The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-05-04
eAROLINANs IN CONGRESS
Farmers Free List Being Quoted by
Anti Reciprocity Members-OV-
erman is POpuIar-NOrth
Carolina Officials
CBy H. e. c. Bryant.)

Washington. ID. c., April 26.-Sena-
tor Simmons and Representatives
Webb, Gudger and Doughton point
with delight to the report of the Com
mittee on Ways and Means or the
Farmers Free List bill. Several sec
lions seem to bear them out in their
views on the Canadian reciprocity
measure. e
Some paragraphs cited are: "The
advantages of the agreement are
greater for the people of Canada than
for the people of our own country. AS
the President said in his message Of
January 26, 1911. Reciprocity with
canada must necessarily be chiefly
confined in its effect on the cost of
living to food and forest products
I'm fact, action On the Canadian
agreement involves the necessity OF
further and immediate action in re-
moving a number of duties on inn
ports from other countries. in order
that justice may be done to the great
army of our agricultural producers,
who in the Canadian agreement are
to have all the alleged protection re-
moved from their products without
a corresponding or reciprocal remov-
al of the protective duties most bur-
Idensome on the commodities they
must purchase as necessary to Sus-
i tain their lives and industries. AS a
beginning in the correction of this
Injustice, against which our farmers
properly protest, the bill herewith re-
ported has been framed"
"By the eas agricultural tools
and implements of every kind are
placed on the free list, in order to re-
move or to prevent any possible dis
elimination against our farmers in
the prices of these necessary articles,
and to place them on an equal foot
ing with their OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
in the world"
Canada is our competitor.
The committee report quotes from
Mr.. Taft's Atlanta speech to show
that Canada would not give free trade
in many things, and the Democrats
who oppose the treaty cite the same
to show that they are right. The
President said: when we entered
upon the negotiations, / authorized the
Secretary of State and his commits
sioners to offer free trade in every
thing, but this Canada could not grant
us, because she has a protective sys-
tenn and she was afraid of the COM
petition of our better organized in
dutries." 4
The report says: practically all
that our people eat can be provided
by our farmers, but a very large part
of it is not and can not be eaten in
the form in which it leaves lthe farm.
The meat packing and distributing
business of the country is thoroughly
organized and is being exploited by
a combination of great packing con-
Germs commonly known as the beef
trust The existing duties on meats
and meat products are for the adj
vantage of this combination only"
The treaty, anti-reciprocity Con-
| gressmen argue is unfair in that it
takes the duty of the COWS but keeps
it on meat and other products Of the
beef trust.
at is well known that this trust,
through the strength of its organiza-
ton and position in the markets in
lures the producers of cattle and 9TH
er animals used for food by forcing
down prices; and also Expresses the
consumers of meats and meat pro-
ducts by establishing and maintain
ing high prices for these articles" the
1 0DO SIdICSs AuS IAG y AOO SOA
trois the market both in buying and
selling, and the result is a substan-
tial addition to the cost of living from
which all the people suffer"
Gas our population has increased.
our exports of foodstuf and food pro-
ducts have declined and imports in
creased: under these circumstances
duties on these articles have become
a heavier burden on the people"
The treaty protects and aids the
trust at the expense of the farmers
by giving them cheaper raw materials,
says Senator Simmons.
The report continues: "In the Ca
madam reciprocity agreement, cattle
and all other live stock, including
swine, sheep and lambs. and ~like"tC"
wheat, rye oats. barley, buckwheat,
and corn, are placed on the free list.
With the removal of duties on imports
of these articles from the only coun-
try from which real competition could
be expected, our farmers are openly
and avowedly placed in a free market
as to foodstuffs and food products in
the forms in which they leave the
farm. Representative organizations
of the farmers are therefore urging
that all the people shall now have
the advantage of a free market in
buying these foodstufs and food pro-
ducts in the forms in which they are
finally consumed"
"The general public is anxious that
no artificial shelter shall be maintain
ed to protect abnormally high prices
OF food articles in any form. The bill
accordingly places on the free list all
meats, whether fresh, cured, prepared,
or preserved in n manner, includ-
ing bacon, hams, shoulders, sausage,
and sausage meats and likewise lard,
lard compounds and lard substitutes
The report on the free list bill adj
mits declares Mr.. Simmons and Mr..
Webb, their argument. They say that
the farmer would get an unfair deal
if the reciprocity treaty is ratified and
the Farmers Free List bill defeat
ed or voted.