The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-11-16
FREE Trade VIII CANADIANss
}. 3. nm Would IKE to See fbe Bor-
der Custom Houses Abolfshef.

J. .. I'm Would Ike TO See the Ror-
der Custom Houses Abolished
Chicago, Nov 10--James J. HuI
was the guest OF honor at the banquet
Of the Merchants club tonight, and
delivered an extended address upon
-ChicaEO's Interest in Reciprocity
With Canada Mr.. Hill said.
To-day the entire country Is SUI
ter1ng from want OF transportation
facilities to move its business without
unreasonable delay The prevailing
idea with the public is that the rail-
ways are short Of cars, while the facts
are that the shortage is in tracks and
terminals to provide q greater ODDOr-
tunity for the movement OF the cars.
The speaker declared that the coun-
try today faced a transportation prob
lem which only time patience and the
expenditure OF enormous sums Of
money viii remedy. he asserted that
there is a crying need now for the
construction OF q dfteen-foOt canal
between St Louis and New Orleans,
and he said that the necessity for this
would increase with time There VISA
no more important general work for
the government to perform, he said,
than 70 construct 2 canal capable Of
carrying vessel OF 6fteen-feet draft
Nj Hill recited figures showing that
l the trade with the people whom the
/ United States viii be able to reach by
the construction OF the Panama canal
| amounts to only about So, 500, 600
/ annually, while the United States
/ trade with Alabama is over $500, 00O.-
i 600 per annum. He asserted that the
| conservation and increase Of this trade
/ is Of greater importance than any
| thing that will accrue TO the United
States because OF the construction Of
| the canal.
Concerning reciprocity with Canada
Mr.. Hill said:
The plea for liberal trade rela-
/ tons is negatived only by unreasOn-
] g---~ a.
| elusive argument for reciprocity with
| Canada always has been and must be
the experience OF the several Ameri-
/ can states. Had it not been prohibit
| ed BY the constitution, each state Of
| the union would have levied a duty on
| all commerce crossing its borders. Yet
| all acknowledge now that one great
/ factor in the development Of the Unit
! ed States has been the commercial
| elimination Of state lines Unrestrict-
/ ed trade between the states has favor
ed all Of them.
we have as much reason to dread
! Canadian competition as Pennsylva-
] mia. has to cry for protection against
North Dakota Canada would be no
more in danger than is Montana by
| the competition Of Ohio.
/ The time is OppOrtune for a prac-
| teal movement toward better trade
/ relations with Canada. There has been
/ increasing irritation toward our atti-
| tude, and already the fact that our
| average tariff against the Dominion is
| 1888, while that Of Canada against
| the United States is 24.93, causes COM
ment and suggests reprisals.
| What IS the first practical step
/ The contamination most to be wished
/ is the wiping out Of custom houses
Il along the northern frontier, and the
| establishment there Of absolute free
! trade. If the time is not ripe for that
/ the least that it demands is ample
/ reciprocity There cannot be a begin
ming until we have fixed in our minds
/ the deSirability Of a free interchange
/ Of natural products and raw materials
! giving to the New England manufac-
| turer his fuel and to the farmer Of the
| western plains his lumber, and to the
| makers Of books and newspapers ev-
lerywhere their print paper free from
/ the eXactiOnS which a needless tariff
now permits monopoly to impose
/ From this as a beginning, work may
/ go forward toward larger liberty by
an enlargement Of markets and a
progress Of public sentiment that re-
| ciprOcity once in operation will as
sure"