Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-06-16
WILSON vs.. BORAH.

Among the opponents of Canadian
reciprocity Senator Borah Of Idaho
is as strong as any. In a letter to a
constituent he cites reasons for his OPP
position and quotes statements from
speech by Sir Wilfred Laurier, Cana
dian premier in which Laurier says:
We are above all an agricultural peo-
pie; our chief wealth IS the growth OF
those products OF the temperate zone
fruits, cereals and vegetables; and it
is our boast-but a boast founded on
actual experience-that in cereals, veg
etabIes and fruits we can without ex-
aggeration beat the world At the
northern extremity Of the temperate
zone our cereals have more strength
our fruit has a better flavor, our
vegetables have more delicacy than sim
ilia- products from other parts Of the
world: under free competition not bar
red in any way by tariff legislation
they Will displace all other products
on the table of the wealthy. Our OBJ
ject is to open the door of the Ameri-
can market--to open the door Of a ma
ton of 80 900. 900 which has been closed
IL US for the last fifty years
This would be interesting if true, but
the facts are against Sir Wilfred's
theory. The secretary Of agriculture,
James Wilson, has given this subjec.
careful attention. In a recent address
delivered in Detroit he said with ref
erence to climatic conditions:
The TEN peratures from April to July
inclusive average above the boundary
line so degrees +. and below the bound
airy line 30 to 50 degree +. We find
that the range in the length Of the sea-
son between the killing frost Of the
spring and the killing frost of the fall
is about three months north Of the line
and nearly five months south Of the
line The rainfall above the boundary
varies from six to ten inches and from
ten TO sixteen inches below the bound
airy. From the foregoing 1T is evident
that the farmer growing crops in Can
ada labors under difficulties that the
farmer south Of the boundary does not
meet. When killing frosts come within
ninety days of each other, the wheat
crop will undoubtedly be caught to
some extent.
The long Canadian winters, the COM
paratively late frosts in. spring and
early ones in fall, together with meager
rainfall will make crop failures and
crop damage frequent in Canada. There
being serious competitor with the
United States in fruits, vegeta bles or
meats. Developments has been going
on in Canada for many years. Es
tn, = ~ IN h. 10
decade. During this time there has
been an exchange Of produce from the
farms Of both countries, with strong
balance in favor Of the United States.
Canada horses to the value Of $14,-
1918 and imported s2,549,2O1 worth,
difference in our favor of l1,622.794.
Our exports Of breadstuffs to Canada
in that period was s31,596,655 and our
| imports $6,679,ss4, difference in our
! favor of s24,916,772. In this same Pc
Rod we exported to Canada s17,065, 135
worth of meats and dairy products and
received in return s1.3s1.sse, a differ
ence in our favor Of s15,623,247.
The total exports Of domestic mer-
chandise from the United States to
| Canada in the five year period under
consideration amounted to sSss,417.376.
Our imports from Canada in the same
period amounted to 1891, 1929. a diff
ference in our favor Of $495, 26S,077.
This difference is more than two to
one. We are in favor OF increasing
| business with a customer of this char
acter.
| The tariff between the two coun-
tries affects localities in both coun-
tries, sometimes adversely, sometimes
favorably. On the whole it is detri-
mental to both. The statement may