The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-08
Knowing More, Scared Less.
The latest discussion Of reclproci


that paper. II closes by saying that
in the grand total reciprocity may be
a good thing but how II will not fail
to work disastrously TO the interests
OF Vermont we cannot see; which 10
reason enough why Vermont should
not favor it," Jestingly, we did not
suppose The Herald editor had come
to that stage when he believed Yer
mont should not support thing be-
cause he could not see the light, and
that that was reason enough.
Soberly, The Monitor observes that
The Herald is laboring under al
together mistaken ideas and impress
sions on some points yet 1t appears
that most Of the papers In Vermont
opposing this treaty, and the strong
est opposition from the farmers them
selves comes from localities away
from the border that do not under
stand the situation. Up here on the
border in Orleans and Franklin
counties, where we are more or less
familiar with the situation as 1t really
is, The Monitor believes there is less
opposition to the treaty than there is
in the central and southern part of
upon the situation with purely
theoretical mind. From personal OBJ
servation The Monitor finds the near
er the line a Vermont farmer lives,
the less he fears reciprocity; and al
most without exception so far as we
have observed, the former Canadian
who is now farming this side of the
border favors the agreement. We do
not mean to say that Orleans county
is solid for reciprocity, but we do be-
lieve there is less opposition here,
because we know from observation
what we are talking about, than in
the southern counties of the state.
Touching upon most vital part OF
the discussion The Herald says:
"The Monitor asks how. with Eastern
Canadian farm labor as high as in
Vermont, he can produce cheaper
than the Vermont farmer. We do not
know to what. precise locality The
Monitor refers. Certainly 1t cannot
be TO fair average of the province
of Quebec as compared with Yer
mont. If so, why is it that Canadians
come here to buy farms and Yer
monters don't go up there?"
Now The Monitor is especially glad
| this phase of the question has been
brought out, because of all phases of
the subject it feels better capable of
answering this than any other. The
writer being a holder of stock in a
real estate concern, and its treasurer,
| feels that he knows with some degree
of certainty the reason why the Cana
dian farmer in the past year or two
| has been coming to the States. Being
near the border and dealing in farms
almost wholly, and selling many prop
critics to Canadians who visit here
several times before buying, giving
one who asks questions a fairly good
| chance to speak with some certainty.
The Canadian farmer wrom whatever
part of Quebec he may have come,
except the extreme northern and
western part, to buy Vermont farm
comes:
l. Because farms are cheaper here
2. Prices for his product are a lit
tie higher.
3. To be freer from religious dom
ination and taxation.
T. He appreciates the advantages
OF the r. f. d. and more common use
of the telephone.
5. He escapes the saloon in every
small town.
6. He appreciates our superior
schools.
We make the statement again that
on the average the farms in Quebec
east of the st. Lawrence, and this is
the only tract of Canada of which the
product of the farms would compete
with the Vermont farmer, are higher
than in Vermont and that farm labor
is very little, If any. cheaper. We
say this without fear of proof to the
contrary
This being true there is but one
possible explanation of the fact that
on the whole the Canadian farmer
can produce and sell his product at a
profit, for less than the Vermont
| farmer The answer is because he
can buy feeds cheaper, investment
in farm machinery is less and the
costs of his -four, clothing, and other
necessary articles of living and farm.
ing are cheaper. And so far as our
study of the proposed schedule goes
we believe the conditions making
farming profitable across the border
now would make it profitable here
after the agreement goes into effect,
even if prices were a little lower; or
else the Canadian farmer will be com
PEELED to pay more for certain ma
chinery and necessities and the Can
adam will get better prices if he
makes profit
The great law of supply and de-
mand in Canada and in the United
States are so nearly alike that what
ever adjustment takes place in agri-
cultural interests will be so very
slight in final results to the farmer
that only a rumbling quake, without
damage will be felt when that imagl-
nary commercial assure between the
United States and Canada slips to-
gether
The Herald speaks of the ease with
which Boston milk concerns would
calmly reach over into Canada and
fill their cars at will" at such a time
as was experienced by the New Eng
land farmer last fall when he was
trying to get better prices for his
milk. The Herald apparently disre-
CARDS that fact that Boston is $50