The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-05-09
REFUSED TO ARGUE
WITH GRANGE MEN
ON RECIPROCITY
President Taft Shows No Dis
position to Play Politics
OWN FUTURE NOT INv0L WE'D
Chief Executive Says He Is conVlne-
ed That Move Is for Benefit Of
All the People

Washington, May president Taft
INDUCED in some plain talk yester-
day in explaining to 20 members of
the National grange that he does
not intend to play politics with the
Canadian reciprocity agreement. The
president told his visitors bluntly
that he was sorry to hear that repub-
lican farmers would desert the party
if the agreement goes through, but
fear OF such desertion would not
change his conviction as to the wis
dom of such legislation He said that
he believed reciprocity to be the best
thing for the whole country and that
he did not intend to argue it.
n. p. Hull, master OF the Michigan
grange, spokesman for the farmers,
inumated strongly that the farmer
does not like reciprocity and that the
republican votes are likely TO be lost
if it is passed.
IF reciprocity goes through" said
he, 1T means that we must take less
for our wheat and less for our pro-
ducts, and that means a halt in the
improvement of our homes and in the
education OF our children. Take the
states along the line-Michigan, Wis
consin, Maine. New Hampshire and
Vermont. In the past the farmers OF
these states have been the backbone
of republican protection. You could
count on these people every time
If this measure goes through it
will discriminate against our mar
kets and Canada will get the benefit;
it will make it harder for us to get
dollar No president ever command
ed the faith of the farm people in
times past more than you, and | ask
you whether you do not think that we
will suffer if we are put on a free
trade basis
Certainly" replied the president,
II have no disposition to interfere
with the prosperity of those who make
up the bone and sinew of our popula-
tion--the farmers-and / am con-
WINGED that / am in no way interfering
with it, If l am-if we carry through
the treaty and it turns out that 1t does
produce the injury that You anticipate
it can be repealed by a single Con
gress II does not last longer than
either side desires it to last. ! am
convinced that after it has been given
one years trial, neither side will think
of resisting it, That is my conviction.
cannot 80 into an argument.
you say that the republican. farm
ers are going to desert us if we put
that through. am very sorry if that
is to be the case, because / have a
personal liking for the republican
farmers, just a little mite stronger
than l have for the democratic farm
ers, although they are all citizens of
the United States, whose welfare /
must hold equally in my care.
But my conviction with respect to
the advantage OF this treaty is very
deep. So far as the effect of this on
my personal political fortunes. it
ought not to influence me and does
not influence me in the slightest
believe this treaty to be the best thing
for the whole country, including farm
ers, merchants, laboring men and all
because l believe it is contrary to ma
ture it is flying in the face Of proyi
dence, to put an artificial wall like
that between this country and Canada
and not get the benefit that will inure
to peoples of the same traditions, the
same languages and practically Will
the same character of labor.
IF we take down that wall, We
shall benefit by it, for we shall sci
more agricultural products to Cana
da than she will sell to us. We dc
now and we shall sell her even more
after the treaty goes into effect
That is my judgment l am no
arguing am merely stating m!
conclusions. If ! did not believe this
| should not have taken the response
bility of doing what l have done t.
put this reciprocity treaty through
I am willing to abide the judgment o
history-the judgment that will com,
after the event When you gentle
men come to see the result, | believ,
that you as fair minded men will ad
nit that you have been wrong in you
| fears and that I have bpnn right -