The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-03-03
Who Started lt7

The st. Louis Globe Democrat. the
leading Republican papers of the south
west, under the above heading in its
last issue said editorially:
Congressman Fordney of Michigan
sent the country valentine on the
14th instant in which Uncle Sam was
pictured as getting the worst of q bar
gain. Mr.. Fordney took the Yankee
out of his traditional light as shrewd
trader, and put him under spotlight
in the middle of the stage. as having
got, in the reciprocity pact with Can
ada, about what the deacon got in the
famed horse trade with David Harum
The gentleman from Michigan began,
on that day, the making of a set speech
against the trade. but which became,
in manner, a symposium of the en-
tire question. His answers to questions
as well as questions he asked Of his
interrogators in the course of running
debate, served incidentally to throw
light upon controversial points from
every angle. but the most highly con-
centrated rays Of light always fell upon
our uncle at the wrong end of the deal.
Pointing out that the pact admits
Canada wheat free, but maintains the
duty on Canadian flour, and that,
while opening our markets to the live
stock of Canada, it retains the tariffs
on slaughtered meats, MIR. Fordney
asked if we can export wheat to Canada
and answered himself by saying that
Canada's annual wheat surplus is as
great as ours. He wanted to know
If any body h opes to reduce
the cost of living by protecting the
great packing houses of this country"
He quoted Mr.. Underwood Of Alabama,
chairman to be of the Democratic Ways
and Means Committee of the next
House as admitting that the Canadian
wheat duty will not reduce the price
of wheat in this country, and asked:
why is he voting to take revenue
away from this government If he does
not propose to lower the price of bread
There is but one conclusion, and that
Is that he will disregard his consti-
tuency and all the people of the United
States, solely in the interest of the
Canadians"
The member from Michigan was
able to answer all questions but one.
He could not tell who started all of
this talk about reciprocity and tariff
reduction. This question of original
responsibility, the only one Mr.. Ford
ney was unable to answer to his own
satisfaction is less important now than
it would become if things could keep
going as they have been and are now
going in relation to tariff matters. We
are less interested in the Canadian
agreement than in the general principle
of which it is a manifestation, and
which, if it could prevail, would GER
tainly raise hue and cry for the first
reformer. The lady who made the
search for the gentleman named Kelly
trailed him to Coney Island as one of
the high spots he had hit in the road
There always have been tariff re.
formers in that immediate neighbor.
hood. They are always to be found
among the high finsnciers in Wall
street, due north from Coney. and nor
hv more from thot 1i0hf fiohf 1;ftla
isle are footprints on the sands of time.
It is not yet time for the hunt. But
II tariff reduction should go on to the
point 1t always has reached in the past,
we might have to throw line around
Coney Island and work in. both from
he north and northeast. If the worst
zones to the worst, the responsibility
will have to be definitely located"