The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-09
AGREEMENT IN PERIL.

II is becoming more and more cvi
dent. from the signals of distress that
arc carried in the dispatches from
Washington, that the Canadian reel
procity agreement is in peril. Not
that IL would be in peril (the count
shows that il q fair and square vote
could be had in tho Senate on the
agreement as sent 10 that body From
tho House, and 10 the House by Presi-
dent Taft. But the trouble is in the
mcnts that are 10 he offered. These
amendments may look very innocent
on their face. but they arc all hostile
to the purpose of the agreement, and
when probed into il is found that they
carry the seeds Of disturbance in un-
usual degree. IT is said, for instance,
that the ameptment of Senator Root,
which requires that the agreement as
affects wood pulp and paper is not TO
go into effect until Canada agrees TO 4
general concession and to like propo-
sitIon with respect to the United
States. But, as has been explained,
the Canadian Parliament has no iuris
diction in the provinces as TO the
public lands in those provinces, save
only the reserve crown lands; so that
for a great portion Of the timber in the
provinces the Dominion government
could not speak. IT. would be a good
lro cb rG
that timber on the public lands in the
colonies which formed the original thir
teen States should ba, answered for
by the United States Government.
which has no jurisdiction oSfr those
lands or that timber. The amendment
of Senator Root is a very plausible
one. but exceedingly dangerous all the
same, because it requires things that
cannot be met. Other amendments
are less adroit than this of Senator
Root S, but Just as dangerous, though
less likely to be agreed to by the Sen
ate And all Of them, taking ono with
another, are offered by Senators who
would like to see the agreement dc
feated
The hearings that have been going
on under The auspices of the Senate
Finance Committee, to which this
agreement was referred for report,
have. in u large degree, been vcnal
hearings. They are in part threaten
ing toward Senators, in part the out
cry Of special interests, and in part
the fraudulent pretense Of disln
terested testimony which, in fact, is not
AT all, but was procured
by the interests involved. 1t was de-
yeloped in the cross examination of a
number Of the witnesses that protected
interests, such AS the International
Paper Company, the wool trust, the Ma
tional Lumber Company. that various
nominal grange propositions. were, in
fact, the procurement of interested per
sons and interests. the farmers grange
as a body having, in fact, taken
but little interest, and made but
small showing in opposition TO the
agreement. But the great interests in
volvcd have hidden behind the allie
cation that the farmers were opposed |
% the agreement, and have made their
representation in their own interests.
while osteusibly pushing the. interests
IF the farmers. 1t is an old dodge, |
,ften successful, but being exposed is
ess likely TO be successful now than
heretofore.
1t will be matter of very great dis.
to President Taft, and
viii also be a serious blow at the real
interests of the country, as well as a
tremendous aid to the speculative com
oines that have controlled prices for
so long, If by any means the Canadian
'eelproclty agreement is beaten. If it |
8 beaten by fraud, it will come back |
again and make its plea for ratifica.
ion before a better Informed public |
md more thoroughly awakened CON,
rross