The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-05-26
U.S.. RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA
The Treaty Before Congress May Be Justi-
fled by What 1t Leads to in the Future
Views of Senator Poindexter

ClpIoClly treaty DelOle congress OenatoI
Poindexter made the following pertinent
remarks short time ago:
Il will vote for this measure, not for
what it is, but for what it may and
should lead to. 1t purports to cross the
stream that lies between high tariffs and
low tariffs, or no tariff, with Canada; and
instead of crossing it leaves US standing
in shoal water in midstream. l am will
ing to go to that shoal water and suffer
the injustice of an incomplete and i'll
balanced measure in the hope that some
opportunity may be found OF reaching
the solid ground of real reciprocity
hereafter. I am in favor of a general
and complete modification of the trade
restrictions between Canada and the
United States, and any reduction or re-
moval of tariffs by either country may
be considered as tending in that direc-
tion. But as a measure of reciprocal
concessions the United States of Amer
lea may as we'll have had no represent
atives whatever in the framing of the
pending reciprocity agreement, for the
Canadian ENJOYS and representatives, if
left alone and unrestricted, could not
have framed a measure of tariff reduc-
tions between the two countries more
entirely favorable to Canada than the
pending measure. 1t gives market
in the United States to the agricultural
products of Canada and retains the
great consuming market of Canada for
the manufacturers of Great Britain. 1t
gives Canada an outlet in the United
States for what she has to sell and de-
nies US a market in Canada for what
Canada has to buy.
The instrument is as i'll balanced in
the mutual concessions of the two coun-
tries, as uneven in its effect upon the
tariff schedules OF the United States, as
lacking in uniformity in the demands it
makes upon the various industries OF
this country as could we'll be conceived.
1t is unstatesmanlike as an international
bargain; and it is unjust to the agricul-
tural and timber sections Of our North
west along the Canadian border, be-
cause they, alone of our entire popula-
ton, are required to surrender the pro-
lection of their industries without any
relief whatever from the enormous trib-
ute they annually and hourly pay to the
manufacturing interests and monopolies
of Pennsylvania, New York and New
England.
THE tariff is not local question, al
though it has been the habit Of politi-
clans to treat it as local question, each
interest and locality seeking to acquire
as much as possible of private benefit
as they could buy or barter by trading
votes and interests among themselves
for purely local and private advantages.
On the other hand, it is national and
general question, and no tariff bill can
properly be framed which is based upon
the sacrifice of one section, or OF one
interest, or of one class to another Sec
ton, class or interest. If, as stated by
the president in his address to the 1lli-
nois legislature, the Canadian represent
atives would not agree to reciprocal
notifications of the tariffs upon manu-
factures other than those few articles
which are included in the agreement,
then there should be enacted by the
United States, as a supplement to the
reciprocity agreement, bill reducing
the American tariffs upon at least
number of leading articles from various
schedules which are most oppressive to
the American people. In this way only
can a uniform, general, and national
benefit result from reciprocity agree
ment. If the millers and meat packers
want the free wheat and cattle OF Can
ada and the American farmer makes
this concession in the interest OF the
general welfare, then a substantial re-
duction should be made in the tariff on
-four and meat. The only authority
which the national government has to
give protection by way OF tariff is
under the general welfare clause OF the
constitution, and no tariff schedule or
reciprocity agreement can promote the
general welfare unless it deals generally
with the staple articles OF production