The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-05-09
SENATE WILL
HEAR FARMERS
ON FREE LIST
At Present Time They Are AL
Having an Inning on
Reciprocity
TAFT DECLARES he DOES NOT
cAAEA RAP FOR FARMERS Vote

No Matter How Much Il Damages
the Farmer-Thinks Il ID the Best
Policy For Country
Washington, May e-The house COM
mittee on territories which met early
today approved the report Of the sub
committee recommending statehood
for Arisona and New Mexico after
thv had voted on certain constitu-
tional amendments.
The senate finance committee con-
tinued its hearings on the Canadian
reciprocity bill. After the hearings
on this bill, attention will be given to
tho farmers tree List bill. The farm
ers, as In the hearings on reciprocity,
will be prominent IN the free list bill
hearings.
Taft Obstinate
President TAFT indulged in some
plain talk in explaining to twenty
f,ve members Of the National Grange
that he doesn't intend to play politics
with, the Canadian reciprocity agree
ment even II the enactment OF tnat
measure by congress costs him the
farmer vote. s,..ds IT.
The president told his visitors
bluntly that he was sorry to hear
that Republican farmers would de-
sert the party II the agreement goes
through, but fear Of suoh de.ertaon
would not change hin conviction -
70 wisdom Of such legislation. He
said that he belisved reciprocity to
be the best thing for the whole ooun-
try and that he didn't tntsn6 70 argue
It. 81 III. NJ a .4..,5 s.4
N. P. Holt spokesman for the
farmers, intimatsd stron8ay that the
farmer doesn't like reciproaity and
that the Republican 3}vptes are Hksly
to be lost II it is passed.
IF reciprocity goes through, said
he, at means that we must take less
for our wheat and less for our pro-
ducts, and that means q halt In the
Improvement Of our homes and In the
education of our children.
"Take the states along the line
Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine. New
Hampshire and Vermont. In the past
the farmers of these states. have been
the backbone of Republican protec-
ton. You could count on these peo-
pie every time. II this measure goes
through It will discriminate against
our markets and Canada will get the
benefit; it will make it harder for US
to get a dollar. No president ever
commanded the faith of the farm peo-
pie in times past more than you, and
ask you whether you do not think
that we will suffer II we are put on q
free trade basis?"
Certainly. said the president, Il
have no disposition to interfere with
the prosperity Of those who make up
the bone and sinew of our population
the farmers-and am convinced
that am in no way interfering with
it. II am-if we carry through this
treaty, and it turns out that 1t does
produce the injury that you antict-
pate. 1t can be repealed by a single
congress. It does not last longer
than either side desires it to last I
am convinced tha tafter 1t has been
given one years trial, neither side
will think of reversing It. That Is
nv conviction. cannot go into an
argument.
"You say that the Republican
farmers are going to desert US II we
put that through. j am very sorry It
that is to be the case, because have
personal liking for the Republican
farmers just little mite stronger
than for the Democratic farmers, al
though they are all citizens Of the
United States whose welfare I must
hold equally in my care.
But my conviction with respect to
!, the advantage Of this treaty is very
deep. SO far as the effect Of this on
my personal political fortunes, It
ought not to influence me and does
not influence me in the slightest. !
believe this treaty to be the best
thing for the whole country, includ.
ing farmers. merchants. labortng men
and all, because believe 1t 10 con-
trary to nature, 1t 10 flying in the face
Of Providence, to put an artificial
wall like that between this country
and Canada, and not get the benefit
that will inure to peoples Of the same
character of labor.
"If we take down that wall. we will
beneft by It, for we shall sell more
agricultural products to Canada than
she will sell to W. We do now. and
we shall sell her even more after the
treaty goes into effect. That is my
judgment. 3;ys
] am not arguing-I aH merely
stating my conclusion. II did not