Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-04-29
Reciprocity Goes through
House by Big Majority.
AMENDMENTS VOTED DOWN
Crowded Galleries Heard the Con-
GLIDING Speech From the
Leaders of Both
Factions.

dian reciprocity bill was passed by
the house, 264 to SO, after six days
debate. The measure went through in
the form In which it was reported from
committee.
The bill, which has President Tafts
entire approval. practically is idend-
cal with that submitted at the last
session.
In the course of the debate on the
measure, amendments for free lumber,
fresh meat, canned meat, shingles and
: laths were voted down ON the ground
that they would break the Canadian
agreement
The debate was concluded with the
speeches of the three leaders in the
fight, Representatives Underwood, of
Alabama; Mccall, of Massachusetts.
and Dalzell, Of Pennsylvania. Crowded
galleries heard the concluding speech
es, Mrs. Taft occupying a seat in the
executive gallery.
Says Farmers Were Fooled.
Representative Mccall declared that
the farmers of the United States had
interests opposed to the agreement.
He said that he spoke In behalf OF all
Republicans who were in favor OF the
measure. He lridiculed the "eulogies
upon the farmers" which he said had
characterized the majority of the
speeches against reciprocity.
The farmer is not the sadeyed
nonstrosity that he hss been painted
in the house." declared the speaker.
1.-The opening up of the cheap lands
of Canada 10 United States markets
would not be injurious to this coun-
try" said Mr.. Mccall
The advantage of this reciprocity
agreement will be not in reducing the
price of a single bushel of wheat, but
when the time OF our scarcity comes
it will prevent the rise in price by
giving us tree accessato the Canadian
supply"
Declares Protection rs Threatened.
In final attack on the bill MI.
Dalzell, of Pennsylvania, declared the
agreement had been made without an-
thority of law; that 1t had been made
without popular desire for it and uB-
der the gHise of a measure to redace
the cost of living. He held that neither
the president nor congress had the
right to make an agreement with n
foreign country involving revenue
questions
Mr. DalGell called the agreement q
'bungling piece of craftsmanship
-
"open. avowed, free trade measure %
declaring That its passage would
threaten the whole policy of protection
to American industry.
Underwood Closes the Debate.
Mr.. Underwood then took the floor
to make the closing address of the
long debate.
For fifty years" he sand, the Re
publican party has maintained the
policy of excluding from the home
market, as far as it has been able to
do so. competitive products from other
countries. In the beginning this policy
was inaugurated with the express
declaration that it was intended to
develop new industries until they were
strong enough to stand alone and
face, in the open, the markets of the
world and the rivalry of our protec-
tive competitors, but the greed for
gain has driven the advocates of this
theory far beyond the position they
maintained at its inception. Today
there is hardly a great American in
sdustry that is not exporting its sur
plus products TO the open markets of
the world and selling them in free
competition with the manufactures and
crops of orr foreign competitors
Mr.. Underwood commended that the
nation should turn from these stand
ards, carefully adjusting the laws To
meet new conditions without serious
injury to capital or labor, in order to
reduce the cost OF living at home and
be prepared TO dispose of surplus pro-
ducts to insure stability of prices and
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