Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-26
THE FARMER AND CANADIAN
PRODUCE.

In these days when political events
are taking shape and form to mould
pubic sentiment into senatorial or
presidential booms, it might be we'll for
citizens OF this republic to weigh the
utterances of politicians and public
men with a view of determining the
wisest and safest course to pursue.
The leaders Of the party now in
power have no apology to offer their
critics for achievements, either in war
or peace within the past six years,
since the prosperity of the country
was never before equalled i for the
same length Of time under the admin
istration of any political party, and the
most carping critic admits that, as a
nation, the United States has been
raised during that period, to the first
rank among the nations of the earth.
1t is therefore but natural that wise
and conservative statesmen should
hesitate to change laws that have
brought such good results, especially
when the demand comes from party
that made miserable failure in their
effort to adjust tariff schedules when
they were last upon earth as legislat-
ors. They were going TO capture the
markets of the world then for the
American farmer, but they sent an
army OF tramps across the country to
eat the surplus of the American farm
er, instead of ships across the seas
to carry his products.
Not being able to accomplish any
good results from theinjob lot policy
of tariff reform, they now insist on
the republican party, trying it on the
installment plan, either. by adopting
free trade with Canada or q species
of reciprocity that will not recfprocate
or that will serve the same purpose as
free trade.
Before the American farmer enlists to
march under banner inscribed Free
Trade With Canada, he ought to find
out what kind of a trade he is going to
make ultimately.
Here it is. We, the people of Can
ada, five and one-third millions in num-
Der, all subjects of Great Britain, here
by agree to buy from you Americans
such articles of commerce as we are
obliged to have. Provided that you
will sell as cheaply as we can buy Of
other nations where the standard of
ANAuS 10 DSioW5 IhioL VI yOuIH pSOplS,
and where wages are one-half less.
Not having any large cities or good
market places of our own, we will fur
ther agree to send annually to the
large American cities situated near our
borders, at least 75,000,000 bushels Of
wheat, 100000 bushels of barley, 3d.
100000 bushels Of potatoes, 10000
bushels of oats and 100000 head of
cattle, and very large supply of poul-
try and dairy products, and if the
American farmer desires more compe-
tition, we will agree to double the sup
ply in less than five years. OF course
this will require the cultivation of
some of the land recently bought by
American land spectators, and we
have no doubt but what they will be
glad to sell it to homeseekers, for it
certainly will double in value as soon
as this treaty is agreed to by both ma
TONS
There are fifteen persons in the
United States to one in Canada. 1t
takes people to make markets. There
fore, the reciprocity trade we are
asked to make Is: Let me into your
market with one person in it, and
will let you into ours with fifteen in
it. In other words, we would trade fif-
teen good customers for one poor one
Besides, that one customer produces
nothing that we cannot produce our
selves