Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-11
IN FIRST DETAILED uTTERANcE
ON FEATURES OF PROPOSED
TARIFF TREATY PRESIDENT
UPHoLDs PLAN.
SAYS 1T WILL AID
AMERICAN FARMER
N A N U FAcTuRERs. RAILROADS
AND MIDDLE MEN ALSO WILL
BENEFIT he ASSERTS BY WIP.
ING OUT TARIFF WALL.

Columbus, O., Feb. 10.-Recfprocity
with Canada will benefit the United
States farmer, manufacturer, railroad
company, middleman and warehouse
man-this was the declaration made
by President Taft in an address here
today at the National Corn show.
All will be the gamer" he said.
While his speech was devoted espec-
tally to showing the farmer had moth
ing to fear. but much to gain, he at
tempted to prove also that all the
other interests Of the country would
be benefited by the proposed reef
procity.
1--WE have with pioneer energy
pushed on to the Pacific" the presi.
dent said, "and taken up all the good
land. We are now spending millions
to reclaim the arid and semi-arid lands
Of the great western desert. Should we
not, by taking down useless and un.
necessary tariff wall, bring within our
agricultural resources the great plains
of the northwest when they can bring
to US what we need and that without
hurting any Of our own people7'
Not Attack on Farmer, Says TAFT.
The president expressed the opinion
that In addressing corn exposition
audience 1t would be practically ap-
propriate for him to answer the
criticism which had been made Of the
agreement, las an attack upon the
farmer by depriving him OF protec-
tion.'
1T is said to be manufacturers
agreement" he continued. that is In
the interest of manufacturing classes
and adverse to the interests OF the
farmer. am republican and the re-
publican party has always advocated
and pursued policy Of protection to
American products and manufacturers.
For a long time, the policy had little
or no limitation. It was thought that
tariffs on protected products could not
be too high, that II all foreign products
were excluded, competition would
stimulate production and reduce its
cost, and Its price. The temptation
to destroy competition by combination
became 80 great, however, that the
party In It's platform modified its
policy and imposed the limitation that
the tariff should be reduced for the
purpose of protection to The difference
between the cost Of production In this
country and the cost production
abroad, with an allowance for rea-
sonable profit to the American pro-
ducer.
"The principle of production thus
stated takes away the justification for
any tariff whatever by way Of protec-
ton on articles imported from coun-
try where the conditions as to labor
and other circumstances are the same
as in ours and thus makes the cost OF
production substantially the same.
Would Unite Kindred Countries.
Canada is our neighbor on the north
for Z. 900 miles. Her population is Eng
lish. Scotch and French. Her society
is like ours, her people like ours. Her
climate and temperature is like ours,
except that her growing seasons are
shorter and she cannot raise corn In
any great quantities. She has free
popular government with wide class
Of intelligent people, as well paid as
ours. It is difficult to see In what re-
spect her farmers have any advantage
over our own expect virgin soil IN
the far northwest
"It ia mere truth" said the presi.
dent. .to say that the farmers OF
country constitute the greatest wealth
producing class of the country ana
that it is OF the greatest importance TO
conserve their welfare. When we have
had good crops, the wheels Of all TN
dustries have moved and wealth has
been stored. Any one, therefore. who
would. advance policy TO injure tho
farmer has much to answer for before
the bar of public opinion.
"The great reason for adopting this
agreement is the fact that 1t Is going
to unite two countries with kindred
people and lying together across
wide continent, in a commercial and
social union to the great advantage OF
both.
"such result does not need to be
justified by a nice balancing OF
pecuniary profit"
Taking up first the effect Of the
agreement on corn, he said:
: "The total production OF corn In the
United States in 1910 was 3,126. .713.O 900
bushels of which we exported 44.072.-
200 and used the rest in domestic con-
sumption. chiefly in raising cattle and