New-York tribune., 1911-02-14
GRANGE ANSWERS WILSON
Nahum J. Bachelor Says Secre'
tary Has Been Deceived.
DEMANDS A SQUARE DEAL
Sees Plot to Allay Clamor Tor
Honest Revision by Making
Farmer Protection Scapegoat.

Concord. n. H.. Feb. 1.-THE proposed
Canadian reciprocity agreement is attacheo
in a letter sent to-day 10 james "''so"
Secretary of Agriculture, by ex-governor
Nahum 7 Bachelder, OF this city. master
Of the National Grange, Patrons o. nus
bandry. and chairman OF the ies'siau''
committee Of that organization. The ie''e'
IS i'm reply TO communication taVorhs
the agreement sent by Secretary wilson 70
Mr. Bachslder on February .. Mr.. bacnei-
der declares that the agreement is unfai'
to the farmers OF tho United States. who
ask for nothing but A square deai-cqua
protection for ALI classes and interese'
The letter in full Is as follows:
Concord. n. II, Feb. 13, 1911.
Hon James Wilson, Secretary OF hsricu't-
uro Washington. -. G.; ,. l.,
Lear SI-: We are in receipt or Your iet-
ter OF February 9th in which you endeayV, ~,
to SHOW thai the Canadian reciprocity pl''
il fair 10 the farming interests OF the couh-
try we deeply regret that you hdIe seg, ,,n
1T 70 take This position, ana Grsn"ed deprv'ed ' bv
YOU In rayor OF this so-called RECIPROCITY
scheme. ,a
In reply To our statement that nc penh :
ing bUt was one sided and unfair 10 the
farmers in that n makes no material re-
duction in duties on manufacturer at,iCie ~
used nv them. you attempted Ia DEFEND 1ne
continuance of high tariff FOR inanuiactur
ers along with free trade for the farmers
bv claiming tina il ia the protected workers
who furnish the farmers win tueT cti'i
market Nn would respectfully snhinr thst
YOU are simply repeating the pet areument
Of the domestic manufacturer. ana tnJl w
asst fting that the prosperity or the FARMER
depends on the workers In protected INDUS
tries you are claiming what is exactly the
reverse Of actual conditions. u IS on tu'
prosperity Of the farmers that the welfare
nf all other classes ses-manufactuTers, mer-
chants. transportation. interests and factory
workers-deye ends, and we cannot under-
stand how AT this lste day you should De
found repeating the stale and exploded the.
ory tha, the farmers exist By the grace OF
protected manufacturers or any one eSs
on earth.
mot Occasion for Discussion"
This, however. Is not the occasion for 4
discussion Of the general question of pro
lection versus free trade. The sole question
before the American people - whether
We shall have free trade in all farm prod
ucts and high protection for manufacture
articles. We understand that you are
protectionist What kind of protection Is I,
that would compel the farmer TO pay IRON
70 10 20 per cent duties on everything M
buys and subject him to free trade compe
tition in farm products winch can pe pro
y
country? You know that the price or tarn
land is nucn lower in Canada than In The
United states You know that tho wage
OF Canadian farm labor are mlch lowel
Canadian farmer buys his manufacture
articles cheaper. because his tarin dulle'
on foreign goods IS lower. You know ina
the farm lands of Canada are mostly virglf
soil. requiring no fertilizers. while orr lands
have been cropped so long that We mus
use immense quantities Of fertilizers Anf
Vet. knowing all this, you would stfiH'
down the very moderate tariff, sveragin.
about Is per cent. which they now receive
without giving them the benent of any rea
reduction Of duties on manufactures.
The esteem and affection in which W.
hold YOU personally and as the head on IN
Department OF Agriculture make diticul
suitable reiolnder To your letter. We car
only conclude that YOU have been decelvef
by tho special interests. which nave Gun
ninelv piotted to allay the country via.
clamor for an honest revision of tho tarlf
by making the farmer the scapeSoat for th'
sins of the high protection system. tls'
Won would never be found making such {
statement as that free barbed wir" fencins
will he boon 10 our farmers
Canada Produces No Wire
Do YOU not know. that the Steel Trns
sold last year i'm Canada more than one
hundred million pounds OF wire. dtlf tha'
va bought no wire from Canada? l' YOU
not know that this barbed wire provision
Is an attempt to fool the farmers ny
transparent trick? 10 you not srow that
Canada produces practically ne wire. ant
that with the duty on Canadian wire amor
lshed we would not import one pound?
You refer To the advantages to our Sreat
milling interests Of the free admission of
Canadian wheat. How VIII this help the
farmers? How will II help the consumers
Of our towns and cities? Wheat IS on the
free list. but -four Is To- be taxed 80 cents a
barrel, Cattle. hogs and sheep are to be
free. hut meat, both fresh and cured. Is TO
he taxed II. cents . pound, Is this an
honest measure in the interest OF the con
sumer? Is this your idea of a fair and just
reciprocity MEASURE Protection to the
miller and the meat packer! Free trade 10
the tlller of the soil
You refer to the drift Of population away
from the country into the cities. DO you
really believe that this reciprocity meas
rIre will tend TO encourage the back-to-tne-
farm movement Will II help the rarmlnS
industry to remove the slight protection
now given 1t, and continue to give higl
protection 10 manufacturing industries
Surely YOU cannot believe for moment
thai the way 10 encourage farming Is 10
open our markets 70 the free ADMISSION OF
chea per farm products.
We beg TO assure YOU that the Farmers
are not so easily deceived as many persons
imagine They know that their income
and the value Of their property are threat
ened by this legislation. and they are de-
termined to defeat It. They ask for moth
ing but a square deal-equal protection for
all classes and interests-and they VIII take
nothing less. Yours very sincerely.
y. J. BhCHELDER.
Chairman Legislative Committee, Nationsl
Grange
FEAR VESSEL AND CREW ARE LOST
BOSTON, Feb. l3.-Unreported for two
weeks the Gloucester fishing schooner Ella