New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-20
KNOX ON RECIPROCITY
Secretary of State Makes Strong
Plea for Canadian Agreement.
SAYS FARMERS FAVOR IT
Annexation Talk, Says Mr..
Knox, Is Either Silly or
Malicious.

Pittsburg. Feb. l9.-P. c. Knox, oecre-
tary OF State. In an address at the Cham-
Der OF Commerce dinner here late last
night strongly advocated the passage OF
the Canadian reciprocity agreement ana
deprecated the references that have been
made to annexation. Secretary Knox SAID
In part:
The largest question that / know now
before the people for their consideration OF
that has been for many generations a.
question affecting the interests NOT onlS, %
ell the citizens OF the United states, Dul
OF all the Inhabitants OF the North Amer J.
can continent, matter which IT. all Oh us
bearings looks large and the cohsequenSSs
of which will be tremendous, Is the quesupn
now before the American people. before the
American Coneress--the question OF the re-
cipTocal commerce relations with the ~
ninion OF Canada. IL Is not new, ques-
tiun. the subject OF our commerce., REQ ao
dealt with In the very first treaty tnat the
young republic made with Great Biitain.
The Department of state was chaIeeo
under the Payne tariff law with the ousy
OF negotiating fair trade arrangement
with every nation OF the world, ana aitcr
hay ing settled the matter with some null
dred and twenty-five or thirty nations ou,
work was about finished, but notnlng Iau
vet been done with Canada. President Iait
negotiated with MIR. Fielding regarding iiol
only desire TO adjust the minor ques.lo'I
arising under the ne-Aldrlcn law, u i-
ly the giving TO the Dominion the hi''i' nun
tariff Of that act, but also q desire TO tane .
us the question OF reciprocity. Inc resu't
OF these negotiations is now pelole Nv
PEOPLE. 1t was our endeaNor, anu W
iieve we succeeded. in making an ariahss
nlent broad In scope and comprehensive N
detail
Expected Criticism.
OF course. II was not natural 90 expect
IL and II we nbu a.
rected IL we would have been disappolhted
I'll at such a measure could pass M WI. ~
criticism. 1t has been criticised MANY ;E,,teT
Ceuse IL Ia unfair 10 the asrISultural lhtei
ests 1t is said the American iarniei az
going To suffer. but who says IT! is u ire
American farmer. or is IT the interests s""'
have preyed upon the American 1o 30, ny n'.arir,
| had the honor last WEDNESDAY eN t.tis
70 address one of the most remafkaDIs
bodies of men ever gathered togethsr uliost
similar circumstances in chicago. NV ;.s' -.
this meeting not only was was, 'n sess6riatior In
favor OF thA ratification Of this arrange-
ment. but business mems oreaI .l1 s,',.o.a
from cities within FIVE hundred ni,eS' ,nter'
prosperity depends on agricultural ih'
ests. also ratified II. aaye
aso 10 have one of the young gentieIhen W
my department 80 70 the lprar! Oh ,,,sr.
loan newspapers printed in the agrlcultuIaI
sections of at least a dozen OF the sur ~
in the North Mississippi Vailey. N tHe
course az two or three DAYS he brought 70
me a digest Of editorials that he had mace
and eS per cent of them were heartlly IN
favor of generous reciprocal agreement
with Canada.
Annexation Talk Silly
Now Mr.. Chairman, why should we sup
port an arrangement such as THIS SlncS
the revolution there has been unolslurH.vu
peace. almost between tne Two ,.;ews NAV
have been IN the past. II is proDaply iioIs
true to-day than ever before that u.g sei
tinent and opinion In both countries u
crvstalized so that the desires VIII leao 70
the most satisfactory relations between the
Indeed. Mr.. Chairman, st seems to me
that the talk of the tendency as sHcn e e
the Dominion of Canada is either very Sill!
In the saner atmosphere and broader
a snacts Of the situation 1t is perfectly Ger:
tain that IL there should be a great Wor,u
movement involving this continent Canada
and the United states would act III most
perfect accord. -.
WHY should we not welcome an arrange
nent such as this? 1t Is march oil pTos-
ress 1t is inevita bic, 1t may not be done
to-day this week TINS year r,s or ID I me
onward march of the Anglo .Saxon, race.
The necessities of the race demand thdt
there shall be equitable, speeay 9eEe,otP-
west Canada And there rs, gentlemen,
lust as much reason 10 expect the opening
up of that country, for the purpose OF sup
plying foodstuffs to the world, is gong TO
iniure the old states Of the Union or en-
danger this country as a whole as there
was reason to object to the farmer and the
evertually pushing across the Mississippi
River ard opening up the great wheat
states. Did we become pborer OF IL? NO,
we are richer, prouder and greater.
Here and there somebody may he called
upon 10 bear a burden they did not bear
before Why do you pay taxes for the
support of a police force? Not because
your neighbor contemplated breaking the
law. No. il is because CT the general good.
and YOU put your hand in your pocket will
inglv for the general good And II will be
q heartenng thing for me and for the Pres
ident when | can say 10 him, as I have
said 10 you and do say again. that when
il comes to taking large view OF things
for rood commend me to the citizens OF
4-1,s