Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-14


per labor Of Europe The Canadian farmer
Is an intelligent and wideswake man and
Of as high a class as farmers Of the United
states. There Is no more pauper labor in
Canada than in the United states. The
Canadian laborer is as we'll organized and
we'll paid as is his brother in the states
but some VIII say these reciprocity rela-
lions will throw down the price OF wheat
In the market OF this country. IL Is a well
known fact that the price OF wheat is fixed
by the surplus which is used for export
purposes. II wheat OF the same quality is
being shipped from Toronto and Chicago TO
Liverpool, then the price Of wheat At To-
ronto and Chicago will be the same. The
fact Is that we are coming in this country
70 produce very little more wheat annually
than what we consume. The quality Of
wheat raised I'm Canada and that raised
here In the central states is vastly differ
ent. No. 1 hard spring whtea, which
grows with our neghbOrs on the north
cannot be raised here in this section OF
the country. Up in Usage, Canada, where
an old neighbor of mine lives, I have
known wheat to be fi1O up there and 81
or 90 cents here, and all because of the
difference in quality. We can never suffer
when placed in competition with the same
grade OF workmanship and citizenship and
the food supply of this country and Can
ada can never be so aolfic to have an
over-supply on the market. The wheat
area Of the United States is all under Gull
tlvatlon and we are producing today APP
proXimately that we can produce; with the
ever-increasing population a demand for
this food product is constantly on the in
crease. Then again It occurs to us that in
case this reciprocity treaty got through
Canada wheat can be used by the miller OF
the states and our milling industry In
creased hundredfold and instead of ex-
porting wheat to Europe, as we do now,
we will export the finished product.
The proposition is, then, as l view it. that
the principle of protection as originally de-
vised by the fathers of our country was TO
be applied to those institutions or industries
that were weak to strengthen them.
This statesmanship was good and bene-
fetal and has wrought wonders. But there
comes a time in every thing OF earth, both
in the material and Individual condition,
when IL has performed it's mission and there
is no longer then any excuse for its ex-
istence 1t was recognized that a high
protective tariff was in a country like this
necessary TO foster and build up gigantic
interests and II was believed and trusted in.
II was believed that competition amongst
themselves would keep down prices.
II say here and now, and without fear of
successful contradiction that the moment
that these Industries that are the bene-
ficiaries OF the protective tariff destroys
the very object and purpose and design Of
the principles that created them, then that
protection should be withheld For in
stance, the protective tariff fostered and
established and created the great watch
Industry OF this country. IL was the OBJ
Jeot Of this tariff to stimulate the enter
prise and protect the genius Of the in
ventor and in the beginning this worked
out we'll butwhat have we today. The
great watch industry today is controlled by
the great American Watch trust and prices
are absolutely and arbitrarily fixed by this
trust. There is no such thing as compeu-
ton in the business. This trust sells
watches in Europe for at least one-half
for what 1t sells the same watch for in
this country and makes the jobber give
a bond that he will not send the watch
back to America for sale again. There
are many other details of these great trust
combinations that has been created by this
protective tariff that might be enumerated.
But don't let any one here tonight say
that we are opposed to a protective tariff.
am unalterably in favor Of II; II is right
in principle and right in practice when
honestly applied. My contention is that
when institution or an industry has
grown strong enough, the protective tariff
to form a monopoly and thus control prices.
That the principle OF protective tariff
then, in that case, no longer applies, so on
the whole let us without regard to party
| lend every assistance to President Taft
in this laudable undertaking to establish
reciprocity trade relations between Canada
and the states. If he succeeds he will
] have done a greater service to the people
Of the United States than has been done
i by any other president in the last quarter
of a century. The Importance of this treaty
cannot be fully appreciated Just now.
| Here we are with only enough lumber to
last twenty years at the rate we are going,
and all of this in the hands of a trust,
and here are our brethren on the north
with enough timber and timber produce to
this country for untold generations. The
home builder can build better home at
great deal lower price than he can at
\ the present time II we have this treaty.
Lumber in this country is now at prac-
tically prohibtory prices. A house that
would cost $3.50 ten years ago would cost
barOns are getting the benefits OF these
prices. In short l believe that the atti-
tude now assumed and undertaken by
Preslden Taft Is not only great patriotic
act but It is his official duty to push this
undertaking TO the limit and let us hope
that he will
zone reason why l am thoroughly con-
WINGED that this reciprocity is right is be-
cause Joe Cannon and Lodge and Foraker
and Aldrich Of Rhode Island and old man
| Depew, who have spent their lives In
legislating for the interests and cor
poratiohs. and against the people are still
working at their old game and are against
! IT, and they recognize that President Taft
! is taking a position for the people and its
results will be for and on behalf Of the
people and against the interests OF the
few favored ones and let us hope that
| President Taft like those republicans OF
/ old Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garri-
son and Abraham Lincoln, will stand for
| this because II Is right and the result
is sure TO be right, and say It ia our duty
without regard TO part affiliatiOn to help