Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-28
PRESIDENT TAFT
MAKES PLEA FOR
RECIPROCITY BILL
Believes Opportunity Will Be
Lost if Action Is Not
Taken at Once.

NEW YORK, April 28.-The talk Of
annexation of Canada, the President
declared in emphatic terms, at the an
nual banquet OF the Associated Press
and American Newspaper Publishers
Association, at the Waldorf Astoria, IL
all bosh" and a platform joke APP
parently he sought with all the empha-
sis of which he was capable to lay, once
for all, the ghost of annexation which
has been raised, he said, on both sides
of the border.
On the other hand, the President as
serted that reciprocity with Canada
was one of the best and wisest meas
ures put before the people in a century,
and II such an agreement, which he was
convinced was far the best interest of
both countries. ever was to be adopted
the present was by every consideration
the best time.
Annexation Talk Bosh.
at would be invidious,7 said he, ito
institute q comparison between the
government of Canada and this coun-
try, but there is one part of our juris-
diction and hat of Canada that come
together sufficiently close to enable the
Canadians and ourselves to realize that
tlG ShIlDlG III BONCTIIIu6Hl tIdI We OK
hibit is not allurirg. / refer to the con-
troll of Alaska as compared with the
control by Canada of her Northwest
territory. The talk of annexation is
bosh. Every one who knows anything
about it realizes that 1t is bosn.
Canada is a great, strong youth, anx-
ious to test his muscles, rejoicing IN the
race he is ready to run. The United
e. t-N1 - sA L.
territory It now has"
President Taft devoted the greater
part of his address to the Canadian
reciprocity agreement. On this subject
he said in part:
Agricultural Products.
THE treaty provides for free trade in
all agricultural products. and in rough
lumber down to the point of planting. 1t
reduces the duties On secondary food
products by a very substantial percent
| age, and it makes such reductions on a
number of manufactured articles that
those engaged in making them have as
sured US hat the reductions will sub
stantially increase the already large
Canadian demand for them.
1.-THE refusal of the Canadian COM
m~issioners to agree to free trade. as
we proposed, is the strongest kind of
evidence that if we should take off the
existing duty from articles coming
into the United States 1t would not
affect In the slightest degree the price
at which those articles could be fur
nished to the public here. Meats were
not put on the free list, because Can
ada felt that the competition of our
packers would injuriously affect the
products of their packing houses. IL
be true, how would it help u
consumer or lower the price of meat in
our markets, II we let their meat in
free, while they retained a duty on our
meat?
1.-THE same thing is true of -four. And
yet gentlemen insist that the farmer
has been u~njustly treated, because we
haven't put Canadian -four and meat
on the free list.
"A mere reduction of our tariff, or
the putting of any article IN our free
list, without insisting on a correspond
ing change in the Canadian tariff will
not interfere with the contract as made
with Canada. But if we do not make
UGH concessions. without any consid-
Grafton on the part of Canada, after the
contract has been tentatively agreed
upon by those authorized to make con-
tracts for ratification in both govern
ments. then We are in danger of Great
ing an obligation against is in favor
Of all other foreign countries with
whom we have existing treaties con-
tanning what is called the favored
nation clause.
This clause has been construed by
our statesmen not to involve US In an
obligation to extend a privilege to all
nations which we confer upon one ma
ton In consideration Of an equally val
liable privilege received from that one
nation.
Tariff Revision.
"I think there is a general sentiment
now in favor of revising the tariff,
schedule by schedule, and of making
this revision dependent on exact intor-
nation as to each schedule, gathered
by impartial investigators.
81 have said that this was a critical
time in the solution of the question of
reciprocity. 1t Is critical because un-
less 1t is now decided favorably to reci-
procity 1t is exceedingly probable that
no such opportunity will ever again
come to the United States.
There are two objections to insert
ing In the bill confirming this Cana
dian contract additions to our free
list from Canada The first Is that they
are a concession that is of no value
to those whom 1t is proposed to pro-
pitiate by adopting 1t, and the second
is that it may involve us indirectly In
a doubtful obligation In respect to
trade with other countries.
More than this, these proposed graf
uitous concessions are in the nature of
an admission that in some "a or an
other we have lone an injury to a par
ticular class by this Canadian reci-
procity agreement. I deny It. 1t Is
said that 1t Injuries the farmers. I
deny It.
Addresses we're also delivered by
William B. Northrop, kings counse
and member of Parliament of Canada;
Senior Zamacona, the Mexican ambas-
sador to this country, who recently
succeeded Senior de la Barra: James
r. MacKay. general manage of the
Canadian Press. Ltd. and President
Nicholas Murray Butler, Of Columbia
University.
In presenting Mr.. Taft the toast
master. Oswald Garrison Willard. said:
TT has always been the custom at
these %banquets TO drink the health of
A.. n---slanA 80 4i,a JIpffad States I