Norwich bulletin., 1911-04-08

years supply if we keep on at present rates of numbering. Nay. we are not certain sorts for certain uses from our own woods. The price of lumber has been going up for years and is still climbing. Even at present exorbitant rates, we cannot get in our own bor- ders all the pulp wood we need for paper nor all the lumber we need for building. We are bringing in from Canada over $1s,000,00O worth of rough lumber such as is used in housebuild- ing, every year. and the reciprocity agreement would save us $1,250,0O0 a year on that item alone, if we import to build barns and houses, too, since we have graduated from the tree-men and cave-men class and mighty few of us in the east are able to cut the lum- Der for them in our own woods. The reciprocity agreement makes rough lumber entirely free, opening to us all the forests of Canada, hundreds of thousands of acres, wherein never yet has been heard the sound of axe or saw. Whether it would reduce the cost of new barn to me or not the throwing open of this new supply would at least tend to give our own timber a chance of life and be a direct conservation of our own resources The pretenoe that reciprocity with Canada would expose farmers to com petition with cheaper land and cheaper labor is largely pretence and nothing more. The report of the tariff board, transmitted to the senate last session, shows that the values of occupied farm lands in Canada are higher than the values of similar lands in our own border states, except in the northwest. ''In the New England border states Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont land values fall below those in all the eastern provinces (of Canada). except New Brunswick, where the value is the same as in Vermont, and slightly less than in Maine and New Hamp- shire" Michigan and Minnesota lands both average A an acre less than On tario land. The prices of Manitoba, Alberta. Saskatchewan and British Columbia lands are advancing much faster than the prices of land this side of the line. As to wages of farm labor. Canada and the United States. except in the extreme east They grow higher to the westward in both countries
 There is also direct advantaue given to many farm products of the United States by opening to them the markets of a country where they can not be as successfully grown. Already we are selling Canada about S1.000, ,000 worth of vegetables every year and shall sell her more when she is re- ieved from paying high duties on them. Last year the fruit growers of the United States sold Canada. under vari- worth of fresh fruits, while we import ed from Canada only $233000 worth Reciprocity here seems to help us about five times as much as the Cana dians.
 fl | can be found decided advantage to us of the United States. But figures and statistics are hard reading Let me add. they're not exhilirating writ ing ,eitheri Really, they're not so aw- fully important. There are other ways to look at the thing. There are other clements to be considered. Canada and the United States are neighoors-next- door neighbOrs. There is nothing but ar 'ma glnary line running through three thousand miles of lake and river and prairie and mountain to separate us. There's nothing sacred about that surveyor-drawn line. There's nothing in it to change human nature-noth- ing to change neighbors into enemies. At present it's a government conven- fence; nothing more. There's a line separating Connecticut from Massa.- chusetts. But not one man in ten go- ing from Norwich to Worcester or Palmer knows when he crosses it. Con- necticut has it's own sovereign state government. So has Massachusetts But neither one keeps mp a barbed- wire fence against the other nor builds custom houses to take toll from interstate traffic. I do not say that we should consider Canada-a state under a foreign government-in exact ly the same light S our sister in the Union, Ma ssa chusetts. But she is our netghbor, just the same, and the duty of neigh borliness is only less impera tive than that of self defense There is no reasonable ground for fearing serious attack from Canada, either armed or economic. Therefore, with her, our highest mutual duty is to be good neighbors. Moreover it is the very highest ideal of far sighted statesmanship.
 lt Is by no means clear that tA1 advantages of reciprocity to us would not be greater than the advantages tc CanaGa. But, in any case, while they should of course, be considered they should not be made the ruling factor in the problem. It should be approach cd on ia higher plane and considered ir a nobler spirit. Great governments should not seek to split hairs in bar gaining. Kindred and neighboring na tfons should not haggles lver picavune profits, like huclSsters in a back alley They should take larger and longel views, considering the future eyer more than the present, and remember ing that times may come when q friend by ones side is better than an enemy at One'S back.
 THE FARMER.
 Those Loud CoIors.
 Again we have entered the joyous