the mills of Minnesota and other
| states to be turned into flour for export.
| That argument appeals especially to the
miller, but 1t Is also made of interest to
| the farmer by the claim that Canadian
| wheat Is annually the cause of breaking
| the market price of wheat in Liverpool
| under present methods of selling it. That
is said to be true for the reason that the
| wheat as now marketed Is thrown on the
market without regard to the price pre-
| vailing because of the lack Of facilities to
store 1t. If it were sent across the Cana
1
| find ample storage facilities, and would go
abroad as flour and have much less effect
| on the price of wheat in the markets of
| the world
But the opponets of reciprocity do not
| believe the farmers of the country will be
| caught with such an argument as that.
| They think the farmers will take the view
| that when wheat can be raised north of the
| Canadian border and brought into the
| United States directly, without the pay
| ment of a single penny tax, then the Amer
| lean farmer can look out for fall In the
| price of his own wheat.
Opposition in New England.
| Besides this effect on the wheat-raising
| farmer the strongest kind of opposition can
| be looked for in New England. 1t is safe to
say that four-fifths of the New England
senators will be unalterably opposed to re-
| ciprocity with Canada Only those who full
| ly appreciate the influence and power of
| the New England senators can appreciate
| what that means in relation to the ratifica-
ton of any treaty that might be negotiated,
| even should the campaign for reciprocity
| go so far as to secure the negotiation Of a
! treaty that would be entirely satisfactory
| to Canada and give reasonable satisfaction
to those people of this country who favor
such a policy.
| Opponents to reciprocity will claim. when
| the time comes for them to make out their
case. that little or no benefit can be OBJ
| tatned from 1t by any American interest
except that of the Minneapolis miller. They
will claim that the great milling interests
Of the country will be placed in better
position than they ever have in the past
for controlling the -four industry; The far,
mer and every one else, they will say will
be just where they have been in the past,
except that the farmer will find the price Of
his wheat affected and the consumer Of
flour will find that the producers of flour
will be in better position than ever be-
| larger DrOfit