Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-10-11

must export a superior article; let the
government not only send us seeds,
but let it make even more practical
demonstrations in every state, supple
menting and aiding the work many
states are now dong through their ag-
ricultural schools. Something is wrong.
] The soil is fine; conditions have been
good but the returns have been most
unsatisfactory, as all of us who are
farmers can testify.
THE government should furnish us
with a uniform inspection for all our
products, which would carry confidence
abroad. Nothing so much Injuries the
sale of these commodities as for the
purchaser to find on their arrival that
they vary with each ship load in quail
| ty. Again. we find prejudice abroad
against American products The enter
prise of our people in invading foreign
markets, the greed and rapaciousness
of some of our wealthy exporters have
caused foreign people to look else
where for goods. and have melted for
eign governments 10 hostile legislation
Our state department should endeavor
t correct this spreading evil before it
is too late. and we should make an
especial effort to see that such preju-
dice be not extended to American GER
Gals and their products.
Il do not propose to discuss the tar
if question and needed revision at this
timesp except as 10 one phase. as my
time will not permit: and that is 10
make Il plea for Your help and work
for the principle of reciprocity. Right
in theory, it has shown good results in
practice. In order TO secure the mar
kets of the world. we must appear as .
friend and brother and not as a CON
querer or as a fierce competitor. The
market for our cereals abroad fortu-
nately lies among people of different
race and climate. who raise things we
do not and can not.
Things We Can Not Raise.
eve can not raise coffee. nor tea,
cocoa, fibers. nor rubber. and very little
sugar and molasses. We import these
articles in enormous quantities. Let us
enlarge our markets there and give
these people in exchange our cereals
and farm products which they need
We import a great deal of tin. iron. ore.
platinum. potash, soda, diamonds and
other precious stones, and fruits as
well. If we could pay for all these with
our farm products, every farmer would
be UNNECESSARILY benefited. and our
country would enter upon an unprece-
denied era of prosperity.
Our governmental policy should be
to foster reciprocity and thereby in
9
exporting demand is good, the farmer
markets his crops at profit.
Is Greatest Problem.
Coming now TO the question of trans
pOrtation. | can safely say that it is the
greatest problem before the American
people. 1t affects every industry, every
trade. every individual. and seriously
retards the export OF our cereals. We
need reciprocity to find markets. We
need cheaper freight rates TO get our
products to the seaboard.
'"That freight rates are almost pro
hibitory on grain shipments needs no
argument to convince the most ske0-
teal. 1t costs too much to transport
our products. and consequently we are
placed at a disadvantage when we
seek a foreign market for our cereals.
1t seems to me that every patriotic
American citizen should demand just
and fair treatment from our great trans
portation companies. Public sentiment
during the past five years has been 4
mighty factor in securing some relief.
The increased power given the inter
state commerce commission is a step
in the right direction. and if followed
up with a strict enforcement of the
law aI.i additional legislation to make |
it effective, we will at least have made |
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