The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-11
DIRECT APPEAL k IS MADE BY TAFT TO THE FARMER Firm Stand Is Taken on
 Canadian Reciprocity
 at Columbus FARMERS PROFIT BY
 PROPOSED TREATY Taft Presents Figures to Show That Not Only Will the Farmers But
 All American People Will / Benefit

Columbus, O.. February 10.-CarryinG,
 forward his campaign for Canadian reef
 procity, President Taft today made di-
 rect appeal to the American farmer on
 that issue. He asserted that the impress
 sion which had gone abroad that reel
 procity with the Dominion would injure
 the farmer was entirely without founda-
 ton. and by statistics and argument he
 sought to lend actual proof to his asser-
 tions ! 2 Mir. Taft said without reservation .lat
 the reciprocity agreement with Canada
 would be a benefit rather than a detri-
 ment to the agricultural interests of this
 country. He said he stated this in an
 answer to criticisms which had been d.
 yected against the measure presumably
 on the part of the farmer.
 isiThe President said the greatest reason
 for the adoption of the agreement is the
 fact that 1t is going to unite two coun-
 tries with kindred people and lying to-
 gether across a, wide continent, in
 commercial and social union to the great
 advantage to both.
 Such a result added the President.
 ''does not need to be Justified by nice
 balancing of pecuniary profit to each |. MT. Taft's address was delivered at 3the National Corn exposition In the aud- gitorlum at the State Fair grounds. It
 was because of the agricultural character Of his surroundings and the presence of 2 . great many of the influential farmers
 of this section that the President chose 10 take up arguments in behalf of the proposed agreement from the standpoint of the agriculturist.
 Farmers Are Interested
 MT Tafts address was listened to ap- parently with the deepest interest and he
 was warmly applauded at intervals. Tho
 Presidents speech was not framed mere- kly os popular appeal to a class. but
 consisted in large part of figures in sub
 stantiation. of definite general claims.
 For instance. so far as the corn raisers are concerned, he said the total lCanadian yield was but sixtenths of one per cent of the total production of the United Statess
 Certainly, with respect to corn.' he addeds fthe American farmer is king aud will remain so. reciprocity or no reciprocity" This statement elic- ited Applause from the big audience and theY demonstration was renewed when the President. in closing, snids
 Let the agreement be adopted and 70 into operation and In six months
 the farmers on the border who now have fears will rejoice in this great lstep toward closer business and social
 relations with our neighbors. The whole country, farmer, manufacturer and railroad company. middle man,
 warehouse man. will be the gainer."
 Reciprocity Campaign M
 President Taft will press his reel procity campaign in Illinois tomorrow During the forenoon he will make brief extemporaneous speeches at Cham paign and Decatur. In the afternoon
 he will deliver a further. address on reciprocity before the Illinois state leg. islature at Springfield and in the even
 ing will make an address at a Lincols, Day banquet in. that citJA
 The President arrived Here today from Washington. at l :45 D. m. He was met at the. station. by Governor Har- mon. committee, of citizens and q I cavalry escott. 1..
 After a brief parade through the city MT. Taft m otored out to the falr | grounds. Following his address he vis- ited Governor Harmon's home for a I few minutes. Tonight yhe dined fns
 formally with 60 Ruests at the Ohio State university, leaving later. for Champaign, III. 3
 Owing to a severe cold and sore I throat. the President was compelled to ! cut part of the programme outlined for him in this >city On account of his f throat he appealed to the auditorium audience for silence and thus wns able 1 to make his voice carry to the farther- 1 est corners of the big structure pr. J J. J. Richardson of Washington is with \ the President. < MT. Taft will be back in Washington I Monday morning to remain until the end 5fof the session of Congress. He has not < amplifed his position as to an, extra ses- < zion, believing 1t we'll understood by this time. and that Congress will govern itself accordingly. .'4N ] s Benefits to Everybody
 While his speech today was devoted es- ' recially 10 showing that the farmer had ! rptliing to fear, but much to gain, lie at- \ tempted to prove also that all the inter-
 eets or the country would be benefited
 by reciprocity we have with pioneer
 energy pushed on to the Pacifc,' the. President said ''and taken up all tho good land. We are now. spending millions fl tO reclaim the arid and semi-ard lands of the great western desert Should we not by taking down a useless and un- necessary tarin wall. bringing within our Agricultural resources the great plains of tho northwest. when they can bring to us what we need and without hurting any | ofs our avn people"
 \ The President expressed the opinion { that In addressing corn exposition audi
 eLcs It would be particularly appropriate 1 TOT him to answer the criticism which had l been made of the agreement as an '.at- | t&ck upon the farmer by depriving him of production. "1t Is said to be manufac cturers' agree ment," he continued, ''that Is in the inter- { ert of the manufacturing classes and ad- verse to the farmer. I am a republican f and the republican party has always aG- I socated and pursued a policy of protection to American products and manufacturers For a long time. the policy had little or no limitation. It was thought that tariff or protected duties could not be too high : 1 ti.attif all foreign products were exclud- ed, competition would stimulate produc- tion and reduce it's cost and its price, The tenfptation to destroy competition by combinations became so great, however, that the party in It's platform modified it's policy and imposed the limitation that the tgriff should be limited for purposes of protection to the difference between the cost of production in this country and the cost of production abroad with an allow epce for a res$onable profit to the Amer k'an producer
 J Principle of Proteet1ep
 '"rhs principle of protection thtIu stated taxes away the tustincatton qf &ny tariff whatever by way of profession on articles imported from country where the com | i. (CoNTINUED ON FACE 11l |