The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-13

ofhlNGr1ELD, Ill, teD. ll-SprlnS-
field. the home OF martyred pr,
Dent, today put on gala garb to greet
I President Taft. The home OF the
great emancipation gave an enthusi.
astic welcome. From the imposing
pile which shelters the state Offices
to the modest cottage, festoons OF
bunting, flags and pictures or Lincoln
and Taft were hung.
President Taft addressed the ILL
iiois legislature this afternoon on the
reciprocity agreement between the
United States and Canada. He said
the American farmer needs no pro-
lection against Canadian competition
because the cost OF production Is
about the same In both countries. He
spoke in part as follows:
The criticism that the reciprocity
agreement with Canada Is a manufac-
turers' agreement il wholly unbound
ed. The truth, as between Canada and
ourselves, a reciprocity agreement
must OF necessity relate more to agri-
cultural products than to manufac-
lures. Here we Stand upon more Of
an equality. In other words. the great
benefit OF this treaty is the profit In
mutual exchange that will come In
respect to the agricultural products
OF both.
1.-THE change in agriculture in the
older states from the raising of wheat
alone to diversified crops and the rails.
ing Of cattle and hogs, is what has
increased the return per acre and
made the prices of the land SO much
higher. The suggestion that the open
ing of our markets to Canadian wheat
and other cereals will reduce the
price of land in Ohio, Indiana, illinois
and Iowa, Is refuted by every table
of statistics that represents the COM
parative increases of land In those
states under the influence of the open
ing of the wheat fields 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 fluctuations, will make much
more difficult speculation, and will
furnish us greater insurance against
the short crops and high prices. 1t
will give 90 the United States much
greater control of the wheat markets
than II has ever before. 1t will en-
able its milling plants to turn Cana.
dian wheat into -four and send abroad
the finished product and II will stimu-
late the sale of manufactures and
other things that we have to sell In
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 market
at a profit.
"The Increase OF our population and
the reduction OF farm exports are go
ing on so rapidly that unless great
increase In production Is brought
, about within our borders, We shall
soon consume all that we raise and
shall need a source OF food supply like
that of Canada right at our doors. We
would be blind, indeed, should we neg
lect this golden opportunity to add
to the strength and virility OF our
country by thus increasing our SELF
supporting capacity.
There are those conservative pro-
tectionists who hang back from an
approval of this agreement on the
ground that 1t Is a departure from
the principles OF protection, and Is
| the opening wedge to let in free trade.
My own view is that no step could
be taken more in the interest OF a
reasonable policy OF protection than
the approval OF this treaty.
The very existence of the policy
depends upon our abolition OF the tar
| In where Il Is not really needed under
the principle OF the last Republican
platform. II we persist In retaining
II in these times OF high prices and
gradually exhausting food supplies
and base our retention on protection
principles, we shall rouse an opposi-
ton that will know no moderation
and will not cease radical economic
changes until II has removed from
the statute book the last traces OF a
| protective tariff"