Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-11-07
WHAT RECIPROCITY MEANS
Do the Western Farmers Want Reciprocity
With Canada7

For more than a year the farmers
of the mi Idle west have been receiv-
ing the literature OF the organization
of patriots known as "The American
Reciprocal Tariff League. These
farmers have been appealed to to favor
the leagues brand of reciprocity sin
order to increase the farmers market
abroad
The farmers who read this litera-
ture should know that the men back
ing this league do not care fig for
the farmers of the middle west or the
farmers of any section for that matter.
What thev are really laboring for is
to curtail the domestic market which
the American farmer enjoys, and to
turn a portion of that market over to
worthless are also Jealous of the
growth of manufactures in the west.
Mr.. Whitney of Massachusetts. was
very frank in stating the purposes of
this league when talking to Massa-
chusetts audiences. In speech de-
livered May 18th in Faneuil hall,
Boston, Mr.. Whitney acknowledged
that the state of Massachusetts sis
now falling rapidly behind other
sections in the growth of her MANI
featuring industry" He pointed out
that the manufacturing establish
ments in the central and western
states have during the decade ending
in 1900 increased two and one half
times as fast as those in New Eng
land.
AS a remedy for this condition of
affairs Mr.. Whitney advocates reci-
procity with Canada, so as to give
the eastern manufactures the advan-
tage of cheap food not that the cheap
food might profit the artisans of Mas
sachusetts, for if Mr.. Whitney is 60
ing to increase the growth of manu-
featuring institutions In New England
he must bring about q condition that
will lessen the cost of manufacture.
Evidently he looks forward to cheap
food as an excuse for reduction of
wages. But it was before the COM
mittee Of federal relations of the Mas
sachusetts legislature that Mr.. Whit
ney most frankly avowed his own
purposes and those of the reciprocity
league, Of which he is prominent
Now, Mr.. Chairman and gentleman,
I called attention last week to the
small population of the state of Mas
sachusetts that are interested in its
affairs, and to refresh
the memory of the committee let me
repeat the statistics. There are
I, ,2O8, OO0 persons engaged in the state
at work for gain. Upon each of
these l,20S, 600 are dependent some.
what more than 2h persons. Now. of
these .2OS, 600 only 66, 600 are farmers
or people engaged in work upon the
farms Of the state. The other trades
are as follows: manufacturing and
trades. 566, 600; trade and
transportation, 27S, 600; domestic and
service, 2Sl 900; professional
service, $4,000. So that 50 per cent
of the people of the state are not in
terested at all in the agricultural in
terests of the state, if may put it in
that way. Meanwhile the food sup
ply for ninety-five one hundredths of
the people of Massachusetts comes
from outside the borders of the state.
Now, gentlemen. have called at
tention to the great Importance it is
for our working community to have
cheap food supplied to it. hold in
my hand bulletin from the Massa-
chusetts census, prepared by the labor
bureau of the commonwealth of Mas
and just issued for the
month of March. 1t contains or page
88. the cost of certain articles OF food
in Canada compared with their cost
in Boston.
The first article mentioned is pOta-
toes. They retail in Toronto for la1s
cents per peck; in Boston, 80; Fall
River, So; Haverhill, 80; New Bed
ford, 80; Salem, 80. Is not that an
question? Is not that the
food of the common people that they
should be permitted to get free under
these circunistances?'
The farms of the middle west can
understand after reading this extract
from Mr.. Whitney's remarks just
what the real object of the recipro-
city advocates is. They have dis
appealed to the farmers OF
this section to become their allies for
the alleged purpose of obtaining en-.
larged markets for farm produce. while
all the time their scheme is to de.
prive the American farmer of all
share of the benefits of protection by
opening up way by which the pro.
tected manufacturers of the east, and
their employees. may buy their food
In Canada. This is to be followed
by reduction of wages. II ever q set
Of men attempted to work q political
confidence game these people are SO
Cedar Rapids RepubliOan.