Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-22
The Fight fer Rseipeesity.

The notable victory won in the lower
branch OF congress by the advocates Of
reciprocity with Canada is an evidence
OF what = direct appeal TO the common
sense of the nation can accomplish. II
President Taft had followed the anti
quated method OF consulting the pow
ers- that be in congress-Wrestling with
their doubts and fears and hesitations
there would have been no action on
the reciprocity program at this session
Of congress. Legislators stand in awe
OF anything which Is likely TO excite
even ripple OF protest in their con-
stttuencies. If some small percentage
Of the voters at home express alarm
the average senator or representative
begins to see ghosts" The admins
tration's program won so decisively in
the house because the president did not
bargain for support of it in advance.
yielding something here and something
there. but because he submitted it to
the nation at large on its merits and
left congress to fight the matter out
with public sentiment The house
gagged public opinion correctly There
is reason to think that the senate will
be polite enough to DO likewise
Meanwhile the administration is
seduousy pursuing its campaign of
education. Secretary Knox, under
whose direction the agreement was
framed. made an analysis of ii last
night at Chicago for the benefit OF the
Chicago Association of Commerce. His
speech exhibited a breadth Of view
which makes the arguments Of those
who oppose reciprocity because ii may
nlomantarly disturb existing condi-
tons along the Cana dian border seem
painfully trivial and pettifagging. Mr..
knoN dealt with the large and perma
nent effect on both Canada and the
United states OF renewal of the closer
trade relations which We're unfortu
natelN terminated by the abrogation
in 1856 of the Egin treaty. Under
that treaty commerce With Canada had
groWn rapidlv because both parties TO
the agreement Were even then econon!-
callv ready TO profit hv free exchange
Of natural products. They are far more
ready now for larger measure of ex-
change. after forty-flve years OF
estransement due to n"litical not TO
economic. causes. As Mr. Knox Justly
said: "Tre abolition of the reciprocity
treaty Of 1884 by the United States
marked an historic step backward in
the trade relations OF the two coun-
tries Natural conditions have made
the political boundary between the two
IAN artificial boundary when it comes
20 production and commerce" and the
true Interest OF both lies in recognfz-
ing the fact of observation-disclosures and
setting I'D system of freer trade which
will not in any way interfere with the
present political status of either. This
Nv
when he said:
Generous and equitable reciprocal
trade relations between the United
States and Canada are the natural.
logical and inevitabi result Of forces
that began their operations when the
North American continent was first
settled by western Europeans. The pc
Rod in the onward march Of western
civilization has now been reached when
the development OF the vast resources
OF Canada is necessary for the welfare
Of the race The same ifnpell!ng forces
which under similar conditions drove
the settlers Of the Atlantic states across
the Appalachian range thence later In
TO the Mississippi valley and across the
Rocky mountains now cause the adOp-
ton % tne same measures for the gen
eral welfare in the progress Of a group
81 two great people whose homegereity
rests upon origin. propinquity and In
-erdererdence, and not upon political
affiliations
Reciprocity with Canada i. a step
forward in the economic development
Of the western continent 1t should not
he ilindered by petty local antagonisms
or by fears OF TEMPORARY injury which
are almost entirely imaginary.