Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-27
RECIPROCITY TREATY WITH
CANADA SENT TO CONGRESS
Continued from Page One.)

| our common boundary line of 5000 miles
| in itself must make Il radical distInc-
| ton between our commercial treatment
| of Canada and of any other country"
The President says that the Canadians
Soon must decide whether they are
| to regard themselves as isolated per-
mancntly from out markets by per
petual wall or whether we are to be
commercial friends.
"If we give them reason to take the
former view" he adds. Can we COM
plain if they adopt methods denying
access to certain of their natural re-
sources except upon conditions quite
unfavorable to US? A notable in
stance of such a possibility may be
seen in the conditions surrounding the
supply of pulp wood and the manu-
facturc of print paper. for which we
lhavc made a conditional provision III
the agreement, believed to be eqult-
able. Should we not now, therefore,
before their policy has become too
|crystalzed and fixed for change, meet
them in a spirit of real concession
| facilitate commerce between the two
countries and thus greatly increase the
natural resources available to our peo-
pie"
| As to the effect the treaty would
have on the cost of living in the Unit
ed States, the President says:
| Il do not wish to hold out the pros
pect that the unrestricted Interchange
of food products will greatly and at
once reduce their cost to the people
OF this country. Moreover. the present
small amount of Canadian surplus for
export as compared with that of our
Town production and consumption would
| make the reduction gradual EXelud-
| ing the element of transportation the
price of staple food products especial
| ly of cereals, is much the same the
world over, and the recent increase in
| prices has been the result of a world
| wide cause But source of supply
as near as Canada would certainly
| help to prevent speculative fluctua-
tions. would steady local price move
| ments and postpone the effect of a
further world increase in the price OF
| leading commodities entering into the
cost of living If that be enevitable.
My purpose in making trade a
| reciprocal agreement with Canada has
been not only to obtain one which
| would be mutually and advantageous
| to both countries. but one which also
| would be truly national in its scope
as applied to our own country and
| would be of benefit to all sections.
THE currents of business and the
| transportation facilities that will be es-
| tablished forward and back across the
| border cannot but inure to benefit of the
| boundary states. Some readjustments
| may be needed, but in very short pc
| Rod the advantage of the free CONNER
cial exchange between communities sep
arated only by short distances will strik-
| ingly manifest itself. That the broaden
| ing of the sources of food supplies, that
| the opening of the timber resources of
| the Dominion to our needs, that the adj
dition TO the supply of our raw materials
will be limited to no particular sections
/ does not require demonstration. The same
| observation applies to the markets which
| the Dominion offers us in exchange. AS
| an illustration. it has been found posi-
| bic to obtain free entry into Canada for
| fresh fruits and vegetables-a matter of
special value to the South and to the Pa
cifie coast in disposing of their products
i'll their season. 1t also has been prabti-
cable to obtain free entry for cotton seed
oil of the South-a most important pro-
duct with rapidly expanding consump-
ton in the Dominion.
RECIPROCITY with Canada must neces-
sarily be chiefly confined in its effect oil
the cost of living TO food and forest pro-
ducts. The question of the cost of cloth
ing as affected by duty on textiles and
their raw materials. much mooted. is not
within the scope of an agreement with
Canada, because she raises comparative
~ few wool sheep and her textile manu-
features are unimportant
"Fhis trade agreement if entered in
to will cement the friendly relations
with the Dominion which have result
cd from the satisfactory settlement OF
the controversies that have lasted for
century. and further promote good
feeling between kindred peoples. 1t will
extend the market for numerous prod
ucts of the United States among the
inhabitants of prosperous neighbor-
ing country, with an increasing popu-
lation and an increased purchasing
power. 1t will deepen and widen the
sources of food supply in contiguous
countries ana VIII Idcllltdte tlle move
ment and distribution of the food
Stuffs."
President Taft concludes his mes
sage by calling Canada "our good
neighbor."
"She has cost us nothing" he con-
tinues. lin the way of preparations for
defence against her possible assault,
ard she never will. She has sought to
agree with us quickly when differences
have disturbed our relations. She
shares with US common traditions and
aspirations. / feel / have correctly in
terpreted tine wish of the American
people by expressing in the arrange
ment now submitted to Congress for its
approval, their desire for more init
mate and cordial relationship with
Canada. / therefore earnestly hope that
the measure will be promptly enacted
into law"
The state department gave out q
summary of the tariff changes provid-
,l oil