Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-03-29
THE FARMER AND RECIPROCITY.

The latest discussion of reciprocity
in the Randolph contemporary is much
the sanest one we have seen In that
paper. 1t closes by saying that IN the
grand total reciprocity may be gooo
thing. "but how it will not fail to
work disastrously to the interests OF
Vermont we cannot see which is rea-
son enough why Vermont should not
favor it, Jestingly, we did not
suppose the Herald editor had come
to that stage when he believed Yer
mont should not support thing be-
cause he could not see the light. and
that that was reason enough.
Soberly, the Monitor observes that
the Herald is laboring under al
together mistaken ideas and impress
sions on some points yet. 1t appears
that most of the papers in Vermont
opposing this treaty. and the stron
gest opposition from the farmers them.
selves, comes from localities away
from the border that do not under
stand the situation. Up here on the
border in Orleans and Franklin
counties, where we are more or less
familiar with the situation as it really
is, the Monitor believes there is less
opposition to the treaty than there is
in the central and southern part of
the state where the farmers look
upon the situation with a purely
theoretical mind. From personal OBJ
servation the Monitor finds the nearer
the line a Vermont farmer lives, the
less he fears reciprocity and almost
without exception, so far as we have
observed, the former Canadian who is
now farming this side Of the border
favors the agreement. We do not
mean to say that Orleans county is
solid for reciprocity, but we do be-
lieve there is less opposition here,
because we know from observation
what We are talking about, than in
the southern counties of the state.
Touching upon most vital part of
the discussion the Herald says:
1.-The Monitor asks how, with Eastern
Canadian farm labor as high as in
Vermont, he can produce cheaper
than the Vermont farmer We do not
know to what precise locality the
Monitor refers. Certainly it cannot
be to fair average of the province
of Quebec as compared with Yer
mont. If so, why is it that Canadi
ans come here to buy farms and
Vermonters don't go up there?"
Now the Monitor is especially glad
this phase Of the question has been
brought out. because of all phases of
he subject it feels better capable of
answering this than any other. The
writer being holder of stock in a
real estate concern, and its treasurer,
feels that he knows with some degree
of certainty the reason why the Can
adian farmer in the past year or two
has been coming to the states. Being
near the border and dealing in farms
almost wholly, and selling many prop
critics to Canadians who visit here
several times before buying, gives
one who asks questions fairly good
chance to speak with some certainty.
The Canadian farmer, from whatever
part of Quebec he may have come,
except the extreme northern and
western part, to buy Vermont farm
comes:
l. Because farms are cheaper here.
2. Prices for his product are lit
tie higher.
3. To be freer from religious dom
ination and taxation.
a. He appreciates the advantages
of the r. F. D. and more common use
of the telephone.
5. He escapes the saloon in every
small town.
6. He appreciates our superior
schools.
We make the statement again tina
on the average the farms in Quebe
east of the st. Lawrence, and this i
the only tract Of Canada of which tn
product of the farms would compel
with the Vermont farmer, are highe
than in Vermont and that farm labo
is very little. if any cheaper. w
say this without fear of proof to tn
contrary.
This being true there is but on
possible explanation of the fact thu
on the whole the Canadian farmer ca
produce and sell his product at
profit, for less than the Vernon
farmer. The answer is because /
can buy feeds cheaper, investmel
in farm machinery is less and tt
costs of his flour, clothing and oth'
necessary articles Of living and farr
ing are cheaper. And so far as OF
study of the proposed schedule GO
we believe the conditions makir
farming profitable across the bord'
now would make it profitable he