Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-04-14
RECIPROCITY DISCUSSED.

Hon. John e. Kelley OF Colman,
Moody county, who became prominent
as populist and was elected to con-
gress, wrote an able review of Cana
dian Reciprocity for the Sioux City
Tribune and the following article
from his pen appeared in the Sioux
Falls Press last week. John e. Kelley
is able, independent and fearless and
a great admirer of Senator LaFollette
and a prominent farmer who dis.
cusses reciprocity from the standpoint
of farmer:
That the Taft administration ut
terly abandoned all consideration for
agricultural interests in the making
of the Canadian reciprocity agree
ment cannot be seriously contrOyert-
ed; and now having called an extra
session of congress for the purpose OF
having it enacted as the law of the
land, the announcement Is strongly
made that executive opposition to the
lowering of any other schedules shall
be exercised. The position of the
president being that no further tariff
reductions should be made until the
establishment of permanent tariff
commission, to determine the cost OF
production.
Yet, scarcely an article can be
named that enters into the daily con-
sumption of the agriculturist, except
what he produces himself, that has
not materially advanced in price since
the enactment of the Payne-Aldrich
tariff law. But Notwithstanding this
the farmer is to be asked to wait fol
reduction of tariff schedules Oh
those articles until some commission
in the dim and distant future may
determine what the cost of producing
such articles may be.
The advance of a comm ission did
not seem necessary when hides were
placed on the free list in the late
tariff law, and the farmers we're told
that compensation for this act would
be found in cheaper boots and shoes.
The trust not only took all Of this
saving to itself. however, but added
about twenty per cent. more to the
price of the manufactured products OF
hides.
The same bill left the duty as it
was on buckwheat, but raised the
duty 25 per cent. on buckwheat flour.
Cut the duty on cream from 20 per
cent. to S per cent. a gallon. Since
which time according to the North.
west Farmstead the increase in the
importations of cream has been great,
and has been injurious to the Ameri-
can farmer, who lives adjacent to
Canada.
The same bill cuts the duty on rail.
road ties, telephone and telegraph
poles from 20 per cent. to 10 per cent.
while the duty on round timber used
for spars, was cut SO per cent.
The duty on paving posts was cut
from 20 per cent. to 10 per cent, while
the duty on fence posts was left at 80
per cent; and the duty on shingles
was raised from 30 cents per Thousand
to so cents per thousand.
Now turn to the reciprocity pact
and it will be found that even greater
contempt is shown for the interests
OF the agriculturists there. By 1t
cattle, the product Of the farm, are
placed on the free list, while meats,
the product of the beef trust, are pro-
tected to the extent of II cents a
pound. Wheat is on the free list
-four is protected so cents barrel
Barley is on the free list, malt is well
protected. Butter, cream, oats. rye,
potatoes, are on the free list; coal car
ries good rate of protection. Rough
lumber is on the free list. 1t cannot
be used by the farmer, in the con-
struction Of buildings, it is bought by
| the trust, run through plane and