The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-02-16
RECIPROCITY PLEA
B, PRESIDENT TO
BUCKEYE PEOPLE
Chief Executive Shows Folly of
Commercial Enmity With
Neighbors on This
Continent.

Columbus, Ohio. Feb. 11.-Reciprocity
with Canada will benefit the entire
United States. farmer, manufacturer,
railway company. middleman and
warehouse q This was h declara-
ton made by President Taft in an adj
dress here today at the National Corn
exposition.
"AAl Will be the gamer" he said.
While his speech was devoted espe-
cially to showing that the farmer had
nothing to fear but much to gain, he
attempted to prove also that all the
Gifted by the proposed reciprocity.
Tariff Wall ls Useless.
we have with pioneer energy
pushed on to the Pacific" h presi-
dent said. land taken up. ell the good
Hand. We are now spending millions to
reclaim the arid and semi-arid lands
OF the great western desert. Should
We not. by taking down a useless and
unnecessary tariff wall, bring within
our agricultural resources the great
plains of the northwest when they can
bring to us what we need and that
without hurting any Of own peo-
ple?"
The president expressed the opinion
that In addressing a corr exposition
AUDIENCE it would be particularly ap-
proprfate for him to answer the criti-
cism which had been made Of the
agreement, "as an attack upon the
farmer by depriving him of protection.''
TT is said to be a manufacturers
agreement" he continued. ''Thet is In
tho interest OF the manufacturing
classes and adverse to the farmer.
Opposes Prohibitive Duties.
"I am a republican and h repub-
lcan party has always advocated and
pursued o policy of protection to
American products and manufactures.
For a long time the policy had little
or no limitation. 1t was thought that
tariffs on protected products could not
be too high, that IL all foreign prod
ucts We're excluded, competition would
stimulate production and reduce its
cost and its price.
THE temptation to destroy competi.
ton by combinations became so great
however, that h party in Its plat
form modified its policy and imposed
the limitation that the tariff should
be limited for purposes of protection
to the difference between the cost o
production in this country and the cost
Of production abroad with an allow.
ance for a reasonable profit to ths
American producer.
The principle of protection thus
stated takes away the justification fol
any tariff whatever by way of protec.
ton of articles imported from a coun.
try where the conditions as to labo1
and other circumstances ere the sam,
as ours. and thus make the cost O.
production substantially the same.
Canadians Our Kindred.
Canada is u neighbor on tn,
north for 5000 miles. Her populatio,
soil is like ours. Her traditions ar,
the same as ours. Her language 4
ours. Her climate is temperate lik
ours, except h a her growing season
are shorter and sine cannot raise cor
in great quantities.
She has a free popular government
with a wage earning class as intelli
gent n as well paid as ours. 1t 1
difficult to see in what respect he
farmers have N advantage over GU
OWL except virgin soil in the far north
west.
"How is the farmer to be hurt?
he asked. He then took UP the eff
feet it would have on corn and whea
prices, in value Of farm lands in thi
country and on milling industries Il
this country.
He declared that sin respect to cor
the American farmer is king and wi,
remain so, reciprocity or no reciproc
tty."
Wheat Price Not Affected.
AS to wheat, he said the donesti
price Is governed by the world pric
and that the sending or any part q
Canada's surplus through our countr
instead of through Canada to be mile
or to be exported without milling wi
not perceptibly or materially affect til
price of wheat for our farmers
The value of farm lands, he sale
is affected by the proximity to marke
more h by any other element, an
he maintained the American farme
would still have the advantage in thi
respect. He also predicted a great in
crease In American milling as a re
suit of the agreement.
IT ,s q mere trnism," said the pres
ident, ito say that the farmers of
country constitute the wealth produc
ing class Of the country and that
is of h greatest Importance to cor
serve their welfare. When we have ha
good crops. the wheels of all industrie
have moved inc wealth has bee
stored. Any one therefore, who woul
initiate a policy to injure the farme
has much to answer for at the bar c
public opinion.
THE greatest reason for adoptin
this agreement is it is going to unit
two countries with kindred people an
laying together across a wide cont