The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-02-16
An viii Gain
By Reciprocity

THOUGHT 10 upauuon inns uEOau sFouAu
upon which the opportunity to con-
firm this agreement ought 10 be
seized"
Taking up the first effect OF the
Eagreement on corn, he said:
"The total production OF corn in
the United States in 1910 WAS S,125.-
49, 600 bushels. of which We exported
44,O72.2O9, and used the rest in do
mestic consumption. chiefly in rails
ing. cattle and hogs, OF which in live
cattle and packing house products we
exported in value S1Sa.gS3,21g. The
Canadian product of corn was 1926
] 600 bushels, or six-tenths of one per
cent Of the total production of the
United states. We exported $780,
900 bushels to Canada. Certainly in
respect of corn the American farmer
!, is king and will remain so, reciprocity
or no reciprocity. No, indeed, the
change will greatly help him by in
lcreasing his supply Of young and thin
cattle. now very scarce for feeding
with his corn and making good beef.
'fBut it is said that the farm land
OF Ohio. Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wis
consin and other states is much more
valuable than the land in Manitoba,
Saakatchewan, Assinobene and Alber-
ia, the four great northwestern prov
life.s of Canada. and that to give Ca
madam farmers free entry of products
! raised on cheaper lands will be GER
| tain to lower farm lands in value In
this country Nothing could be fur-
Their from the fact. The Canadian
lands are farther removed from the
Minneapolis and Chicago markets
than the lands of Minnesota, Wlscon-
sin, Iowa or Illinois, and proximity
to market is most important ele-
ment in the value of farm lands. Then
the natural change in farming in this
country is from the raising of grain
for export to the raising of grain for
farming consumption and Develop
ment of the secondary products In the
form of cattle and hogs. The live
cattle are bought and fattened. The
hogs are raised and fed. 1t is farming
tof this kind that explains the high
value of farm lands in. Illinois and
Iowa.
III the argument as to the disas-
trous effect of admitting the crops
of the Canadian northwest to our
markets upon the values of our farm
land is correct then the opening OF
lands IN Kansas. Nebraska. and the
two Dakotas in the two decades from
1890 TO 1910 should have had sim
liar effect upon the land of the older
states. Now, what was the fact?
What was the effect upon the farm
lands OF the older states of the COM
petition of these newer states? THE
Hand in the older states became more
devoted to corn and cattle and hogs,
while the wheat and other cereals
were left to the new lands. The effect
was that the values of the land Of the
older farming states were in most
cases more than doubled
THE difference in the value OF the
acre between Manito5a and Minnesota
is but little more than eight dollars
while the difference between Minneso-
Ia and wisconsin IS six dollars. be-
tween Wisconsin and Illinois is -,
between Wisconsin and Iowa is 40,
between Michigan and Indiana Is ~
These. figures show lncontestably that
4l.o ran,. 80 q roIuot;ar IL, r,r,., Il, -,
values of this country ly letting in
Canada's products is wholly unfound-
ed.
The price of wheat, less transport
tation and other charges for ware
house and delivery is fixed by what
all the wheat exporting countries, in
Guiding the United States and Canada
can get for their surplus in Liverpool
Hence, the sending of any part of
canada's surplus through our coun-
Try instead oil through Canada 10 be
mlled or ODE exported without MILL
ing. will not perceptibly or materially
affect the price Of wheat for our far
mers.
open up the market Of Minnehpo-
lis and Chicago. give the transporta-
ton and warehouslng facilities Of our
northwest and the Canadian farmer
viii get for his wheat practically what
the American farmer gets, less the
higher freight charges due to greater
distance from market. In other words
the advantage we give the Canadian
farmer will not hurt our farmer, for
the price will remain the same; but
by paatronizing our elevators, our
/ flour mills, our railroads. he Will Sc
tcure admission to the worlds market
at a less cost to himself, while we Will
secure the advantage OF increased
trade for our elevators, our mills, our
railroads and our commission men.
The United states secured for the
farmers the free listing of such i'm
portant agricultural products as cot
ton seed oil, all kinds Of fruits and
vegetables. timothy and clover seeds,
eggs and numerous other products In