Morris tribune., 1908-11-28
FREE CANADIAN WHEAT.
Views of ore Minneapolis Miller
Who Opposes 1t.

/ Who Opposes 1t.
Reciprocity with Canada, the big
gest commercial question of the day,
discussed vigorouslyin Minneapolisfive
years ago, but dormant since, has been
revivi6ed says the Minneapolis Jour-
nal. The fact that President elect
Taft is a revisionist, the appearance
of the lumberman before the COM
mittee in Washington, and the speech
of James j. Hill at the Chamber of
Commerce in New York, have given
| stimulus to discussion in which no city
has more direct interest than Min
neapolis.
| The big questions breaks into many
divisions. 1t may surprise some stu
dents of the trade relations between
Minneapolis and west Canada to learn
, that the millers here are by no means
a unit in favor of free admission of
Canadian wheat.
Bell Opposes 1t.
James S. Bell, president of the
Washburn Crosby company, is op-
posed to it. On the basis that miller
thinks only of obtaining raw material
to best advantage, Minneapolis mill
ing sentiment might be expected to
favor free Canadian wheat; but the
question SO interrelates to and over
laps the larger economic considera-
tions that broad view is essential to
any grasp of it.
"Even under revision of the tariff,
after such modification as may be
brought about" said Mr.. Bell, 1.-THE
United States will remain, in practice,
a protective country. We are facing
the great and incontrovertible argu-
ment that nearly everything that the
farmer must buy, clothing, lumber,
machinery, and the great number of
other essentials, either directly, or
through schedules covering raw ma
terial entering into them, come under
protection. The wisdom, the fairness
of striking off protection from the
products that represent the labor and
investment of the farmer may we'll
be questioned.
Need only Flexibility.
"Dismissing the larger general ques-
ton and considering it solely from the
viewpoint of a miller, there seems
necessary only a greater fexibility of
governmental regulations to bring
about conditions under which our
great milling industry need not be
crippled or handicapped by the west
ward and north ward shifting of the
center of spring wheat production,
and at the same time the farmer of
the northwest neither fells that he is
unfairly treated nor finds in practical
operation anything that is other than
an advantage to him. z
Minneapolis mills are enabled to
grind Canadian wheat in bond, or
under the drawback plan. Govern
mental regulation is minute. Millers
are obliged to identify the importa-
ton throughout the process, from re-
ceipt of raw material to marketing of |
products There are restrictions up
on the sale of the by-products at |
home. '"s
The German System.
'sThe Germans have system by !
which a miller may import wheat
against export of -four, not necessari- |
ly interdependently, and it is making
Germany dominant in the continental
milling trade. With more flexible gov
ruling, more Canadianwheat /
which goes abroad anyway, either
rs wheat or as -four made by Canadian
as we'll be made into !,
-four by millers of the United States.
10 the benefit of the industry, and the
iced stu ifs might be made available
'or our farmers, affording them
cheaper feed, thing particularly i'm
portant in our part of the country