The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-02-21
HOW RECIPROCITY
WOULD AFFECT
VERMONT
Removal of Duties Would Be To
States Advantage
HAS BEST OF BARGAINS
Cheaper Fish and Meat and Lower.
Prices on Cattle Forage and
Vegetables
HAS BEST OF BARGAINS

Following is an enumeration of
products that would be effected by
the ratification of the Canadian reci-
procity which would Dc If particular
interest to Vermont:
Fish and Meats
Under the proposed reciprocal tar
III legislation fish Of all kinds, fresh
or preserved are to be made mutually
free of duty. The United States inn
ports nearly $5,000,0O0 worth of fish
from Canada, this constituting one
tenth of our entire consumption.
Our present duties are 3, or lie per
pound upon the principal varieties
purchased fran Canada, and the sum
collected under these rates amounts
to nearly one-half million dollars an
nually on Canadian fish. The remoy-
al of this tax upon a food much used
by large classes of our population
would rehder fish at once less expen-
sive and more abundant.
The price of meat in this country
will also very probably be kept down
by the lowering of our tariff rates on
fresh meat from | lac to NC per ID,
and on preserved or smoked meats
from % per cent to Nc per ID. The
removal of our duties on live animals
will have a similar tendency. AL
though Vermont cattle are mainly
dairy stock, 1t may be mentioned
that, so far as either country profits
more than the other by the arrange
ment in regard to meats, the United
States has the advantage, since Can
ada reduces her duties more than
this country. Her present rate on
fresh meats is &c per pound, and on
other meats &c per pound while the
reciprocal rate is to be INC per Id.
Live Animals
BY the terms OF the pending agree
ment live animals will be exempt
from duty upon entrance into either
country This will not only affect the
cost of living, as indicated above, but
will be of great convenience to the
American farmer in selling stock be-
yond the Canadian border or making
purchases there for his own estab-
lishment in this country. Our pres
ent rates on cattle and horses are in
general equivalent to q per cent or
rs per cent ad valorem, while Can
adas rate is 25 per cent We at pres
ent tax swine and sheep $3.50 each,
Canada's rates being 20 per cent for
sheep and 15c per pound for swine.
Hay, Straw, Oats and Salt
Under the present high United
States duty on hay and straw Yer
mont has very frequently suffered
severely in years Of crop shortage,
from inability to procure cattle for.
age from Canada. Hay is taxed $500
per long ton by the Payne tariff, and
straw $1.50 per long ton. These du-
ties are to be entirely abolished as
to Canadian hay and straw, under
the agreement, thus permitting far
mers to supply the needs of their
stock to the best advantage in sea-
sons when the American production
of hay and straw is inadequate. The
mutual removal of all duties on oats
VIII OHtAoAO OAlS nave
been dutiable at 15c per bushel when
entering the United States, and at loo
per bushel when entering Canada
Salt is also made mutually duty-fres.
Fresh Vegetables and Fruits
II is proposed to make fresh vegeta,
bles and fruits free OF duty between
the parties to the agreement This
will greatly facilitate border traffic,
and will extend the markets OF each
producer. The United States enjoys
a general advantage in latitude, al
though the climate of Vermont is not
greatly warmer than that OF Southern
Canada Fluctuations in the Amerl.
can prices of farm produce will be
lessened by the enlargement OF the
supply and the market. Most vegeta-
bles are at present taxed at % per
cent by the United States and at 80
per cent by the Dominion. Potatoes
have been dutiable at 25c per bushel
upon entry into this country. and at
zoe per bushel upon entry into Can
ada
Nursery Stock
Canada has agreed to concede her
intermediate rates upon nursery and
horticultural stock, taxing fruit trees
2lac each I'm place of &c each, and
vines and berry bushes l7ib per cent
instead of 20 per cent. While these
rates remain higher than those In
force In this country, the concession
should be of much value to Vermont
nurserymen and fruit tree growers.
Fencing Materials
All American duties are to be re.
moved from fencing wire, whether
barbed or not, as well as from pickets
and palings for fences. Our present
duty on fencing wire is not less than
30 per cent and on barbed wire &c
per pound. pickets and pallngs are
taxed at 10 per cent. The wire in.
dustry is well advanced In Canada.
and the competition of Dominion
manufacturers may well effect the
American market price of wire fenc. !
ing.
Cream sepsrators
Up to the present time a 40 per
cent duty has prevented Canadian
OF cream SEPARATOR
from Offering their product to Amer.
lean farmers and creameries Under