Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-14
PRESIDENT ADDRESSES JOINT
SESSION OF ILLINOIS LEGlS-
LATURE; MAKES SPEECHES AT
SEVERAL OTHER PLACER.
SAYS EVERY STATE
WOULD BE GAMER
POINTS OUT DIMINISHING SUPPLY
OF TIMBER IN THIS COUNTRY
AS NEED or SECURING FREE
CANADIAN LUMBER.

IA 4. X
CANADIAN LUMBER.
Springfield, Ill.,, Feb. 11.-Before a
joint session of the Illinois state legis-
lature in the hall of the house of repre-
sentatives here this afternoon Presi-
dent Taft made another plea to the
people Of the United States to support
the proposed reciprocity agreement
with Canada.
BY citing the details of several OF
the tariff schedules covered by the
pending agreement. Mr.. Taft under
took to point out the exact benefits
that would come to all American agrl-
cultural and manufacturing interests.
He specified particularly the benefits
which would come to the people OF
Illinois, but declared that every state
would be benefically affected by the
plan. Mr.. Taft declared that reci-
procity agreement was in exact line
with the republican tariff policy out
lined in the 1908 platform.
The president twelt at some length
on the lumber schedule. He spoke or
the diminishing supply Of timber In the
United States and said the people OF
the country should seize the present
opportunity to put rough lumber from
Canada on the free list.
Mr.. Taft arrived here this after
noon after a busy morning during
which he made speeches at Cham
paign, Decatur and other points-all
in support of reciprocity. At Month
cello he was interrupted by several
voices exclaiming:
1--WE are with you and we are farm,
ers, too"
Il am mighty glad to hear that, :"
said President Taft, smiling.
The Presidents Speech.
President Taft defended the pro.
posed reciprocity agreement with
Canada in an address before the ILL
nois legislature here today as the log
ical conclusion" Of the protection
plank in the last republican national
platform. He defined the protection
theory as one that should impose
tariff not exceeding the difference in
the cost Of production in this country
and abroad and allowing fair margin
of profit for the home producer. He
argued, therefore, that inasmuch as
the conditions of production for the
United States and Canada were sub
stantially the same" the widest lati-
tude was given Secretary Knox anu
the commissioners who represented
the United States in offering to Can
ada reduction on goods and products
coming into this country from Can
ada in consideration Of the establish
ment of the same duty, or freedom
from duty, on similar goods going into
Canada"
81 am protectionist," the president
added. "That is, l believe that there
are certain industries in this country
which need the encouraging effect OF
tariff upon imports from foreign
countries to enable them to pay good
wages and furnish reasonable proht
to those who engage in them The diff
ference in condition which generally
makes this tariff necessary is the
lower price of labor in the foreign
country as compared with the price OF
labor in our own. The country has been
on a protection basis nearly all the
time since 1861, and the tremendous
strides in industrial progress which II
has made seem to me to vindicate the
wisdom of the policy.
Practically Free Trade With Canada.
"This limitation Of the protection
theory necessarily took away any
grounds for tariff between this coun-
try and any country in which the con-
ditions of production we're substantial.
ly the same The conditions Of produc.
ton and Of manufacture in the United
States and Canada are substantially
the same. Wages may differ in one
part of Canada from another part,
Just as wages differ in different states
in this country, but, taken by the char
acter of the laborers, their intelligence
and their> skill, and the price paid them
per unit of work are not substantially
less in Canada than they are in this
country.
"In other words, the plank in the
platform of the last republican conven'
ton carried to it's logical conclusion,
would lead to substantial free trade
with Canada"
The president further asserted that
in removing the artificial barriers be-
tween the northwestern part of the
United States and the Canadian prov
inceS, the agreement would result IN
the bringing over of live cattle to Iced
on the corn of the American farmer.
He added that the rapid increase OF
population in the United States re-
quired "a source of food supply like
Canada right at our DOORS
Sees Danger in Too Much Protection.
1--WE shall be blind indeed" said the
president, "if we reject this golden OPP
portunity TO add to the strength and
virility Of our country by thus increas-
ing our self supporting capacity
The president asserted that "no step
could be- taken more in the interest Of
reasonable policy of protection than
the -annrnyal of the treaty. and that