Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-19
C,4n,n,;,s Analyses Reciprocity Bill.
Editor Times : Republican:

Addresses Times.
Editor Times Republican:
have Just finished Q somewhat ex.
tended discussion Of the Canadian bill
IN the senate: but I will be very glad
TO give tho readers OF the Times Re-
publican brief summary OF my OBJ
Jections to the nis-named reciprocity
measure. Its authors called it recipro-
city with Canada In order to appeal
10 what Is known to be q strong and
worthy sentiment among the people
for freer commercial relations with our
| northern neighbor, but as a matter Of
| fact, 1t has no real reciprocity in t.,
| and whatever credit It gets because OF
It's name 1t is getting upon false pre-
| lenses. I know that there are many
steadfast fighters for progressive prin-
ciples in Iowa who have looked fav-
orably upon it because 1t bears an
honest name. but feel sure that when
they become familiar with its shams
! and Its injustice they will criticise it
| as severely as do.
am Just as heartily In favor Of re-
| ciprocity as was in 1904. but as con-
dttions have been revolutionized in the
intervening period. the basis for a re-
! ciprocal trade agreement has neces-
| sarily changed. To say that because
am for reciprocity therefore ought to
| be for this particular proposal is as
! absurd as to say that because I believe
| in the christian religion I ought to
defend all the cruelties which have
been practiced in it's name; or that be-
| cause I believe in the rights of man
| must~applaud all the crimes Of the
| French revolution comm tilted in the
name of liberty; or, because believe
| in a protective tariff system I must
| defend the Payne Aldrich law which
| was enacted In the name Of protection.
A Step in the Wrong Direction.
A great many good people seem to
think that even If the Canadian pro-
position is not all that it should be yet
| 1t is step in the right direction. and
will lead to lower duties upon those
commodities which are excessive in
price because of high duties. These
people are making the mistake OF their
lives. 1t is not step in the right di-
rection, but in the wrong direc-
fects may be a democratic tariff for
| revenue only. yet 1t certainly will
| greatly retard, and may in the end de-
stroy the movement for a decent re-
adjustment of our duties upon protec-
| tive lines.
Protected Interests Back Of Il.
The most determined and greediest
high protect!onists in the land are the
| men back of the arrangement and re-
sponsibe for its existence. Nelson w.
Aldrich was the first prominent figure
to give it the support Of his great in
1uence- The senators from Rhode
| Island, Massa chusetts. Connecticut.
New York. New Jersey, Delaware.
Pennsylvania, and Ohio are its main
stays in the senate. These states re-
ceive more benefit from inordinate pro-
lection than all the rest Of the country
put together. They are advocating 1t
because they see in it shield that will
| protect their special privileges for a
time at least. The democrats are for
1t and say plainly and frankly that
they are for it because Il will in the
| system. OF course. one side or the
other OF this unholy alliance will be
disappointed. but whichever wins the
country as a whole will lose.
Unjust to the Farmers.
My objections to the proposal how
ever. are not based upon the attitude
OF any other person toward it. but up
on the fundamental principle that it is
wrong to compel the farmers of our
country to sell everything they produce
In a free market and to buy everything
they buy in an excessively protected
! market. do not believe that the far
rners Of Iowa will be seriously or per-
manently injured by the arrangement,
except with respect to their wheat,
barley, fax, and possibly hay, and I
readily concede that they can recoup
some OF their losses in other direc-
tions; but these things are the chief
productions Of Minnesota, the two
Dakotas, and enter largely into the pro-
duction Of other border states. and
even II the arrangement did not hurt
Iowa at all it Is my duty to consider
the welfare OF the whole country:
No Longer Export Nation.
During the last four years the price
of wheat at Minneapolis. the great
milling center Of the northwest. has
averaged more than 10 cents per BUSH
Ell in excess of the export price. Ev-
erybody who knows anything about
the subject knows that the moment
the Canadian surplus is admitted free
to our markets the price here will be
the export price, just as 1t was seven
years ago when our surplus was large
enough to control the domestic price
thruout the country. AS consumption
overtakes production other agricultur
al products will have like experience.
Whether it is wise to endeavor to hold
up the prices Of foodstuffs above the
world price thru the fundamentally OF
tariff duties may be doubtful, but tho
justice OF the demand that when the
farmer is opened up to the competition
Of the world by the removal Of the dut-
les on his products, that he shall have
the privilege Of buying in a free mar
ket, or at least as nearly free as the
absolute necessities of our manufac-
turers viii permit. is not doubtful, and
my vote will never be given to a plan
that requires him to sell at the world
price and to buy at the price fixed by
the greed of over-protected manufac-
turers.
Food 10 Still Taxed.
If the unnecessary duties on manu-
featured products were taken Off the
claim Of the consumer for untaxed
bread s,i1d isica. would be Irresistible.
but the fragrant wrong of the so-called
Canadian reciprocity scheme is that
while it removes the duties from the
products Of the farm it leaves them
%o~ ov