River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-02-16
PACT IS TAFT AIM |
RECIPROCITY WILL BENEFIT FAR
MER, MANUFACTURER AND
MiDDLEMAN, HE DECLARES.
GOOD WILL GREATEST AIM
President at Corn Show in Columbus
Urges Extension of Agricultural
Resources by LeveIing of the "use-
less Tariff Wall"

Columbus, ON an address at the
National Corn exposition here Friday
President Taft declared that reciproc'
ity with Canada will benefit the entire
United States-the farmer, manufac-
turer, railroad company, m1ddleman
and the warehouseman.
While his speech was devoted es-
pecially to showing that the farmer
had nothing to fear, but much to gain,
he attempted to prove also that all
the other interests of the country
would be benefited.
1--WE have with pioneer energy
pushed on to the Pacific the pres1-
dent said, land taken UP all the good
land. We are spending millions to
reclaim the arid and semi-arid lands
Of the great western desert Should
we not by taking down a useless and
unnecessary tariff wall bring within
our agriculture resources the great
plains of the northwest when they can
bring to us what we need, and that
without hurting any of our own peo-
ple?"
The president expressed the opinion
that in addressing a corn exhibition
audience it would be especially ap-
propriate for him to answer the
criticism which had been made OF the
agreement, "as an attack upon the
farmer by depriving him of protec-
ton"
"It is said to be manufacturers
agreement" he said; that is, in the
interest of the manufacturing classes
and adverse to the farmer.
Il am a Republican, and the Re-
publican party has always advocated
and pursued policy of protection for
American products and manufactures.
For long time the policy had little
or no limitation. 1t was thought that
tariffs on protected products could
not be too high, that II all foreign
products were excluded competitioD
would stimulate production and re-
duce its cost and its price. The temp
tation to destroy competition by COM
binations became so great, however,
that the party in its platform modified
its policy and imposed the limitation
that the tariff should be limited for
purposes of protection to the differ
ence between the cost of production
in this country and the cost of pro-
duction abroad, with an allowa ; for
a reasonable profit to the American
producer.
"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 make the cost of
production substantially the same"
Canada is our neighbor on the
north Her soil is like ours. Her
climate is temperate, like ours, ex-
cept that her growing seasons are
shorter and she cannot raise corn in
great quantities. 1t is difficult to
see in what respect her farmers
have any advantage over our own
except virgin soil in the far north
west
"How is the farmer to be hurt?" the
PRESIDENT asked. Then he took up the
effect it would have on corn and wheat
prices, on the value of farm lands in
this country and on the United States
milling industry. He declared that lin
respect to corn the American farmer
is king and will remain so, reciprocity
or no reciprocity" AS to wheat, he
said the domestic price is governed by
the world price, and that "the sending
of any part of Canada's surplus
through our country instead of through
Canada to be milled or exported with
out milling will not perceptibly or
materially affect the price of wheat for
our farmers"
The value of farm lands, Mr.. Taft
said. is affected by the proximity to
market more than by any other ele-
ment, and he maintained that the
American farmer still would have the
advantage in this respect.
"The greatest reason for adopting
this agreement" the president declared,
sis the fact that it is going to unite
two countries with kindred people and
lying together across a wide CONT
nent, in a commercial and social union,
tn the great advantage of both"