Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-04-12
SENTIMENT is CHANGED
Reciprocity Seen in q New Light
After Consideration of Welfare
Of tie Farmer.
BUSINESS MEN FOR FARMERS.
Any Measure Hampering Prosperity
of AgricuitIrist and Stockman
Is Bound to React.

Washington, ID. c., Apr. 10--Re-
ports reaching Wash. indicate that
there is big change of sentiment
with tie general public toward the
reciprocity agreement, who are now
of the belief that the proposed trade
pact is not such good thing after
all. While the farmers, stockmen
and dairymen have been against it
from the start, the general public
first hailed the proposition with de-
light. Now, after sober thought
and thorough digestion of the
| farmers arguments, the public is
changing, and will change to even
a area;-r extent before the extra
session is over. This change in
sentiment is due to the admittance
on the part of the public that when
you hurt the farmers prosperity
you are going to harm theirs, and
under such situation they are say
ing mo- to the treaty. At first the
general public believed that should
the treaty pass, lower scale In the
cost of living would prevail, with
out any propontionate loss to the
prosperity of the country, but the
farmers objections have led them
to think differently.
The prompt action of some of the
leading country newspapers in arous-
ing the farmers to action and urg-
ing them to protest with all the
power at their command to the
treaty, has not only served this pur-
pose, but another. AS result the
farmers and stockmen are so
thoroughly aroused that today there
is hardly. weekly paper in any
small town or village in the country
but what is printing the views of
the farmers on this reciprocity ques-
ton. The farmers for the mcst part
take the home paper" which is
printed at the town where they do
their trading, and their views on the
subject are given space. In this
towns are becoming thoroughly fa-
-miliar with the arguments of the
farmers, and cannot help but see
that they are true to the core. IF
we farmers suffer in our prosperity,
so will you town people," is the bur-
den of the arguments in the thou
sands of weeklies, and the argu-
ment is certainly carrying effect, as
it carries a fact with it.
The farmers and stockmen are
busy in another direction. AS all
know, the farmer goes to town oc-
casionally, many making daily trips
when their farm work is slack. They
have talks with the village mer-
chants, who buy their produce, and
who sell them Merchandise in ex-
change. The farmer on these visits
is not losing the opportunity to
talk the situation" over with his
town merchant, and talking it over
so thoroughly that the merchant is
now found on the farmers 'side OF
the fence" Before going home, the
farmer also has taken the oppor-
tunity of explaining his side of this
reciprocity question with half
dozen or so townspeople, and again
he records another telling blow to
the general sentiment" which a
few weeks ago was in favor of the
pact.
| The farmer Is now so hopping
mad over this treaty, which in no
way is giving him square deal, !"
that he is willing to sacrifice some OF
his valuable time in doing this sort
of political campaigning against
the treaty, and his time is being
we'll spent. If anybody downs this
treaty, it will be the farmer, and
his town friends, gained by sound
logic and argument.
Il