The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-03-30


One of Most Complicated That Has
Confronted the American People.
The Canadian Reciprocity question,
which is considered the hvest question
now being considered by the Amerl-
can public, was discussed pro and con
at q mass meeting held at the Com
mercia1 club rooms in this city Mon
day evening. 1t was surprising 10
learn how many of the Minot cltl-
zens favored the reciprocity agree
ment. Such men as President +. L.
sherman, Halvor l.. Halvorson. F. 3.
Lambert, F. w. Youngman, +. ..
AcCutcheon,. l.. D. AcGahan favor
the agreement, while J. NJ. DeVlne'
o. N. champlip and others are Just
Is strongly opposed to it. There
seem to be good arguments on both
sides, though It depends largely o.
Who y to be benefited.
Mr.. Sherman read . lengthy pa
psr. He says that on account OF the
hash cost Of living and ito continual
increase, something had to be done
to ! educs it, and the tearing down OF
the tariff wall between Canada and
the United States would serve this pur
pose. He said that the wheat belt
was steadily drifting northward anu
soon little wheat would be raised IN
this country, then We would have to
depend upon Canada for our supply.
He spoke OF the immense acreage o.
timoer land in Canada and said the
agreement would cheaper the price
OF lumber.
]. M. Devine is aSains. the agree
mont because as he says, the duty
is taken OF the thing he has 70 sell
aud left on what he has to buy. We
propose to trade q market of 90.0OO,-
600 people for one OF 5000, 00O people.
people.
In closing Mr.. Devine said:
Gentlemen let 10 stand for the
rights Of the man who u living in that
little sod house on the quarter section
in Ward. The day that man ceases
to make . living wage because OF the
depressed price Of wheat. that day
win be sorry day for Ainot and
North Dakota. Let US not trade our
home market which it has taken hs
q hundred years 10 build W for a
viii q the wisp, the mirage IT tne
desert. Let us stand for the men who
made Ninot. the man on the farm
who spends his money in Minot, who
has built our wholesale houses, our
stores, our magnificent buildings. the
man who has struggled for ten years
to make a home for his dear ones.
"For forty years the farmer has
paid the exorbitant prices on manu-
featured articles controlled by the
trusts of the east; for forty years he
has paid tribute to the east. Now he
is lust beginning to reap some bene
1T. Shall We take this benefit away
from him after these long years Of
struggle just because the east, the
selfish east, begins to talk about
down with the high cost Of living. y
Halvor L. Halvorson gave some
light on the subject and his arguments
were followed
favoring the agreement were good
He said that the price of wheat
is fixed in Liverpool, because We are
on an export basis and every day are
selling in the Liverpool markets
where We get the same price as the
Canadian. He said the reason why
the Canadian farmer gets less for his
product is because he Is being held
up by the railroads, the elevators and
the terminals.
The farmers of Canada are boinl
1 gouged by the railroads" said Mr..
Halvorson. They are being gouged
by the elevators and the terminals
Conditions in Canada are somewhat
the same as they used to be in North
Dakota. The railroads are charging
exorbitant freight rates; the eleva
tors are making exorbitant margins
and the terminals are holding up the
farmers right. This 10 the reason
for the difference in the price Of
wheat"
f.. B. Lambert thought that about
al the good tho tariff on wheat did
this country was to give such soma
tors % McCumbsr . chance 70 trade
on with men Ike Adrich, and vote
for such measures - ~ Payns-Ald