The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-09-28
RECIPROCITY TURNED DOWN
BY CANADA. WHY

BY CANADA. WHY.
The Canadian people rejected the
reciprocity agreement by am over
.whelming majority There were many
reaso ems that entered into the adverse
vote, but the prime consideration was
fear Of annexation to the United
States. Aside from what may be
called sentimental presentation of
the case There was little for the
Canadian voters to consider.
If the Canadian antis believed reci-
procity was poor thing from the
standpoint Iof the producers up there
the farmers-then they had to- run
counter to the argument presented on
this side in opposition to reciprocity.
Reciprocity could nit be bad
thing for the farmers Uf the United
States and also a bad thing for the
FARMERS Of Canada
1t is a fair assumption, therefore,
that very little attention was paid by
the voters to the msteriaJl side of the
issue. The landslide was caused by
the annexation talk and the Thoughts
that were inspired by it.
Why. though, sho:ld there be such
a robust opposition to annexation.
It has not been SO very long since
there was "a very live movement in
Canada in faWclr CT annexation, and
some authorities believed if a, vote
had BEEN taken then the annexation
lists would have disclosed surprising
strength if they did not carry the day
1t Is quite apparent that there has
been a marked revulsicn of feeling
concerning the prospect OF a union.
We are not so greet and glorious aind
desirable as we had conceitedly
thought. The advantages of anmexa-
ton as seen few years ago in Cam
ada seem to have been totally dissi-
uated3
The only logical answer is that in
Che asterim the paonle of Ehn I'll
have been studying us. They have
been looking us up, through official
reports, Through the newspapers and,
more intimately if with no more AIS
surance, Through exchange of views
with the thousands of Americans who
nave crossed the border to I'm. nd new
homes,
When the pa,iple of the United
States become absolutely honest and
candid with themse.ves-when they
sFse themselves as others see them
they will mot be surprised at the fina
decision of the Canadians; and they
with CT -clude that Canada acted as
much from fear of us II from lyaIty
to- England
There must be SOM thing repulsive
to Canadians, for example, in our
criminal procedure. Up there "a
crime is crime. A thief is a thief
whether he steal $25 on thousa nds-
and he is punished for his crime,
promptly and adequ tel,. Swift judi.
cial vomgealuce follows cn the trail of
the murderer. How different in this
country. The legal avenues for es-
cape encourage crime here; rigid en-
forcemsmt of the law, Invested of de.
lay, minimizes it there.
The Canadians have also gctten ac.
Qu-An with the matmer in which
the people of this country have been
exploited by the ubiquitous trusts ,botl
national and local. They would hard
Ny vote to place themselves in the
power of such instrumentalities.
They have some cf their own, but
Fhey are young and more easily
handled than the old, tough and ex-
perienced wolves of America.
The Canadians have been analyzine
our election returns. They h.,ve noted
the gullibiity and the irratiunalism
prevalent among cur voters. They d,
not care to be unnecessarily inocu-
lated with that virus.
I'm many other directions the
searching eye of the Canadian voter
mas extended ever America. He has
sedn many things he does not an
prove, and he welcomed the opportu-
nifty 10 cast his vote against reciproci
" because he feared it meant annexa
ton, as adroitly limited at in our con-
gress by the leaders of the opuositioa,
TO Taft's program That gave them
the groundwork for their alarm; the
various repugnant systems in vogue
IN chs country furnished the super
structure.