The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-03-16
NO INJURY
TO FARMERS
Reciprocity Effects on New
England Explained
BY JOHN BALL OSBORNE
Government Official Estimates That in
1915 United States VIII Be Furnish
ing 6s Per Cent of canada's I'm
ports Under Reciprocity.
BY JOHN BALL OSBORNE

Portland, Ne, March l6.-That the
United States will enjoy a greater ex-
port trade to Canada in Ave years time
than any other country should the Can
adian reciprocity agreement be adopted,
was the prediction made here last night
by John Ball Osborne, chief of the bu-
reau of foreign commerce of the state
department and a member of the reci-
procity commission, in an address be-
fore the Economic club. He estimates
that Canada's total imports in 1915
should be about $540OO0,0O0, and that
the United States will supply $S5o,OOo'-
900, or sixty-fve per cent. Of its inn
ports. This. he said, Is an extreme
ly conservative estimate and may be
augmented to S400,000,000 by assum.
ing that the United States share will
be ut least seyenty-four per cent.
In reviewing the history Of the nego-
tiatons which led up to the present
reciprocity agreement between this coun-
try and Canada, Mr.. Osborne pointed
out that no more appropriate field than
the Dominion Of Canada possibly could
be found by the United States for the
application Of the reciprocity policy in
regulating trade intercourse. Among the
strong recommendations for the adop-
ton OF the agreement, Mr.. Osborne
mentioned the marked homogeneity in
the two peoples; their cordial and in
innate relations and the steady de-
yelopment Of the commercial movement.
The speaker then discussed the adj
vantages that would accrue TO the
American people by the adoption of the
agreement. Mr.. Osborne commended that
while the reciprocity arrangement may
not Immediately cheaper the cost Of
living, it surely would equalize and
steady prices, arresting the upward
movement which is bearing so heavily
on a large proportion Of the popula-
ton. Taking the free admission Of
Canadian wheat as an example, the
speaker declared that this would oper-
ate to prevent speculative disturbances
in our domestic market,
The speaker did not think that any
fear need be felt in the border states
lest the agreement should prove in
furious to their farming interests. Cen
orally speaking, he said it may be con-
hdently asserted that the free move
ment across the border Of farm products
will benefit the farmers on both sides
Of the line and the reciprocal remov
al Of existing tariff restrictions will
make the surplus for export in either
country readily available for supplying
any deficiency in the other,
"The immense increase in our popula-
ton, the pronounced urban movement,
and the accelerating tendency towards
exhaustion OF our natural resources,
said Mr. Osborne, "are conditions which
dictate the wisdom of enlarging our
sources Of supply Of raw materials aud
food stuffs wherever it can be done con.
sstently with the interests OF our own
producers.
Mr.. Osborne then discussed some Of
the particular advantages that would
come to Maine and New England IN
general by the agreement He said
that the free entry Of Canadian fish
into our markets would benefit the
New England canneries and build mp an
important industry in the curing and
preserving OF this cheap and palatable
food staple. New England fishing ves-
sells, according to Mr.. Osborne, should
benefit largely by the reduction Of the
Canadian license fee from $3.50 per ton
to 81 per vessel per annum. He said
that that section could largely increase
her already favorable balance in the
Canadian trade as regards butter. eggs,
nursery and horticultural stock, etc.
The speaker maintained that the
agreement does not violate the pro.
tective policy, for he said, there is no
substantial difference in wages and 9TH
err elements of the cost of production
in Canada and the United States and
the standards Of living Of the two peo-
pies are practically alike.