Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-04-21
Farmers Appeal to the President.

resentatives of the Grange to
Washington. for the purpose of
protesting to the Senate Commit
Q tee on Finance against the en-
8 actment of the pending Canadian
Reciprocity Bill, it was not found
convenient to arrange for an in
teryiew with you, at which the
ObjectiOnsj of the farmers of the
country to this measure could
could have been submitted to
you personally. | wish now to
present for yOr consideration a
brief statement of the essential
facts On which the agricultural
interests base their opposition to
the proposed reciprocity arrange
ment.
The declaration of principles of
the Republican party, as laid
down in the national platform
adopted in 1908, promised the
maintenance of a protective sys-
tenn based on the difference be-
tween costs of production in this
country and in foreign countries.
This pledge constituted contract
between the Republican party
and the people, because of this
contract, majority of the farm
ers joined in electing a Republi-
can Administrator.
It was clearly established by
facts submitted to the Senate
Committee on Finance that the
cost of producing the staple farm
products which are to be admit
ted free Of duty under the pend
lngo bill, is materially higher in
tbs country than in Canada.
Canadian farm lands are much
cheaper than ours; wages of Can
adlan farm labor are lower: the
cost of living is lower in Canada
owing to that cOuntry'S lower
tariff taxes on manufactured ar
tlcleS; and the farmers of this
country are compelled to pay out
annually immense amounts for
fertilizers, which, owing to their
great areas Of virgin soil. are not
required by the Canadian farm
ers, For all these reasons. the av.
erage cost Of production on the
4, farms of the United States is
unqueStiOnably higher than on
Canadian farms. 1t is therefore.
Self-evldent that adherence TO
the platform Of the Republican
party requires the imposition of
duties on Canadian farm products
equal to the difference between
the cost of producing them. and
of producing similar articles in
this country.
. Having thus shown by apply
ing the principle laid down in
the Republican platform the right
OF the great agricultural indus
try to protection againS the COM
petition of Canadian farm pro-
ducts, no further argument shoulc
be necessary to show the injustice
OF abOlishing the duty on these
products, while making no re-
ductiOn in duties on manufacture
ed articles that will lower their
cost to the farmers. | wish. how
ever, to ask your attention to
some results of this legislation,
which will not only greatly in
Jure the farming industry. but
the commercial, manufacturing
financial, and transportation in
tereStS as well.
1t cannot be successfully deni-
ed that the effect of this bill
will be to reduce the prices paid
to a large proportion of our farm
erS for their products. This be-
ing the case. it follows that there
will be an immediate fall in the
value of our farm lands in all
sections affected by Canadian
competition. 1t is estimated that
the loans on farm lands in this
country amount to $3,0O0,OO0,0OO
9 and large part of these loans
have been made on the Supposi-
ton that farming was to cOntin-
ue to be as profitable in the fu-
ture as in recent years. The en-
actment. of the reciprocity bill
would at once result in a general
calling IN of hundreds of thOus-
ands Of loans; farms would be
sold at a sacrifice; the stability
of many banking institutions
would be endangered, and pan
ic would ensue. Eminent bank.
ers have recently declared that
the conditions relating to loans
on farm lands are the chief dan
ger to continued financial sta
bility, and can see no escapt