The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-11
TAFT TELLS GOOD
POINTS OF TREATY
1t Will Steady Prices of Food
Products and Add to Ma
ions Resources
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
FOR UNITED STATES
President Says America Would
be Blind indeed Not to
Avail Itself of Canadian
Food Supply

SPRINGFIELD, ILLS. Feb. IL
After arguing that the American far
mer needs no protection against Ca
madam competition. because the costs
of production are practically the Same
in both countries, the president said
before the Legislature:
The criticism that the reciprocity
agreement with Canada 10 q manu-
facturers' agreement, in no far as 1t
II d suggestion that We were prompt
cd by manufacturer to avoid reduce
tons on any OF their goods, 10 wholly
unfvunded. The truth ia. as between
Canada and ourselves. a reciprocity
agreement must OF necessity relate
more TO agricultural products than
to manufacturers. Here we stand
upon more OF an equality. In other
words the great benerit OF this treaty
II the profit in mutual exchange that
will come In respect to the agrieul-
furai products OF both.
The change in agriculture in the
older States from the raising of
wheat alone TO diversified crops and
the raising OF cattle and hogs In what
has increased tae return per acre OF
land and made the prices OF the land
10 much higher. The suggestion that
the opening OF our markets TO Cana
dian wheat and other cereals will re-
duee the price of land In Ohio. In
diana. Illinois and Iowa. 10 reruted
by every table OF statistics that pre-
senfs the comparative increases Of
land la those states under the in
nasnce OF the opening Of the wheat
fieias OF the states farther West.
ITO let the wheat of the Northwest
come down TO Minneapolis and Chi
cago will steady the price OF wheat.
prevent its fluctuations. will make
much more difticait speculation, and
Will furnish ux greater insurance
against the short crops aid nigh
pricea IL VIII give 20 the United
States much greater control of the
wheat markets than II has ever had
before. IL will enable It's milling plants
to turn Canadian wheat into flour and
send abroad the finished product, and
10 will stimulate the sale OF manu-
features and other things that we have
to seal to Canada.
BY the bringing over of live cattle
the farmer who has corn will have
his raw material in abundance. and
will fatten them for the Chicago mar
Net M pFuHt.
The increase of our population
and the reduction OF our farm ex-
ports are going on so rapidly that
unless great increase in produc-
ton IL brought about within our Dor
ders We shall soon consume all that
We raise and shall need source of
food supply like that OF Canada right
at our doors. We would be blind,
indeed, should we neglect this golden
opportunity to add to the strength
and virility OF our country by thus
increasing our selt-supporting capa-
city.
= There are those conservative pro-
tectionists who hang back from this
agreement on the ground that Ii ii
= departure from the principles of
protection. and In the opening wedge
to let Ia free trade. My own view
10 that no step could be taken more
in the interest OF reasonable poll
ley of protection than the -apprera!
OF this treaty.
... The very existence. Of the policy
depends upon our abolition of the
tariff where II In not really needed
under the principles OF the last Re-
publican platform. II we persist In
retaining Ii IN these times of high
prices and gradually exhausting food
supply, and base our retention on
protection principles. We shall rouse
an opposition that viii know no mod
Grafton and will not cease radical
economic changes until It has refnov-
ID from the statute book the last
trace of IL protective tariff