The Washington times., 1911-01-28
RECIPROCITY BILL
UNPOPULAR IN WEST
Representatives of Farmers
Not Certain How to Act
Consistently.

Those mId-western Republicans who
| two years ago wanted tariff reduction,
are getting 1t, a-plenty, Just at present.
President Taft has handed them
enough to keep them busy for quite
while. They are not, as yet, quite
decided what they will do with It.
Likewise there is New England, which
has been wanting reciprocity with Can
ada, and now has so much that the
Gloucester fishermen are carrying their
flags at half-mast-
The President has certainly stirred
'em all up with his Canadian pact. The
agricultural States are given free trads
enough to make them uncertain wheth-
er the tariff Is intended for them at
all, and their representatives are inti-
mating that the proposed reciprocity
seems to be intended entirely for the
benefit of the manufacturers. Will they
fight It? They have not announced as
yet; not for publication. But here is
a duo of interviews that may give some
Illumination:
Senator Nelson of Minnesota was ask
ed how he felt about the pact.
Haven't had time to read It; don't
know anything about it." he replied.
Cant you tell. Senator, whether you
will favor or oppose it?''
Haven't any idea; don't know enough
about it."
A Diplomatic Dismissal.
Which is the diplomatic Senatorial
way of saying that there isn't going
to be any interview. Enters another
Senator.
Good morning, Senator; are you fer
this Canadian reciprocity arrangement"
II surely am. and it ought to pass;
we want all the trade we can get with
Canada"
do you think 1t will be adopted?"
TOO early to tell; I suppose you
know that Knute Nelson is red hot in
opposition to 1t, breathing out thunder
Gus threats of vengeance If It goes
through"
Which also illustrates how futile It
sometimes is far a Senator to refuse to
be interviewed.
Whether the tariff-reform Republicans
whose constituencies are likely to pay
most of the price for larger Canadian
trade will oppose the agreement, is not
formally announced. Indications are
that they will. They realize that If
they oppose, they will be charged with
wanting tariff reductions for the other
fellow, and opposing reductions for
themselves. Their position is not easy,
though their explanation is that they
want a square deal: they object to
furnishing all the free trade while the
other sections get all the protection.
Some of Worried Ones.
Among the people worried are some
of the astute advocates of protection
for manufacturers. One Of these said:
IF this agreement should be ratified,
the middle West would have no fur
ther interest in protection. It would
have lost its share, and would be out
to deprive the East of its slice.
The result would be that, In the
coming tariff revision, the Republicans
from agricultural States would retaliate
by trying to take away the protection
from Eastern Industrial interests In
league with the tariff-for-revenue
Democrats, they might easily enough
accomplish that purpose, and the whole
protection structure would be smashed"
There is the difficulty. If West and
South 60 together, they will control;
and II Is not impossible that such a
coalition might be effected IL the re-
ciprocity program should go through.
Again, there Is suggestion that pro-
lection of this reciprocity proposal at
this time will make the whole task of
revision at the next session vastly more
difficult. 1t introduces a complication
that nobody thought about until It was
tossed into the situation like a bomb.
Some of the standpatters think the
ardor of Western revisionists will be
so far cooled that It will be possible |
to get through the revision next ses-
sion without injuring anybody's sched- |
ule seriously.