The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-02-16
Secretary of State, Philander c. Knox, Ad
dresses Chicago Association of Commerce
on Proposed Agreement With Canada---
Declares Autonomy of British America
is Secure and the Dominion is
Recognized Political Unit.

president is the result. 1t is colnpre
hensive in principle and avoids the
objection which was one cause of the
abrogation of the Elgin- Marcy treaty
of 1S54-that is, it is not limited to !
one class of commodities. 1t is meant
for the conditions Of today and the
conditions of the future.
Recognizing the condition which |
exists in our own country and with
out undertaking to define the causes
which have led to the increased cost
of living, the agreement seeks to give
our millions of wage-earning consum-
ers the benefit of drawing upon the
surplus food supplies nearest at hand.
1t seeks by providing for the freest
possible interchange of commodities
across political boundary which.
when it comes to production and COM
merce is an artificial boundary to pre-
vent those manipulations and those
speculative fluctuations in prices which
are harmful both to the producer and
to the consumer. It may be stated
las an axiom that the more abundant
the source of supply and the more
free the movement of products the
less chance there is of decreasing the
Legitimate profits Of the producer and
of increasing the cost to the consumer
by artificial scarcity
While a reciprocity agreement limit
ed to natural products would be bene.
fetal, nevertheless in order that such
an agreement should be really COM
lprehensive the terms should include
manufactured commodities also. This,
ltoo is done? Rates are mutually re-
duced on large variety of manufac-
lures. The list would have been even
larger had the Dominion reached the
stage of industrial development in
which she felt that she could include
a greater number of articles"
Special regard for ethe great class
of agricultural producers for the
market offered by Canada to this cour-
TRY and the market offered by the
UNITED States to Canada. and for "the
Legitimate expansion Of our manufaet-
Iuring industries" was given during
the recent negotiations, added Mr..
Knox, in explaining the reductions on
Jail classes of agricultural implements,
THE free admission of cottonseed oil
Unto Canada, the exemption from duty
lof all fruits and vegetables and other
agricultural products of which some
sections have surplus at certain sea
sons. The benefits are generally dis.
tributed in Mr. Knoxs opinion and
"a permanent injury to any producing
class is apprehended."
Speaking of the provision for free
wheat Mr.. Knox pointed out that the
transportation facilities of the United
States for handling the surplus Can
adian crop must be taken into ac
count, thus preventing @the demoraliz
alton of prices which results through
the dumping of larger quantities upon
the European markets, where the
worlds supply is fixed He declared
that the free admission of grain from
Canada would meet the present situa
Ition and place the control in the hands
of the American grain growers.
"The principal complaints against
the measure continued Mr.. Knox
come from the politicians who have
been endeavoring to persuade the
farmer that his interest in the protec
Tive tariff is based on the tariffs on
agricultural products rather than upon
1.-THE general prosperity of the country
or they are heard from some local
special interest.
1T is significant how little Is said
about who got the best of the bargain
The general observation is one oi
qualification that the arrangement is
beneficial to both countries. The
breadth and unselfish nature of the
agreement has surprised and gladden.
ed the friends of good relations be
tween the countries and disconnected
these upon both sides of the line who
Expected a horse traders bargain.
"a generous measure of reciprocity
between Canada and the United