Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-21
The Democratic Demand for Free
Trade With Canada.

| N~-'~
glass To Massachusetts and Connec-
ticut and Pennsylvania for machinery
and cutlery. To Ohio for crockery
| To Michigan for furniture.
Now will the Journal explain how it
is good for Maine to be compelled to
send her money to those States for
those manufactured goods if Canada
can sell Maine more goods for the
| money ?--Lewiston Sun.
| This argument for free trade is inter-
esting as it illustrates the narrOwness
of the free traders point of view. A
Maine dollar sent to Massachusetts, for
instance would still be in circulation
| in this country and a part of our ma
tional prosperity. 1t is evident that If
Canadian farm products and manu-
featured articles were to come into
Maine free they would also come into
all the other states of the Union. II
Maine could buy Canadian manufac-
tured articles cheaper than those man
| ufactured in this country, SO
could the other states of the Union,
and If they were to do so it is evident
that the manufacturing centers which
| now furnish a top notch ma"ke- for
our farm products would either cease
to exist or be forced to meet Canadian
competition by lowering wages in which
event cur home market would be great
ly curtailed in its purchasing power.
Maine has large manufacturing inter-
ests-second it is true to our great ag-
rcultural interests-but, nevertheless
of vital Importance to her prosperity.
Tt put those manufactures into free
competition with the manufactures Of
Canada--for practically all the manu-
| featuring enterprises in Maine are
duplicated in Canada, would be to deal
| them a blow quite as severe in proper
| ton to the interests involved as would
| be dealt the farmers of Maine by re-
| moving the duties on their products
provided in the Dingley bill and fore
| ing them TO sell the output o: their
|
restricted competition with the farm
products of Canada
Let the fact be clearly borne in mind
that the Sun, voicing the policies and
purposes OF the Democratic rarty in
this campaign, desires free entry into
this country Of ALL the products of
Canada, both agricultural and manu-
featured, to the end that we may be
| abe to purchase our farm products
and manufactured products cheaper
1t needs no prophet to see that such
chcapness could only be secured at the
expense Of the American farmer and
the American wage worker.
This Democratic call for free trade
with Canada is no new thing in New
England. only last year Henry NJ
Whitney ran on the Democratic ticlle
for Governor of Maesa chusetts. His
| paramount issue was free trade will
Canada though he called it "re
ciprocity" He used all the argument!
in favor of it that are now being uset
here in Maine by the Democratic press
and many more--for he was an abb,
and resourceful man He could no
fool the people, however. They refused
to be bcguiled. Both the farmers ant
| wagc-Workers recognized clearly tina
free trade with Canada would he
body blow at their prosperity, ant
thew showed Mr.. Whitney under n
the polls by record breaking major
ity. The Boston Globe. commentin;
upon tho results Of the eleI ton at tn
time sail:
Henry NJ Whitney. the Demo
cratic candidate. polled considerabl,
less than half of Moran's vote of las
year, his estimated vote being abou
! $4,000
f There was a great falling off in MI
, Whitney's vote in Boston, where hi
lead over Thomas l.. Hisgen. indie
pendence League candidate, was les
than 5000.
, Mr. Whitney suffered sever
} SlaSninS III All OF the great
centers of the state. where he and hi
managers expected to poll a heav
vote because of his advocacy of i'm
mediate tariff revision and re
I ciprocity with Canada"
t The Springfield Republican whic
: had also supported Mr.. Whitney
2 candidacy. said:
f THE surprise of the day is tn
smallness of the Whitney or regula
Democratic vote and the magnitude O
that given to Mr.. Hisgen. candidate Q
e the Independence League. If MI
t Whitney had counted upon receivin
the SURFACES of Republican bushes
men to a large extent. either in re
buke of President Roosevelt or i
G expression of reciprocity sentiment
z he has been greatly disappointed
$ 1t was thus that the intelligen
+. wage workers Of Massachusetts
c answered Henry NJ Whitney. He ha
I presented his cause to them as tn
s Democratic Lewiston Sun, leading tn
: Democratic column in Maine