The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-16
An OWNERSHIP BY
GOVERNMENT PLAN
Was Submitted to the Canad-
ian Farmers Today by
the Parliament.
tAmerican News service)

tAmcricsn News Service)
Ottawa. Ont, Dec. I6.-with a view
To obtaining at first-hand the opinion
OF the farmers OF Canada In regards
70 the tariff and other questions Of
importance TO the agricultural in
terests, the members Of the Dominion
Government and Parliament today
gave a hearing to delegation OF over
500 representatives of the organized
farmers OF the country. The confer
ence was held In the chamber OF the
House Of Commons. The extraordi-
nary public interest attached to the
conference WAS evidenced by the fact
that the galleries were filled long be-
fore 10 o'clock. the -hour fixed for the
hearing to begin. Representatives OF
newspapers In all parts OF the Domin-
Ton were present.
Among the agricultural organiza-
lions represented Mt the hearing were
the grain growers associations OF
Manitoba. Alberta and Saskatchewan,
the organized fan liners and dairymen
of Ontario and Quebec and the fruit
growers OF the Maritime Provinces.
Tho Canadian Council OF Agriculture
and the Dominion Grange were repre-
sented by many of their officials and
leading members.
The chief requests presented to the
follows:
The placing OF manufactured arti-
clcs used by farmers on the free list.
Government ownership OF n railway
line to Hudson Bay.
The establishment Of chilled meat
trade In Canada to foster "a greater
export business.
The passing Of a law to permit the
formation Of cooperative societies.
Government ownership OF terminal
elevators at Fort william and Port
Arthur.
The foregoing In the opinion of the
farmers organizations, represents in
Q general way the chief points of the
program which the government should
adopt with a view to furthering the
best interests OF the several million
persons engaged In the agricultural
industry In Canada. The details OF
the program are left to be worked out
later. with such notifications relating
to tho tariff and trade preference as
may be found necessary.
A policy OF reciprocity in natural
products and timber. and free trade In
agricultural Implements with the Unit
cd States, would. II Is urged, prove a
great boon to the Canadian farmer,
both us to buying and selling. as 1t
would enable him to get his imple-
ments and farm equipments cheaper,
and to sell wheat for more. as the
Western farmers claim the prices OF
wheat In the Minneapolis market
price In Winnipeg.
In regard to the proposed Hudson
Bay railway. the farmers are emphat-
ically In favor Of Government con-
str .ction. ownership and operation Of
the line. believing that private owner
ship would result I'm monopoly that
would be hurtful to the interests of
the p.,Dlic.
The establishment of chilled meat
trade ir Canada and the passing of a
law to permit the formation OF coopera-
tive soc.,ties are matters that have
long been advocated. particularly by
the Western farmers. In the belief
that the ennre country would be great.
~ benefited thereby.
The Western grain growers consider
the demand that the terminal eleva-
tors at Fort William and Port Arthur.
which from tho outlet from the West
to the seaboard bv way OF the great
lakes. be taken over and conducted
rs pubic utility. as one OF the most
important items of the entire program.
They allege that the present system Of
private ownership and operation con-
stitutes a natural monopoly. which has
proven detrimental to the interests OF
the public. through the mixing of in
ferior grades of wheat with the better
samples.