The Alaska citizen., 1911-03-20
TARIFF MUST BE
 BASED OFF
OR OUR PROTECTION POLICY IS LOST SAYS PRESIDENT
 TAFT.

SPRINGFIELD. III. Feb. IL The very existence of the policy of pre- lection, President Taft said today is menaced by those who persist in opposing reductions in the tariff which are based upon high prices and a gradual decrease of the food supply.
 The president delivered his warn. ing to the Republican party. as it was regarded here. in his address to joint assembly of the Illinois leg. islature He spoke on reciprocity with Canada just as he did yesterday and all through today on his jour ney from Champaign to the state capital. His declaration that now is the time 10 make q reciprocal trade l arrangement with Canada came af- ter the news was flashed from Wash ingtOn that the house committee on ways and means had reported favor ably on the proposed agreement with Canada only with the aid cf , Democratic members.
 The president put emphasis into his announcement that regard must be paid 10 conditions as they are or protection must vanish This part of his speech was applauded more vigorously than has any uttcranCe of Mir. Taft on this rip through the farming country of the Middle | West
 There are those conservative pro- tectionists." he said. "who hang back | ,+ on the ground that il is a departure from the principle of protection and is the Opc ming wedge to let in free trade My own view is that no step could be taken more in the interest of a reasonable pOfcv Cf protection than the approval of this treaty. The very existence of the policy depends on our abolition of the tariff where it is not really needed under the
 principle of the last Republican plat form"
 The president said it was thought wiser on behalf of both governments not to make formal 'y-"hut to make an agreement between the executives by which each, reCOgniZ- ing his constitutional power in his government. should submit the agree ment in the form of statute to be | enacted and go into force on con dition that a similar statute was passed by the legislature of the other country'
 The president reiterated that he was a Lrotcctionist, but he declared again that the temptation to combine, by which the price could be con I'd of protection theory" This limitation of the protection theory" he said. "tOCk away any grounds for tar if between this country and any country in which the conditions of production are substantially the same The plank in the last RepIb- lican convention" added the preSi- dent. carried to it's logical conclu- sion would lead to substantial free trade with Canada
 The agreement. Mr Taft said, was necessarily of a give and take kind. He declared that it was not a man ufacturers' agreement, and that Can ada feared the competition of cur larger and better organized indus tries. Reciprocity between Canada and this country must of necessity relate more to agricultural products than 70 manufactures.
 The president again declared that the farmer would profit by the agreement. He spoke of the great advantages that must accrue to the American millers. when the artili- cial barriers between the great wheat fields were taken down. The nation, he said, unless a greater incrf ase in production were brought about within it's borders would soon con sume all that it could raise. We should be blind indeed" he said, If we reject this gClden oppor+ unity to add to the strength and vitality Of our country by thus increasing our self-supporting capacity.
 MT Taft again explained why he was in favor of an expert tariff com mission for re-eXamination of tariff schedules, schedule by schedule. Con cluding, he said:
 We have taken up those things that are involved ill a Canadian reel procity treaty because of the oppor- tunity offered Now is rhe accepted time! Now Canada is in the moOdi Shall she be an isolated country, as such separated from us as if she were across the ocean. or shall her people profit by the proximity that our geography furnishes and stimu- late the trade across the border that nothing but useless, illogical and unnecessary tariff wall creates?'