Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-27
RECIPROCITY TO HELP ILLINOIS

Senator, Cullom of Illinois states
that the cattle that are brought into
the United States from Canada will
not interfere with the cattle raised In
this country. He says that cattle can
not be as profitably fattened in Can,
ada as they can in the United States
and the result will be that the farmer
from the states will buy his young
stock in Canada, bring it home. fatten
it and sell it, then go right back and
get some more and bring them over
instead Of taking the time necessary
to raise them himself Senator Cullom
says:
Much of these enormous crops are
used in our stock industry, and If reci-
procity with Canada is successful the
farmers of the United States will go
to Canada to purchase cattle, bring
them to the United States and fatten
them for market. This will necessitate
reduction Of our surplus corn, oats
and other products utilized for fatten-
ing purposes and will give to the
farmers OF Illinois the profit which
naturally should go to the Canadians,
but which cannot, for the reason that
they are unable to profitably fatten
stock for the markets as we can In
this country.
1T has been asserted that If we
must have free trade on farm products
with Canada we must have free trade
on manufactured articles coming into
the United States. do not believe the
farmers of the country will lend their
aid in the enactment of tariff legisla-
ton which tends to destroy industries
which have been responsible for the
prosperity they have enjoyed for the
last few years.
''The prosperity of farmers has not
been the result of any tariff on their
power Of consumption resulting from
industrial population. ~
There was much bitterness mani
tested In the house and senate during
the consideration of the bill for the
promotion Of reciprocal trade relations
With the dominion Of Canada and
grave fears entertained and expressed
by the opponents of the measure as
to the probable disastrous results to
the agricultural interests of the United
States following the opening of the
markets of this country to the natural
products Of Canada.
II voted for the passage of the bill,
because, in my judgment, In removing
the barrier between the United States
and Canada we are pursuing course
which will inevitably increase trade
and create and maintain that friendly
relationship which should exist be-
tween us as neighbors. We speak one
language; our customs, habits and
needs are the same; the economic con-
ditions surrounding us are similar. Us
1T Is Of the greatest Importance
that something be done in the direc-
ton OF not only retaining the foreign
trade we now control, but that every
effort be made in order that our in
dustrial interests may not be hamp-
cred by reduction of our exports of
manufactured articles.
by entering into reciprocal trade
relations with Canada we should be
greatly benefited. Our exports to that
country for the year ended March 81,
1911, amounted to $2S4,943,739, or
ST. per cent of it's entire imports.
With population of less than 8,000,-
900 this would represent imports
from the United States amounting to
more than $50 per capita of It's popu-
lation. The possibilities Of increasing
that trade are unlimited when we con-
slider that Canada is growing rapidly,
and will never be in position to COM
pete with the United States in manu-
featured products"