The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-14
HAWKS IDEAS
ON RECIPROCITY
SHOWS HOW FARMER WOULD
BE THE LOSER ALL ALONG THE
LINE AND WOULD NOT GAIN
ENOUGH TO MAKE A JUST CON-
PENsATIoN.

ENOUGH TO MAKE A JUST CON-
PENsATIoN.
Fargo, N. D.. Feb. 1S.-To The
Forum: The proposed reciprocity
treaty between Canada and the United
States, If ratified by congress, will be
severe blow to the farmers of the
United States and more particularly
so to North Dakota farmers. Accord
ing to the provisions Of this treaty
everything that the farmer produces is
on the free list while the manufac-
tured goods will retain much and in
some cases all of their former protec-
ton.
If we are to make any change, why
not give each and all of us fair and
equal chance and have absolute free
trade between the countries and in
that case whatever is to be gained
or lost will be more equitably divided,
but If this should be attempted 1t
would be like passing a new tariff
bill. it would hit every section of this
country and it would be impossible to
get our congress to ratify the treaty,
but the treaty as it stands at the
present. time Injuries the United States
farmers alone and without giving them
anything in return.
Even now during the agitation of
this subject the prices of farm pro-
ducts in the two countries are daily
growing closer together, on Feb. 10
the price of wheat declined in Mime
apolis about cents per bushel and
on the same day there was an adj
vance in Winnipeg; why, simply be-
cause the buyers and consumers Of
country are looking forward to the
time when the Canadian wheat sur
plus will be dumped on our markets.
and the Canadians think they will have
place to dump that surplus.
1t win not affect us so much just
at the present time as it will in the
future for at the present time the
Canadian surplus it not nearly as large
as it is likely to be-. Now a normal
crop in this country is about 700,-
00O, 900 bushels while a normal crop in
Canada is about 100000, 900 bushels
and with these figures their surplus
is about equal to ours, and how will
it be when they produce as much as
we do and with the present increase
in production and the possibilities of
that country it will not be long be-
fore their production will equal or
exceed ours.
The friends of this treaty tell us that
our products will continue to have
the same protection as before except
ing as to Canada but / would like to
have them tell us what good protection
is to the United States farmer as
against any other country on the face
of the earth. 1t is true that we inn
port eggs and potatoes sometimes from
other countries but only in compar-
atively small way.
Already farmers of western Can
ada are holding jollification meetings
over the bright prospects coming for
them and the manufacturers of the
eastern states think they can see an
increase / ntrade for their products
but it is all at the expense of the Unit
ed States farmers.
In a way the farmers themselves
are partly toa blame for the proposed
treaty for many a republican senator
and congressman was replaced by a
democrat at the last election, some
times in agricultural states and the
main reason was on account of dis
satisfaction over the new tariff bill
coupled with the cry of "the high cost
Of living" the farmers not realizing
that they were selling the greater part
of that living and reaping the, benefit
more than others.
Senator McCumber stood bravely
and fought valiently for the farmers
interests while the Payne Aldrich
tariff bill was being enacted but did
the farmers of this state rally to his
support and enlist under his banner
during the last campaign in manner
and to the extent that was due him
! | will say emphatically,~ no. Many
of them were talking that the protec-
ton on farmers produce was only a
myth, and l am sorry to say that
many OF them We're claiming to be re-
publicans, and now 1t Is amusing to
see some of these same men bowling
as loudly as any one against the pro-
posed treaty.
This is an agricultural state, in fact
do not think there is another state
| in the union that comes nearer being
an exclusively agricultural state than
does North Dakota. Every man, wo-
man and child in this state gets his
living, either directly or indirectly
from the farm. SO that our interests
are Identical and all should stand firm
ly for protection on farm products
1t seems to me we are giving more
than we get in return and as usual, the
farmer is getting the worst of it.
/ In a speech at Ottawa recently, Sin
Donald Mann made the following
statement: 81 recognize that the
most important element in any COM
Imunity is the farmers. They are pro-
ducing from the earth. They are en-
Titled to the first consideration from
any government. BY this agreement
they gain entry to a market of 100,-