The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-06
PRESIDENT TAFT DEFENDS.

The most conspicuous celebration OF
the Fourth of July in this country this
year was that in indianapolis, which
was attended by President Taft, and
where he made an address commend
ing the safe and sane Fourth, and de:
Tending the administration policies
with respect to the Canadian reciproc-
ity agreement. His address was par
ticularly effective where he quoted the
National platform of the Republican
party of 1905, which declared in favor
Of tariff duties which would measure
only the difference in the cost of pro-
duction of articles here and of like
articles abroad. The sound Republi-
can doctrine, he declares. has favored
the imposition of protective duty only
where the conditions of production are
necessarily unequal, and where duties
manufacturers and our producers to
meet on level the competition of for
eign producers. The Canadian reel.
procity agreement, he declared, exactly
meets this condition.
From this premise he proceeded to
show that the ratification of Canadian
reciprocity could not possibly materi-
ally affect current prices in this coun-
try. But, at the same time, the work
ing of that agreement would tend to
prevent corners in grain, while having
no effect on the prevalent market price
of wheat, since that price is fixed OF
the same export basis for Canada as
for the United States. He declared
that this agreement would help Ameri-
can millers to regain in the foreign
markets the 100000 to 2o000,00O
barrels Of flour sold in foreign trade
annually ten years ago, but which In
recent years has fallen to less than
100000 900 barrels. This means, doubt
less, that much Canadian wheat would
come to American mills to be ground
for export. The President pursued this
theme in detail, showing that, since
conditions of production are practi-
cally the same in Canada as in the
United States, there is no need what
ever of any tariff on the articles
named in the reciprocity agreement, as.
between the two countries.
He expressed himself as hopeful of
success in getting the agreement rati-
fled by the Senate, and that this would
result in benefit to both countries.
"Such result by such method un
der such conditions he said, 'Eis ac-
cording to good Republican doctrine,
and | urgently ask the support of an
intelligent, progressive organization
like this in aligning the whole Republi-
can party with that support mean
ing by the organization the Marion
club. which he was addressing. This
club is an organization of the younger
or progressive Republican workers, as
the Columbian club, where the Presi-
dent that day took luncheon, is known
as the conservative, or standpat or
ganiZation.
1t looks very decidedly as though
President Taft hopes with respect to
the ratification of the agreement by the
oeHdle VIII pe fedllEeu, since no othe'
amendment is likely to receive any
considerable number Of votes after the
defeat of the Root amendment. There
is no doubt, further, but that the Presl-
dent s speeches throughout the coun
try since this reciprocity agreement has
been pending, have helped very ma
terially in moulding public sentiment
to his way Of thinking about the meas"
ure, and SO strengthening the pros.
poets for its ratification in the Senate.