The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-03-31
VERMONT AND RECIPROCITY

1t is evident that the sweeping Ga.
madam reel procity program which
members of the Boston chamber OF
commerce are putting forward will
not be supported by Vermont, should
it ever get before Congress. In an
interview published in the Boston
Herald on Sunday, Senator Dilling-
ham is reported as expressing his
views on the subject plainly and
forcibly and with his reasons clearly
outlined. He said: 4 am sure that
Vermont will oppose the adoption Of
any reciprocal arrangement between
Canada and the United States for the
free interchange between them of
natural products. Her people have
not yet forgotten the experience under
the reciprocity treaty which was in
force between 1866 and 1866, and dur
ing which period it proved to be
wholly to the advantage OF Canada, as
it always must be under similar con-
ditions to the country where lower
cost of production is less. A renewal
of such a treaty would place the Ca
madam farmer upon equal terms with
those of our own country IN furnish
ing to the great manufacturing centres
of New England live animals, butter,
cheese. eggs, hay, grains, vegetables
of every description, lumber and other
natural products in the production of
which we are now protected, and such
action would not result in any CORE
spending advantage to us.
"The extent Of such a competition
may BE- judged by the fact that during
the life of the former treaty the
average annual imports from Canada
into the United States were about four
times as great in amount as before it's
adoption and by the further fact that
prior to that treaty the balance of
trade had been, according to a state
ment made by the late Senator Nor
rill. about IS, COO, 600 year in favor
of the United States, which was paid
in specie. At the end Of the treaty
it had turned against us to such an
extent that we had to pay in specie
$50, 900, 600 in single year. Canada
does not now offer any terms more ad-
vantageous to us than those we then
enjoyed. and which, after fair trial,
We repudiated as injurious to our in.
terests. -
Both of the Massachusetts, Senators
as we'll as all of the other New Eng
land Senators likewise stand opposed
to the one sided reciprocity such as
was tried wears ago and which the
group of Boston men referred to desire
to revive, though the former favor
temperate action 1t is quite prob
able that the Boston reciprocity advo
Gates believe that the proposed meas
ures would be beneficial to themselves,
but it is the duty of the nations law
makers to look farther aud SEQ how
each State and all the States would be
affected.
There may perhaps be few
products that, if suitable arrange
ments could be entered into, it would
be we'll for both sides to put on the
reciprocal list. But it is very improb-
able that any agreement satisfactory
to the people this side of the line
could be made now. Canada seems to
have lost most of her desire for closer
trade relations with this country and
at present is fast being drawn closer
to the mother country by new arrange
ments The ifs in the way of Ca
madam reciprocity seem very likely to
check its advance ere it has gone very
far. And, unless something very
different than the proposition of the
Boston reciprocity boomers is pie
sented, Vermont will undou btedly
support her Congressman in opposi-
ton.
THE CASE on TITPNED