Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-05-26
IS THIS RECIPROCITY?
CONTINUED from page II

the Republican side.) If, on the other
hand, the theory of free trade is to be
applied to the farmers, they insist, and
rightly so, that that theory shall also ap-
ply to the manufacturers. (Applause.)
think that shall be able to
demonstrate before get through that
upon certain important manufactured
products the rates proposed in this bill
give their manufacturers from SO to rs
per cent. higher protection than the
| Payne Aldrich law. - If there is
no difference in the cost of production,
| then there should be free trade in man
ufactured products, and the bill is a
violation of the pledge of the Repub-
lican platform because it proposes high
tariffs upon those products. This coun-
try can not prosper, Mr.. Chairman,
and it has no right to prosper, if we
adopt one policy as applying to one
class of our people and directly con-
trary policy as applying to another
class. applause on the Republican
side.) Let us have protection for all,
or let us have free trade for all
applause
Mr.. Lenroot presented statistics
compiled recently by the Tariff Board
showing
That agricultural products are pro-
II oh nj do
the United States:
That the value of improved farm
land is less in Canada than in the
United States:
That the cost of farm labor is higher
in the United States than in Canada:
and
That the price of agricultural prod
ucts is much higher in the United
States than in Canada.
"Who is going to receive the benefit
of this reciprocal agreement" he
asked Il will tell you some of the
people who will receive it. When this
bill passes, the Beef Trust, upon the
basis of their shipments into Canada
last year, will save 1929, 213 in duties,
increasing their profits to that extent
when you pass this bill. The Agricul-
tural Implement Trust will receive,
from the reduction of tariff rates upon
their exports into Canada, $218, 488
annually"
Aud hn a6IoG.
"Mr. Chairman, this bill will not re-
duce the cost of living, and that, |
think, is now admitted on both sides of
the Chamber. The people do not eat
cattle upon the hoof, that are admitted
free. They do eat beef, which will
have tariff of II cents pound. The
Beef Trust will have an excuse for re-
ducing the price of cattle to our farm
ers because of the increased supply,
but there will be no reduction of price
to the consumer, and the only result
will be to increase the profits of the
Beef Trust.
''Wheat is free; but, asI have shown,
there will remain a tariff of so cents
a barrel upon flour.
"Flaxseed is free, but linseed oil,
which is controlled by the Oil Trust
and is product of haxseed, will have
imposed on it tariff of Is cents per
gallonestill What is true with respect
to the articles that | have named is
true also of practically every other
article of manufactured food products.
"Mr. Chairman, there has never
been a bill proposed before Congress
upon which there has been so much !
misrepresentation as this bill. In the
cities throughout the country this bill
is being urged upon the ground that it
will reduce the cost of living. In the
country the attempt is being made to
convince the farmer that it will not re-
duce the price of his products. In my
Judgment, neither statement is true.
1t will not reduce the cost of living,
for a high tariff remains upon prac-
tically all food products that the peo-
pie use. 1t will reduce the price to
the farmer of agricultural products by
means of the increased supply, but the
only benefciaries will be the manufac-
turers of food products, enabling them
to pay still greater dividends upon
their Watered stocks.