Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-02-02
FREE TRADE IN
FOOD PRODUCTS
Terms Of Agreement Between
Canada and United States.
PUBLISHED IN BOTH LANDS
Reciprocity Plan simultaneously Laid
Before American Congress and
Canadian Parliament.

Washington, Jan. 27.-Within less
than ten months after the initiation
by President Taft of negotiations with
the Canadian government there was
laid simultaneously before the Ameri-
can congress at Washington and the
Canadian parliament at Ottawa a
reciprocity arrangement.
Usually such arrangements take the
instance this was not done. with the
result that considerable time will be
saved in the contamination of the
agreement, which can be made effect
i've by a simple majority vote in each
of the two legislatures.
The animating purpose of Secretary
Knox appeared to have been to secure
a reduction of the high cost Of liv-
ing" by greatly charging the free list
so far as it relates to foodstuffs COM
ing from Canada.
The intention of the commissioners
to remove all duties on printing paper
and wood pulp was effected so far as
the Dominion government could do it
outside the limitations existing in the
laws of the Canadian provincial gov
ernments imposing an export duty on
wood cut or crown lands in Canada.
The agreement, to become effective,
must be put in the shape of law
a~mendatory of the existing tariff acts
In the United States and in Canada
and it will require sharp work to &C
complish this. so far as congress is
concerned, in the brief period of time
remaining of the present session.
The terms of the agreement were
made public simultaneously at Wash
1ngton and Ottawa. President Taft
sent it to congress with an extended
message urging the confirmation of the
proposed treaty. The state depart
ment gave out a summary of the tariff
changes as follows:
a. Summary of Tariff Changes.
"The basis of the agreement is this:
RECIPROCITY on leading food prod
ucts such as wheat and other grains;
dairy products, fresh fruits and vege-
tables, eggs and poultry, cattle, sheep
and other live animals. Also certain
commodities now free in one country
are to be made free by the other, such
as cottonseed oil by Canada and rough
lumber by the United States.
Tin and terms plates, snow dutiable
In both countries, are made mutually
free; barbed wire fencing. now exempt
ed from duty by Canada, is also ex-
empted by the United States. Some
new materials, such as mica and gyp-
sum, which enter into numerous in
dustries, are to be made free by the
United States.
Printing paper is to become free on
the removal of all restrictions on the
expectation of pulpwood.
Mutually reduced identical rates on
secondary food products such as fresh
meats, canned meats, bacon and hams,
lard and lard compounds, canned vege-
tables, flour, cereal preparations, and
other foodstuffs partly manufactured.
Mutually reduced rates on a list of
manufactured commodities which in
cludes motor vehicles, cutlery, clocks
and watches, sanitary fixtures, satch-
els and similar leather goods, plate
glass, brass band instruments, print
ing ink and miscellaneous articles. Ag-
ricultural implements, such as plows,
h%arvesters, threshing machines and
drills are reduced by Canada to the
United States rates.
"A small list of articles is given as
special by each country. Canada re-
duces coal to As cents per ton and
cement to II cents per hundred
pounds. The United States reduces
iron ore to 10 cents per ton, lowers
the rate on aluminium products, and
on dressed lumber"