The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-02-12
PRESIDENT SPEAKS BEFORE
JOINT ASSEMBLY OF STATE
LEGISLATURE.
TALKS ON RECIPROCITY
Warns Party Leaders That, If They
Should Defeat Concessions Obtained
IN the Proposed Agreement, They
viii Vine From Statute Books the
Last Trace OF a Protective Tariff.

Springfield H., Feb. 11.--president
Taft today took his most advanced
position with regard to Canadian reel
proclty. In an address before n JOINT
session of the Illinois state legisla-
tire lie warned leaders Of his party
that If they should defeat the conces-
sions obtained In the reciprocal agree
ment now pending In congress and
should persist In retaining, I'm these
times OF high prices and gradually
exhausting food supplies, n tariff not
based solely upon the difference In
cost of production at home and
abroad, with reasonable profit to the
American producer. an opposition
would be aroused that would know
no moderation and will wipe from the
statute books the last trace Of Il pro-
teetive 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
through the help OF democratic votes.
Hopeful.
President Taft feels keenly the OPP
position to reciprocity from members
of the republican party. but he Is
sangune in the hope they VIII "see
tho light before it Is too late.
He was gratified by the manner In
which his reciprocity speeches were
received today. especially by the leg
islative audience at the state capitol.
4
plausc and when he had concluded.
the plaudits We're fairly deafening. and
this despite the fact that Speaker
Cannon had sent amessagel from Wash :
ington strongly opposing any sort of
reciprocity.
The president came to Springfield
today for q 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"
"Ee was the greatest citizen of yorr
| state" said the president, "and with
Washington the greatest citizen of the
United States
Mr.. Tait's second purpose was To
| drive home additional argument In
favor OF reciprocity. Representative
Mckinley of Champaign decatur dis
trfcD. was Mr.. Taft's guest from
| Washington to Decatur.
| Overdrawn.
In one of his speeches the president
declared The picture of Canadian com
petition with the American farmer fol
| the corn markets of the United States
had been overdrawn and the cntirt
dominion produced no more corn thar
was raised in tho one Illinois eongres
sional district represented by Mr.. Nc.
kinley.
The president also told the latter:
constituents that he was sure of tn,
congressman support The banque
tonight of the Lincoln Centennial as
sociation was tho largest ever held II
Springfield. In addition to the presi
dent. the speakers included Martin W
Littleton of New York.
Mr.. Taft will depart early tomor
row morning for Washington. arriy
ing there Monday morning. Mr.. Tai
is the first president who ever ad
dressed an Illinois legislature. He re
viewed the tariff provisions of the Chi
J cago platform of 1908 and said til
conditions OF production In Canad
and the United States are so nearl
similar that tariff based on a dif
ference on cost as between this an
other countries would amount, in tn
case of Canada, to substantial fire.
trade.
, "A reciprocity agreement" said th