Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-06-07
HOARD FOR RECIPROCITY
Leading Farmer and DsiFyman in the
State Speaks

President Taft was in Chicago last
Saturday, appearing before mammoth
gathering of consumers and members
of the Western Economy Society, when
the principal subject discussed was re-
ciprocity with Canada, and he took pos
tive ground in favor of the proposed
pact.
Governor Hoard, the most extensive
dairyman and farmer in the state, sent
a letter to the society on the subject.
Because CENSOR readers have conf
dence in the integrity and judgment IF
this far-seeing, practical and sensible
man, we present the comm Innication
of the governor. He wrote:
Back Of this confusing cry of Ilamo :
| ing politicians, Of high protectionists on
one hand, and the insurgents looking
1 for political advantage to their group
on the other, lies the great basal recol-
| lection with me that always in the his
tory of this country has the farmer
prospered best when the manufacturer
prospered best; when the great army of
workmen were employed and their fam
lies consuming largely of the farmers
food.
WILL STIMULATE DEMAND
''Never once have seen agriculture
prosper when labor was idle. For that
reason / have faith that reciprocity
with Canada will stimulate a demand
for the products of labor this side of
the line, ard, as day follows night, will
it help the farmers.
ALREADY have the farmers been CIV
en- taste of declining prices for their
food products. Do they like it? Do
they want more of it? Then let them
follow the counsels of those politicians
who are fighting President Taft for
political purposes only, and in my opin-
ion they will get belly full of it.
APPEALS FOR COMMON SENSE
Surely, we as farmers ought to
have enough common sense to know a
patriotic president when we see him.
We ought to know which side of our
own bread is buttered. We ought to
know that our interests and prosperity
are indissolubly bound up With the gen.
eral industrial interests of the whole
country, and that anything that pro-
notes the food consumers ability to
purchase our food is play into our
own hands.
IF we do not know these things
il we have studied the economic history
of our country so little that we are ig-
norant of its lessons, then all | can say
is that we are mighty poor farmers
and unworthy of the interests we are
called on to defend. | wish | could
get the farmers of the country to see
that most of this opposition to recipro-
city is based on politics and mighty
little of it on any regard whatever for
their future welfare. Already the bus
mess interests of the country are be-
ginning to show signs of shrinkage and
suffering because of the assaults of these
contending politicians.
1.-THE farmers of the land must carry
steadying hand. They must bark
back to the lessons of the past. They
must see their true position in relation
to all the other industries of the coun-
try. They must see that the primary
thing for them to do is to promote the
purchasing power of the consumer and
not allow themselves to be hoodwinked
into opposition to that great basic pro-
position.
GOOD FOR BOTH COUNTRIES
THE effect of reciprocity in my
opinion will be to promote the business
interests Of both countries. In this the
farmers must not stand aloof. If they do,
the day of their sore punishment is not
far off in my Judgment.
GAS farmer am not at all afraid
of letting the above principle of reci-
procity have free course, run and be
gleFifed. +"
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In the legislature. joint committee has