Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-03-30
GENERALIZATION OF SENTIMENT"

Reports from wei the state would
lead to the belief that the meeting
held in Langdon yesterday afternoon to
discuss the question of reciprocity with
Canada, was but one of a series of
county meetings being held and to be
followed by the monster mass meeting at
Grand Forks on Tuesday next week.
Though avowedly non-partisan, and
merely for the discussion and expression
of opinion, it looks as if somebody has
got busy and that there is a political
purpose IN this agitation of North Da-
kota to oppose the ratification of the
reciprocity agreement with Canada.
There is one feature to this proposed
Disqualification of sentiment" that is
peculiar, and that is that no such effort
was made until it became apparent that
the special interests that are fighting
ratification were likely to lose out, and
as long as the senate appeared to be
safely standpat so that the agreement
might be killed in that body,no attempts
were mace to start such movements as
this. But the Sixty-tirst congress proved
unable to defy public sentiment to the
extent of voting down the agreement,
and the special privilege forces are try
ing to stir up opposition that they
hope will result in its defeat in the
Sixty-second congress. 1t is unfortunate
that they are making North Dakota one
of their principal fields of operation.
And yet, perhaps the choice of this
field is wise. For years the republican
party has been telling the farmer that a
tariff on wheat meant prosperity for him,
and by that means has induced him to
vote for tariffs on other articles, tariffs
that helped build up the ~monopolies
that have robbed farmers and city men
alike. The farmers have had this theory
dinned into their ears so constantly that
it is hard for them to realize that it is
false; that this country does not buy
wheat, but sells it: and that the price
OF wheat is not fixed in the United States
bat in Liverpool, the center of the world
market. That wheat, in short, is not a
! 'cal or national commodity, but a world
commodity, and that it is not amen
able to the same influence that de-
termine the prices of articles manu-
featured IN this country under the tariff
protection. Yet such is the case. Re-
ciprocity with Canada would not mean
a poorer market for American wheat.
But while the farmer is perhaps too
easily convinced as a result of republi-
can misrepresentation, it is impossible
to see how the business men of North
Dakota could be misled. They would
experience in reciprocity, a great gain
for their business. This gain will come
in more active business along all lines
through a broadening of the markets.
Even leaving aside these features of
the reciprocity question ratification of
the Canadian agreement means the
driving of a wedge into the ubiquitous
tariff system that will result in better
things for the country as a whole, agri-
cultural and commercial. The big
manufacturing interests that have fat
tened on protection care not a whit
about this agreement, one way or the
other, as far as its actual provisions are
concerned. But with this agreement
ratified the people can say to them.
cts your turn next" and there will be
not one single, solitary agreement left
for the p~rotectionlsts to hide behind.
Reciprocity with Canada means a
staggering below at the protected in
terests that are preying on the farmers
and business men alike. Rejection of
reciprocity means the giving into the
hands of the predatory interests of more
power than they ever have had before.
North Dakota should join the rest of
the states in defying special privilege,
not play into its hands by shortsighted
Difference to the will of the interests
that fear the square deal, however
plausible may be the arguments adj
vanced by the standpat writer's and
orators.