The Calumet news., 1910-12-16
Canadian Lawmakers Secure
First Hand Information from
the Agricultural In
terests
WANT RECIPROCITY WITH US.
Report Says Farming Implements
Should be Placed on Free List
Government Ownership of
Elevators Advocated.

Ottawa. Ont, Dec. 16.-With view
to obtaining at first -hand the opinion
of the farmers Of Canada in regards
to the tariff and other questions of i'm
portance TO the agricultural interests,
the members of the Dominion Govern
ment and Parliament today gave a
hearing TO a delegation of over 500
representatives OF the organized farm
ers of the country. The conference
was held In the chamber OF the House
of Commons. The extradorinary pub
lie interest attached to the conference
was evidenced by the fact that the
galleries were filled long before 10
o'clock the hour fixed for the hearing
to begin. Representatives of newspa-
pers In all parts OF the Dominion were
present.
Among the agricultural organiza-
tions represented at the hearing were
the grain growers association OF
Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan,
the organized farmers and dairymen
of Ontario and Quebec, and the fruit
growers Of the Maritime Provinces.
The Canadian Councils of Agriculture
and the Dominion Grange were repre-
sented by many of their official and
leading members.
rive Observation-Disclosures
The chief requests presented to the
conference were five in number. as
follows:
The placing of manufactured artl-
cles used by farmers on the free list.
Government ownership OF a railway
line To Hudson Bay.
The establishment of a chilled meat
trade in Canada TO foster greater
export business
The passing OF a law TO permit the
formation OF cooperative societies.
Government ownership OF terminal
elevators at Fort Williams and Port
Arthur.
The foregoing, in the opinion of the
farmers organizations, represents in
general way the chief points of the
programme which the Government
should adopt with a view to furthering
the best interests of the several mill
| lion persons engaged in the agricul-
tural industry in Canada The details
of the programme are left to be work.
ed out later, with such notifications
relating to the tariff and trade pref
erence as may be found necessary.
Minneapolis Markets Higher.
A policy of reciprocity in natural
products and timber, and free trade
in agricultural implements with the
United States, would, il is urged.
prove a great boon to the Canadian
farmer, both as to buying and selling,
as il would enable him to get his i'm
plement cheaper. and TO sell his wheat
for more, as the Western farmers
claim the prices of wheat in the Min
neapolis market range considerably
higher than the price in Winnipeg.
In regard TO the proposed Hudson
Bay railway. the farmers are emphat-
ically in favor of Government con-
struction. ownership and operation Of
the lines, believing that private own
ership would result in a monopoly that
would be hurtful to the interests of
the public.
> Establish Chilled Meat Trades.
The establishment of chilled meat
trade in Canada and the passing of a
law to permit the formation of CO.
operative societies are matters that
have long been advocated particularly
by the Western farmers, in the belief
that the entire country would be
greatly benefited thereby.
The Western grain growers consider
: the demand that the terminal eleva-
tors at Fort William and Port Arthur,
which form the outlet from the West
to the seaboard by way of the great
lakes. be taken over and conducted
as a public utility, as one of the most
, important items of the entire pro-
/, gramme. They allege that the pres
! ent system of private ownership and
operation constitutes a natural mon
opoly which has proven detrimental
To the interests of the public, through
: the mixing Of inferior grades of wheat
with the better samples.