The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-11
ALOGICAL CONCLUSION
Is What the President Calls Reci-
procity With Canada.

Springfield. Ill, Feb. 11.-President
Taft defended the proposed reciprocity
agreement with Canada in an address
before the Illinois legislature today as
the logical conclusion" of the protec-
tion plank in the last Republican ma
tional platform.
He defined the protection theory as
one that should impose a tariff not ex-
ceeding the difference in the cost of
production in this country and abroad
and allowing a fair margin of profit
for the home producer.
He argued, therefore that inasmuch
as the conditions of production from
the United States and Canada were
substantially the same, the widest lati-
tude was given Secretary Knox and
the commissioners who represented the
United States in offering Canada re-
duction OF duties on goods and prod
ucts coming into this country from
Canada in consideration of the estab-
Hshment Of the same duty or freedom
from duty. on similar goods going to
Canada
The president explained that it was
thought wiser or behalf of both gov
ernnents not to make a formal treaty
but to make an agreement between the
executives by which each should sub
nit the agreement in the form of a
statute to be enacted and to go into
force on condition that similar stat
ute was passed by the legislature of
the other country. He said part:
This form of agreement makes it
one from which either country car
withdraw at viii by simply changing
the statute by new legislation.
Still a Protectionist.
IT am protectionist. That is 1 be-
lieVe there are certain industries in
this country which need the encour-
agement of a tariff upon imports from
foreign countries to enable them to
4
able profit to those who engage in them.
The difference in condition which gen
orally makes this tariff necessary is
the lower price of labor in the foreign
country as compared with the price OF
labor in our own.
There was a time when leading Re
publicans thought there was no danger
of having a tariff higher than neces-
sary to protect any industry. 1t was
thought that if the country was made
dependent on manufactures behind the
tariff wall the competition between the
manufacturers would stimulate tine re-
duction in the cost of production and
thus reduce the price.
But the temptation to combine. BY
which the price could be controlled
and thus the excessive tariff taken ad-
vantage of. led to a modification of the
protection theory and to a declaration
that the protection of any industry
ought not to exceed in the tariff i'm
posed, more than the difference be.
tween the cost of production abroad
and the cost of production here. ano
enough to give fair profit to the do
nestle producer or manufacturer.
This Limitation necessarily tool
away any grounds for a tariff between
this country and any country in which
the conditions of production were
s1bstantially the same. Wages MAY
differ in one part of Canada from an
other part, just as wages differ in diff
ferent states in this country, but the
nrice paid per unit of work is not sub
stantially less in Canada than in this
country
Leads to Free Trade.
I'm other words the plank in the
platform of the last Republican con.
Yention carried to its logical concIu.
sion would lead to substantial free
trade. In many cases where the agree.
ment has been criticised for not max.
ing greater reductions. we could no
secure them because in the judgmen
Of our Canadian friends the trade o.