The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-25
Shall the Farmer Sell His Birthrisht
for a Mess Of Pottaee?


ginning to make himself heard on
Canadian reciprocity in Washington.
An attempt has been made to concili-
ate him by introducing a bill, not q
part of the regular Underwood reci-
procity bill. but an entirely separate
4 and distinct admittance from Canada.
1 free OF duty, Of number OF articles
rather large quantity, the most import
ant items being agricultural imple-
ments, dressed meat and meat prod
ucts, flour, rough timber, boots, shoes,
saddles. wire fencing, baling wire.
cotton bag ging. cotton ties, bagging
ties, burlap and salt 1t is hoped that
this concession will cause the farmer
to withdraw his strenuous objection to
the reciprocity agreement proposed
< by President Taft
The farmer should not allow him
self to be blinded to the real situation
/ President Taft called this extra ses-
sion OF congress for the express pur-
pose of passing the reciprocity pact.
1 His message dealt entirely with this
subject 1t did not provide for tariff
revision in any manner. In fact. the
l President is quoted as saying that he
would protect Republican principles
! to the extent OF yetoing a tariff meas
ure, should the Democrats take things
| into their hands and attempt to tin
ker with the tariff more than he be-
lieves land Taft belongs to the party
of protectionl is fully justifable. Now,
therefore, what is the situation? The
President is more than likely to veto
tariff revision measure providing for
the admission of articles from Canada
free of duty as it is in no manner
| part of the reciprocity agreement with
the authorities at Ottawa. The original
/ bill providing these concessions to the
/ farmer is almost certain to be aren't
ed SO as to include a great variety OF
other articles to be admitted free. NO
man knows where the revision propos-
ed will end. Is it not logical to as
sumo that the President will insist
that such an important matter be
put over until after the permanent tar.
iff commission reports next Decem-
Der: Der: Or he can exercise his constitu
tional prerogative and adjourn con-
gress Immediately after 1t has passed
the reciprocity pact and before 1t can
give the farmer the tariff relief now
offered as a concession to get him to
keep still in his opposition to reel
procity The farmer is in the position
of conserving to sell his birthright
for a mere mess of pottage which may
never be delivered to him. For il is
only mess of pottage after all. Can
ada has few manufacturing establish
ments 1t cannot produce the things
i which the farmer needs in quantity
sufficient to make serious competition
against the American manufacturer
The situation may be different ten OF
twenty years from now, when Ameri
can capital has built up Canadian en-
tterprises and the American farmer
has made the Canadian farmer rich
by consenting to reciprocity now, but
why relinqpish present prosperity
for the glimmering prospect OF con
ldition only partially as good In the
remote future?
The farmer must continue to maze
himself heard in Washington if he is
not to suffer In this respect Not only
the grain grower is interested bu
every class of farmer The American
dairyman will find himself in compe
stition with the Canadian dairymer
) and he will suffer-. The vice-presiden
of one of the big Nebraska creameriei
states the situation correctly whe:
he says:
"Great quantities of cheese and but
! ter, the products of $40 and $40 al
acre land in Canada, will come int
, sharp competition with $125 a.
acre land OF the Iowa and Nebrask;
: farmer. What chance has the Amerl
, can farmer gainst such competitio.
as that? The present duty OF six cent
: per pound enables the Iowa and Ne
: braska farmer to compete with tn
). farmers of the world Take that SIX
q cent tariff off and it is the finish o
: the middle west farmer"
q Canada has government controile
i and government operated creamerie
a teaching its farmers how to max
4 good butter and cheese. Does tn
o American farmer want his dairy pro
# ducts to come in competition wit
g these imports from Canada, brough
\ in without paying cent of duty?
4 he does not he should lose no time !
: making his stand clear to his cor
. gressmen. DO the potato growers {
q Michigan and Wisconsin and Colorad
9 want to see a repetition Of the day
n when the Canadian product swampe
) the American market and America
: grown potatoes we're hardly wort
r digging? Does the American poultr.
e man want to return to the days whe
:. Canadian eggs come in free OF dut
II fno longer ago than 1S90) and Amer
q ca bought over 15.000,0D0 dozen egg
b. In a year? Does he want to surrende
e the protection of Ave cents dozen h
2. row has and get nothing but Gin
..i,e~ r,rn,,nIee of poguihja future ri