Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-14
Reciprocity Attacked by
Nahum J. Bachelor.
Ex-Governor Of n. 4. Writes
to Secretary Wilson.
Declares Agreement Would Make
Farmer Scapsgoat Of Protection.

Concord. y. H., Feb. 13.-The pro-
posed Canadian reciprocity agreement
is attacked in letter sent today to
Secretary Of Agriculture James Wilson
by Former Governor Nahum j, Bach
elder of this city, national master Of
the National Grange, Patrons of Hus-
band:y, aud chairman of the legisla-
tive committee of that organization.
The letter is in reply to communica-
ton tavoring the agreement sent by
Secretary Wilson to Mr. Bachelder on
Feb. s. Mr.. Bachelor declares that
the agreement Is unfair to the farmers
Of the United States who "ask for
nothing but a square deal--equal pro-
lection for all classes and interests
I'VE can only conclude" says Mr..
Bachelder in his letter that you
have been deceived by the special in
terests. which have cunningly plotted
to allay the country wide clamor for
an honest revision of the tariff, by
making the farmer the scapegoat for
the sins OF the high protection SYSTEM
The letter i'll full is as follows:
Concord, n. H., Feb. l3. 1911
.'IIon. James Wilson, ?
Secretary of Agriculture,
Washington, d. c.
Dear Sir-We are in receipt of your
letter of Feb. eth, in which you en-
deavor to show that the Canadian rec
iprocity bill is fair TO the farming in
trrests of the country. We deeply re-
gret that you have seen fit to take
this position, and deplore the eharac-
ter oi the arguments advanced by you
~ GF I4l
scheme.
In reply to our statement that the
pending bill was one-sided and unfair
to the farmers in that it makes no ma
teriai reduction in duties on manu-
factured articles used by them, you
attempt to defend the continuance of a
high tariff for manufacturers, along
with free trade for the farmers, by
claiming that it is the protected work.
ers who furnish the farmers with their
chief market. We would respectfully
submit that you are simply repeating
the pet argument of the domestic man.
ufactnrer. and that in asserting that
the prosperity Of the farmer depends
upon the workers in protected indus
try you are claiming what Is exactly
the reverse of actual conditions 1t is
on the prosperity of the farmers that
the welfare of all other classes-man-
ufaeturers. merchants. transportation
interests and factory workers, depends
and we cannot understand how at this
late day You should be found repeat
ing the stale and exploded theory that
the farmers exist by the grace of pro-
tected manufacturers or anyone else
on earth.
This. however. is not the occasion
for a discussion of the general prin-
cinal OF protection VS.. free trade. The
sole question before the American peo-
pie is whether we shall have free
trade in all farm products and high
protection for manufactured articles.
We understand that you are a pro-
tectionst. What kind of protection is
that would compel the farmer to pay
from As to 80 per cent. duties on every
thing he buys, and subject him to free
trade competition in farm products
Which can be produced more cheaply
in Canada than in this country? You
know that the price of farm land iS
much lower in Canada than in the
United States.
You know that the wages of Canadian
farm labor are much lower than we have
10 pay. You know that the Canadian
farmer buys his manufactured articles
cheaper because his tariff duties on for
eign goods are lower You know that the
farm lands of Canada are mostly virgin
soil. requiring no fertilizers. while our
lands have been cropped so long that he
must use immense quantities of fertiliz-
ers And yet knowing all this. you would
strike down the very moderate tariff, av-
eraging about % per cent which they
now receive, without giving them the
benefit OF any real reduction of duties on
manufactures.
The esteem and affection in which we
hold You personally and as the head OF
the department of agriculture makes diff
cult n suitable rejoinder to your letter.
We can only conclude that you have been
deceived by the special interests which
have cunnngly plotted to allay the
countrywide clamor for an honest re-
vision of the tariff. by making the farmer
the scapegoat for the sins of the high
protection system Else You would never
be found making such d statement as that
free barbed wire fencing will be boon
to our farmers
"Do you not know that the steel trust
sold last year in Canada more than one
hundred million pounds of wire. and that
we bought no wire from Canada? Do
your not known that this barbed wire
provision is an attempt to fool the farm
ers by a transparent trick? Do you not
know that Canada produces practically
no wire, and that with tho duty on Ca
madam wire abolished We would not iu..
port one pound.
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