Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-02-12
Warns Republicans That Per-
siStenCe in Present Policy
Means Ultimate Extinction of
Protective Tariff Theory.
CHEERS GREET TAFT
SPEECH AT SPRINGFIELD
We Shall be Blind, Indeed, If
We Reject Golden 0pportu-
nifty Now Offered, Declares
Chief Magistrate.
Inv Morning Journal Special Leased wirel


Inv Morning Journal Special Leased wirel
Springfield Ill, Feb. 11.--President
Taft today took his most advanced
position with regard to Canadian rec
iprocity. In an address before a joint
session of the Illinois state legisla-
mre he warned leaders of his party
that If they should defeat the con-
cessons obtained in the reciprocal
agreement, now pending in congress,
and should persist in retaining, In
these times of high prices and grad
ually exhausting food supplies, a
tariff not based solely upon the differ
ence in cost of production at home
and abroad, with a reasonable profit
TO the American producer, an opposi-
ton will be aroused that win know
no moderation and will wipe from the
statute books the last trace of a pro-
tective tariff.
This announcement came on the
heels of the news from Washington
that the reciprocity agreement had
met with favorable report in the
house committee on ways and means
only through the help of democratic
votes. President Taft feels keeny the
opposition to reciprocity from men,
bers of the republican party, but he
Is sanguine in the hope they will see
the light before 1t is too late.
He was gratified by the manner in
which his reciprocity speeches were
received today and especially by the
legislative audience at the state capi-
iol He was frequently interrupted
by applause and when he had con-
eluded the plaudits We're fairly deaf
ening and this despite the fact that
Speaker Cannon had sent message
from Washington strongly opposing
any sort Of reciprocity,
The president came to Springfield
today for n dual purpose. The first
of these was to place a wreath upon
the tomb of Abraham Lincoln, and
to pay tribute to the memory of
''the great emancipation.
He was the greatest citizen of your
state" said the president, land with
Washington, the greatest citizen of
the United States"
Mr.. Tafts second purpose was to
drive home additional arguments in
favor of reciprocity.
The banquet tonight of the Lincoln
centennial association was the largest
ever held in Springfield. In addition
to the president, the speakers in
cluded Martin w. Littleton of New
York.
Mr. Taft will depart early tomor-
row morning for Washington. arriv-
Ing there Monday morning.
Mr.. Taft Is the first president who
ever addressed an Illinois legislature.
Mr. Taft reviewed the tariff pro-
visions Of the Chicago platform of
1908. and said tae conditions of pro-
duction in Canada and the United
States are so nearly similar that a
tariff based on n difference of cost as
between this and other countries
would amount, in the case of Canada,
to substantial free trade.
"A reciprocity agreement said the
president, lis give and take. and my
closely the pending agreement you
will congratulate yourselves that we
were able to make one that covered
so wide range of subjects"
Later the president added
We shall be blind, indeed. If we
reject this golden opportunity to add
to the i,rength and virility of our
country by thus increasing our self
supporting capacities. Mr.. Taft
strengthened his argument in favor
OF reciprocity by the statement that
ne hoped the new tariff boards work
would result in further revision of
the schedule OF the Payne-Aldrich
law.
In conclusion, he said
We have taken up these things
That are involved In Canadian rec
lprocity agreement because opportun-
ity affords. Now Is the accepted time
Canada is in the mood. She is at the
parting of the ways Shall she be an
Isolated country. as much separated
from us as il she were across the
ocean, or shall her people and our
people profit by the proximity that
our geographical position furnishes
and stimulate the trade across the
border that nothing but a useless,
llogical and unnecessary tarifi
creates?"
PRESIDENT Taft's speech at the BAN
quet was confined solely to Lincoln,
as was also that of Mr.. Littleton.
Neither touched upon politics.
The president said, in part:
i consider 1t great opportunity
TO DE present as the guest of this
association in the city that knew
Lincoln intimately and to which the
fragrance of his personal memory
gives intense local interest.
Lincoln came up from the soil. He
was one of the plain people, he lived
ana dressed and ate and spoke AZ
.hey did and in early life seemed to
nave many OF the defects and fail
'nss they had. lIis superficial ex-