New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-29
SHAM FRIENDS or RECIPROCITY

SHAM FRIENDS Or hLcdfnOO1A
President Taft's remarkably FRANK
luminous and convincing speech at the
dinner of The Associated Press and the
American Newspaper Publishers Asso-
citation pitilessly exposed the pretences
OF the insurgent Senator's who say that
thev want to improve the Canadian reel
procity agreement by extending Its scope.
Mr. Cummins and his associates main
tain that the agreement is good enough
so far as it goes, but that 1t does not 60
far enough. The Iowa Senator mas &c
clared that he wants to give the Amerl-
can consumer the benefit of a larger "a
madam free list. He wants TO add TO
that list articles which the Northwestern
farmer consumes as well as produces.
The President effectively disposes OF that
suggestion by saying that he originally
offered complete free trade to CANADA,
but the Canadian authorities hesitateo
to 90 so far, because they realized that
IL, many lines OF production, lncludlng
flour. dressed meats and manufactures
generally. Canada could not compete
with the United states. The Dominion
government was not willing to nave
lower priced American -four, dressed
meats and manufactures enter CANADA
free. although II was ready to grant
substantial reductions in the existing
tariff rates. The free admission of such
products from Canada could not be ex-
pected. therefore, to benefit the Ameri'
can consumer. and amendments intended
TO secure their free entry would be bar
rem of result. even If they should not be
treated by Canada as violation OF the
terms of the pending compact.
Moreover, as Mr. Taft points out. TO
thrust favors on the Dominion for which
10 conversation was asked or given
would involve the risk of creating an OBJ
legation to make similar concessions TO
all the other countries with which we
have most favored nation" treaties.
No such obligation exists when two
nations enter into a special agreement TO
exchange trade privileges, as the federal
Court of Customs Appeals has just de-
cided in case involving the recently
denounced reciprocity treaty between
France and the United States. But the
fact that Congress had gone out OF its
way to make free of duty articles which
Canada did not ask TO have put on the
free list would certainly encourage other
governments to request similar extern
sion Of the courtesies Of the custom
houses to their products.
Not long ago the administration was
being criticized for having negotiated an
agreement justifying other countries in
raising the cry of discrimination and In
threatening trade reprisals if they were
not 10 be allowed to share the con-
cessions granted 10 Canada. Senator
Bailey based his opposition to the Mccall
bill at the last session on some such
ground. But Mr. Cummins and his in
surgent associates, though processing
friendship for reciprocity in the abstract
are now trying not TO protect the pend
Ing compact from any such hostile in
depreciation, but 10 supplement- it in
such q way with original and indie
pendent tariff legislation as to give sub
stance to the charge that some of its
provisions, at least. represent no special
Qlid pro quo and are therefore appli-
cable TO our trade with all favored ma
tons. No one can doubt, in view of Pres
ident Taft'S warnings, that a vote in the
Senate to amend the reciprocity agree
ment either in the way of contraction or
Of expansion would be vote 70 dis
credit and defeat it,