Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-02-24
Perplexing to the Correspondents

[ Perplexing to the Correspondents.
/ Canadian reciprocity as advocated
by the president Us proving the most
/ perplexing subject imaginable TO
/ Washington newspaper correspou-
dents who try to do their work both
Iconscientiously and accurately.
The proposed agreement is a step
in the right direction and will IN
doubleday give some relief 70 the ov-
er-taxed consumer: both republicans
and democrats can Justify a vote for
the proposition on this score. But
ike all legislation originating with the
party which has its campaign funds
supplied by the special interests, the
proposed agreement gives special pri-
vilege the best of il. It is evident
that the captains Of industry must
have been consulted when the meas
ura was framed There are two i'm
poTtant jokers IN the agreement. One
provides for freer lumber providing
neither country lays an export tax
on the same. As all lumber shipped
from the crown lands in Canada is
subject 70 duty, the consumer of lumber
viii get no cheaper product than if
lumber was not mentioned in the
treaty. The agreement places cattle
and sheep upon the free list. but
leaves dressed meats of all kinds up
on the dutiable list for the benefit of
the meat packers trust
The democrats are in a position TO
support the agreement with more con
sistency than are the republicans. The
democratic member OF congress votes
for the measure on the ground that
while reciprocity is not the brand he
would prefer, it is nevertheless a step
in the right direction, and he will vote
for a supplemental till placing lum-
Der and meat imporJations. not only
from Canada. but from all countries,
on the free list.
The republican member votes for
the agreement with no intention of
ever voting to place lumber and dress
ed meats on the free list, but with
the intention Of permitting the agree
ment TO remain in effect with the lum-
Der and dressed meat jokers intact.
There seems to be some fear among
a certain proportion of the farmers
lest a reduction or a removal of the
tariff barrier will at once be followed |
by the influx of Canadian farm pro
ducts that will make profitable till
ing Of the soil an impossibility This
fallacy has been fOstered by the argu-
ments made by politicians that the
salvation of the farmer lies in high
protection
1t is also argued by some that with /
the free entrance OF Canadian food |
stufs the entire surplus of that coun- !
try would be thrown into our mar
kets: and yet Canada's export (
grain shows about one-fftieth of the
value of On cereal crop of this coun- (
try. CanaNa's exports of barley in
1910. regarded as a serious menace to
the producers OF the 100, 0OO, 900 BUSH F.
els on our side. were only Ll07, 900 I
bushels. As to corn, President Taft
himself struck The keynote when he ,
declared at Columbus. O., that in
respect 10 corn the American farmer !
Is king. and win remain so, reciproc- :
ity or no reciprocity As TO wheat
the president in the same speech said /
the domestic price IS governed 10y the /
world price and that the sending of /
any part of CanadRs surplus through /
our country instead Of through Cana I
da 10 be milled or 10 be exported /.
without milling. VIII not perCeptibly 4
or materially AFFECT the price Of wheat
for our farmers"
It may ultimately prove that the
free listing of farm products was the /
best thing that could have happened. |
because there Is no longer any sUs-
picion OF a reason why the farmers |
should not get busy and demand a /
revenue tariff on manufactured arti |
Giles.