The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-02-24

measure passed. and since That time tine
balance of trade with Cuba has steadily
increased in Cuba's favor. In 1902 the
United States purchased from Cuba but
few million dollars worth of goods
more than Cuba purchased from US, but
last year, after eight years of Cuban
reciprocity. our exports to Cuba
amounted to but $57, 7S3,617, while i'm
ports from Cuba reached the enormous
sum Of $l27, O43.778 A balance of
trade against the United States of over
$40, 0O0, 900.
Last year the trade balance of the
United States with the entire world
amounted to 1901. 567, 1893. in our favor,
but over 40 per cent Of that trade bal
ance was due to our present very favor
able trade relations with Canada, our
best customer. Our exports to Canada
for 1910 amounted to $2l5, 900, 021, while
our imports from Canada were valued
at $95. 103, 93S, balance in favor of the
United States of over $3.50, 100000. If
we can judge what the result of Cana
dian reciprocity will be from our ex-
perience with Cuba, surely it would be
most serious mistake on the part Of
the President and congress to approve
of the proposed Canadian trade agree.
ment.
I'm view of all these facts, I feel
more than justified in my opposition to
the rushing of this measure through
congress at this short session, for a mat
ter of such great Importance should
have most careful elaboration. l feel
it is serious mistake and sincerely hope
and trust it will fail of passage in the
senate, and on account of the great
amount of work now before the senate,
and the fact that adjournment is but
two weeks off, it is my opinion the meas
ure will die when congress adjourns.
Ex-senator L. D. Dickinson of Char
lotte, sent very able and clear commu-
nication to the Detroit journal in oppo-
sition to the Canadian reciprocity trea-
ty. He pointed out that while it put
livestock. grain, vegetables, hay, etc.,
on the free list, ostensibly to reduce the
price of living in the cities at the ex-
pense of the farmer, when it came to
letting in bacon, lard, canned meats,
flour products, ETC., after the raw ma
terial had passed from the hands of the
farmer into the hands of the manufac.
Cursr, the cost to the cities was forgot
ten and duty kept upon such pro-
ducts. Concluding, he says: "And will
not the laborer himself feel that he, too,
has been duped and sop held out to
him when he buys fresh or canned
meats, bacon, ham, lard, -four, break
fast foods, canned vegetables, ETC.. that
make up the bulk of his daily food, and
with shoes, clothing, cutlery, furniture.
coal, ETC., that, with the above, make
up nine tenths or more of the cost of
his living, and all protecteda He'll
soon find that the difference in the cost
of few pounds of butter, q few dozens
of eggs, bushel or so Of apples, q few
bushels of potatoes, cabbage, turnip,
o squash or pumpkin now and then,
will not effect his entire cost of living
very much after all. L never saw the
farmers 80 thoroughly stirred up over
anything since the silver craze. There
may be causes not yet made plain for
such an apparently one, sided compact,
but the farmers are decidedly in earn
est to know what these causes are. Per.
sonally do not believe the treaty, if
contaminated, would prove as serious
to the farmers as it would to the Re-
publican party"
4 II -