The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-18
A COUPLE OF
STRIKING PROOFS
HOW CANADIAN TRADE HAS AL
READY SMASHED PRICES OF
AMERICAN RAISED PRODUCTS
U. 8. BUYERS WILL ovERRuN
THE DOMINION.

Grand Forks Times: Sometimes in
the heat of conflict, such as has been
waged in this state against the Can
adam agreement, the reader may think
the arguments are overdrawn, the facts
overstated and the dangers overplayed.
! 1t Is impossible to figure exactly on
future conditions We can only base
such calculations on past facts. 1t is
therefore, interesting to find independ-
ent evidences corroborating by person
al knowledge the assertions that have
been made.
Treadwell Twichell of Cass county
is in receipt OF a letter from Fl. b.
Merrick Of Prescott. Ontario, who for
many years was large land owner
in Cass and Barnes counties. Discus
sing Mr.. Twichelrs article against the
ratification OF the agreement which
was published in The Times, Mr.. Mer-
rick says:
From your point of view as a North
Dakota farmer agree with every
word of it. If it goes into effect, the
only reasonable conclusion in sight
will be to drive the American farmer
into our Canadian northwest and the
sooner they get there the better il
will be for them. There is room for
them all as not 10 per cent of the good
land Is taken UP and our lands in
Ontario are not one-half occupied. II
reciprocity passes, the farmers here
can at once begin to farm for the New
York and the New England market
which can absorb all we can raise
Our farmers here will get New York
prices, less the freight and the farmer
here would be fool to cater to the
English trade when he can get a bet
ter market next door with quicker re.
turns in cash. In fact our back yards
will be over-run with Yankee BUYERS
who will take all we have to spare
In spite of the present duty they have
last year closed a number of our cheese
factories, taking the milk and cream
to New York. Tons Of it cross the
river every day from Prescott to Og-
densburg.
AS for young cattle, "stockers." II
viii pay much better to sell In the
American market as two year olds
than to keep until four years old for
Liverpool export trade, where the law
requires they must be slaughtered
within thirty-six hours Of arrival.
This agreement will be great thing
for our farmers from the Rocky
mountains, Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick, who now send all the sur
plus Of their farm to New York and
your farmers will get it in the neck.
From Washington news story OF
April 10. the following statement is
taken:
In the midst Of the agitation occa-
stoned by the consideration of con-
gress Of the Canadian reciprocity
agreement, fresh eggs In wisconsin
dropped to IL cents a dozen and
creamery butter to al cents a. pound
i This is the statement of Fred Soper. a
farmer and dealer In agricultural i'm
plements of Ripon, Wisconsin.
Last year we were glad to con-
tract for butter at the rate Of 35 cents
a pound and eggs at 25 cents a dozen
for the year round" said Mr.. Soper
/ 1T was somewhat of a surprise not
to say shock, therefore, when the
price Of these important food products
went tumbling. This is the price ask
ed today in Wiscinson for eggs. the
lowest price, l think. eggs and butter
have reached in a quarter Of a CEN
tury."
| These are the side lines Of farming
some OF the food products on which
1t is proposed to reduce the cost to
the consumer, so that living may be
cheaper But who in the language
of Mr.. Merrick whose letter Is quoted
above, gets 1t in the neck?". Any
dairyman knows that creamery butter
cannot be produced for 81 cents. ANY
poultryman knows that eggs cannot
be produced for / cent apiece. Yet
those are the prices to which these
two farm commodities were forced by
the discussions of the Canadian
reciprocity agreement. If the shadow
has that effect, what would the sub
stance do?
Would not this reduction in the price
of farm products have an effect on a
business man located in a community
in which these articles were mony pro-
ducers? Can the merchant hope to
do as large a business when the money
unit of his customers is 81 cents as
when It is So? Can he do as much
business when it is II cents as when
1t is 25? The answers to these are
too self evident to need elucidation.
He certainly cannot In this principle
lies the danger to the business man
from the reciprocity agreement. It
means doing business in close times
| instead Of prosperous times as now