The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1911, 1911-03-31
EX-GOVERNOR sARLEs SHOWS
HOW FARMERS WOULD LOSE
$4,000 BY RECIPROCITY

. 1
HOW FARMERS WOULD LOSE
$4,000 BY RECIPROCITY
Following is a copy of letter writ
ten by Ex-Governor r. Y. Sarles and
sent to the secretary of the Home Mar
ket club, Boston, in answer to inquiries
as to conditions in North Dakota rela-
tive to Canadian reciprocity:
Mr.. Albert Clark,
Boston, Mass.
Dear sir:
Your letter of March IS, with copy
of resolutions, also the copy of "The
Protectionist, has been received.
1 have been greatly interested i'll the
perusal of the "Protectionist, cspec-
tally so with the articles on this Can
adam agreement.
The people of our state are greatly
exercised over the matter, there are
but very few Of either our farmers or
business men in favor of it. We are
passed, will be costly one, not only
for North Dakota, but equally so for
Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebaska,
Iowa, Wisconsin, and Kansas Living,
as we do, next to the Canadian bound
airy, our people are perhaps more IA
|+miliar with Canadian conditions than
some four other states. We know,
all our people know, that land on our
side of the line is selling today and has
sold for the last few years from thirty
per cent to fifty per cent higher than
land Immediately adjacent, but just
across the line; that it would re
very conservative statement to make
that our prices for wheat have been
more than ten pc recent higher for the
last FIVE years than on the Canadian
side, and with the exception Ct 1907
when the United States crop was u.s.
100000 bushels, (leaving US an approx
innate surplus for export Of nearly :'o,'
100000 nusnels) our northwestern mar.
kets Of Minneapolis and Duluth have
been above an export basis and for the
ear 1910 the price of wheat in Mime
apolis has been above the price of
wheat in Liverpool for the entire year,
yet FOR those last four years we have
been able to export none of Our high
grade wheat nor have We for years.
The Minneapolis mil;ers have ocen us
Ing quite large per centagc OF the
winter wheat raised in Kansas, Ne.
braska and Iowa for mixin:, purposes,
If. order to lower the cost TO hem Of
their barrel -four. With free Canal
ian wheat they would not use tushel
of this winter wheat, inirring. as some
think, Kansas and Nebraska hy the
adoption of this measure more than
North Dakota That statement that
unless we get reciprocity with Canada
at this time we can nevc: get it: an
that within very ftw years we will
be importing wheat to supply our own
consumption, is absurd. as Minnesota
and North Dakota alone, with fail
prices, could easily double their produc
ton in the next ten years.
The removal of the duty on barley
would cause loss of at least $4,000,
900 annually to the five northwestern
states, Minnesota, the two Dakotas
Wisconsin and Iowa, without one single
solitary soul living within the borders
of the United States receiving cen
of benefit, outside the brewers.
The farmers of these five states have
been the Laost loyal supporters of tn
Republican party and its principle o
protection, since its inception. The.
voted for protection, knowing that un
;, til within the last few years they wer
: receiving no direct benefit from it, bu
because they believed they were build
! ing up a home market which for al
time was to be theirs, and would i
time bring home consumption abreas
of home production. We have practit
ally reached that point and hav fo
! the last few years enjoyed in no sma
J measure its benefits, from having reacl
! ed the point where, with surplus n
greater than we are now producin
j each year, the farmer to a certain e.
! tent can dictate his own prices.
! That the increased price Of whes
has to no great extent increased tt
cost of living, I would call your a
] tention to the fact that with wheat 9
the farm at $1.15 its annual per capt.
consumption is less than two cents
day. This measure if passed will CO
thes five above mentioned states $50
100000 year through the loss
price on wheat and barley alone wit
no possibility of their receiving reel
rocation in the cheapening of sing
thing included in this measure exc
in the small matter Of salt and fish.
Will the manufacturing interests
our country eliminating perhaps Il