The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-09

&is to be, and ought to be, determined
4 upon confederation wholly apart from
tho merits OF Canadian reciprocity.
E5l am glad TO aytthat Mr.. Under
wood, who introduced the farmers free
list. repudiated my such Idea. but GER
tain II Is that a number of people huvs
assumed that unless the farmers free
list was passed at tho same tIme. tho
Canadian reciprocity agreement would
DO an injury or unfair to the farming
classes Nothing could be furtheri from,
the truth in my judgment. The Cana.
dian reciprocity "A grcement will greatly
aid the farming classes. both In the
North and in the South Certainly, Il
cannot have the slightest deleterious
effect upon the Southern farmers, fol
the Southern farmer raises only cotton,
corn, hogs and vegetables, and in re-
spect to none of these will the exports
OF Canada to the United States come
into the slightest competition. while
everything that that farmer raises, eX.
cept possibly raw cotton. will be this
subject of export into Canada.
Would Link the Two.
Tho farmers free list, so-called.
puts upon the free list q number of
articles used by southern farmers only
like cotton bagginG and cotton ties.
And | have heard il suggested, on be-
half OF certain Senator's from the
Southern States, that they could not
vote for reciprocity unless IL was link
ed in some way with the farmers free
list l, was said for them that II they
COULD count on having the bills come
ZIP in the Senate In the same way that
they had come up in the House. then
they could relieve their consciences
and justify themselves to their consti-
1uents by vote in favor OF the farm
ers' free list and free cotton bagging
and cotton ties, after the reciprocity
bill had passed.
but they present the proposition
that i'll the Senate the situation IS diff
ferent from what 1t was in the House
They say that the farmers free list
has gone into the Finance Committee
q majority of which is quite unfavor
able 10 the farmers free list and will
prevent il being reported out TO the
Senate al all. They cannot. therefore
secure vote on the farmers free list
without voting to put it onto the re-
ciprocity bill as an amendment. In
this way they will justify themselves
10 their constituents and vindicate their
consciences by voting for the farmc RS
free list at the same time they vote
for reciprocity. They. therefore, pro- |
pose. either befote or after the bill
comes into the Senate, to put an amend
ment on 1t with the farmers free list.
The objection to this is. first. tina
the farmers free list has no relevancy
AT all TO the Canadian reciprocity agree
ment because it affects imports from
all the world. and Is a general tariff i
revision having nothing whatever to
do with the contract which we have
made with Canada. The most serious
objection is that II st Is voted onto
the reciprocity agreement, it will drive
away from the support OF the reciproc !
ity agreement great number of votes,
enough 10 defeat the agreement This |
ought TO prove an insurmountable OBJ /
lection to voting free list as an
amendment to reciprocity.
Take Another Method.
Those who are sincerely and earn
estly in favor OF reciprocity, and yet !
favor the farmers free list. ought to
lie able TO take some other method of |
vindicatinE themselves"
He said they would explain their |
vote or put themselves on record in |
other ways.
In closing. the President said he be-
lieved in his heart that the measure
Is full Of benefit to the United States !
and all its sections and to Canada and |
all her provinces.
81 could not urge you to any |
course" he added better adapted to /,
increase your present prosperity and |
TO add to the marvellous progress /,