Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-21
#iseellaneuus &eadias.
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY.
II is Now the Paramount Political
Issue.

/
| Canadian reciprocity as agreed
upon by President Taft and the Do
minion government promises to b'
one of the biggest questions injected
into American politics for many years
Already 1t Is agitating the entire coun
try, and especially that portion of 4
along the Canadian border, and Il
forcing new alignments in congress
the presidents recommendation will
be approved by both houses at thi!
session. 1t may not get through eithel
house. The general opinion in Wash
ington is that it will be passed by the
house Of representatives, however
and will be hung up without action In
| the senate
Properly speaking, the agreement
is not a treaty at all. 1t is simply q
recommendation by the two govern.
ments that their respective legislatures
| enact into law certain tariff provision:
affecting the two countries. The bill
embodying these recommendation
must take exactly the same course as
any other tariff measure. In the case
Of our own congress this means that
1t must originate in the house and be
passed by that body before 1t goes to
the senate. A majority vote in each
house will carry it to the president fol
approval.
II the understanding were really 9
treaty 1t would not go to the lower
house at all, but would require rati.
fication only in the senate, which
vote. Under the circumstances 1t Is
extremely fortunate for the reciprocity
agreement that it is not a treaty.
Senate Doubtful of Status.
There was question raised in the
senate on this very point, and as a re.
suit the presidents message was taken
from the finance committee and re.
ferred to the foreign relations COM
mittee, which Is the course a treaty
would have to take. 1t was under.
stood, however, that the foreign re-
lations committee would simply pass
on this one proposition, after which
the measure would be returned to the
finance committee.
AS the matter now stands a majori.
ty Of the Democrats favor the pro-
posal and many Of the Republicans
including some Of the insurgents, op-
pose 1t. Champ Clark. who will be
speaker Of the next house, came out
fiatfootedly for Canadian reciprocity
and most Of his supporters cheere6
his declarations. In the senate VIII.
liam ]. Stone Of Missouri, has taken
a similar stand. Among the Republi-
cans Hale, Hepburn, McCumber, OIL
yer, Young and other regulars are un-
lalterably hostile to the proposal
Beveridge, progressive, is for 1t, but
some Of the other progressives are ir
an embarrassing position.
On the one hand, Canadian recipro.
city represents a step in the direction
Of tariff reduction, which they have
long demanded; on the other, 1t takes
the tariff from wheat and other farm
products. These men come from agri:
cultural states. Their contention Il
that II Is not fair to remove the tariff
from the things the farmer raises anG
leave 1t on manufactured products
They assert that the only benefit the
farmer will receive from the arrange.
ment is cheaper lumber. They also
fear that 1t will increase the exodus
of American farmers into Canada.
Price Reduction Predicted.
The advocates Of the measure say
that 1t will reduce prices and at the
same time make it more difficult tC
corner the necessaries of life, that II
will build up the market for American
goods across the border and that II
will lead to better trade relations ant
more cordial feelings between the two
countries. The railroads running into
Canada and their connections in the
United States are especially favorable
to the agreement on the ground tha
| 1t will increase their business.
Incidentally your Uncle Sam l:
somewhat doubtful also. Canadian
trade looks good to him, and he needs
or soon may need those vast wheat.
fields to help feed his millions. Blu
when he thinks of his own farmer.
and wonders what the change will de
| to them the old man falls into g
brown study.
There Is one comforting thought
We are not the only ones in a quan'
Diary. The Canadians and the English
are also doing a bit Of thinking. The
conservatives in Great Britain are
making a roar compared with which
some Of our own objections are mild
They see the loss Of Canadian trade
the dearth of Canadian wheat, the
sitting of Canadian industries and the
entering wedge that may ultimately
mean the annexation Of the Domin.
ion to the United States.
England "JoIIying" Canada.
In the dilemma they welcome the
selection of the kings uncle. the duke
| of Connaught, as the new governor
general Of Canada. The Dominion Is
| just now assuming an unwonted i'm
portance in their eyes. They are ever
| feeding the Canadians with large and
assorted varieties Of verbal taffy. Here
is sample: In fifty years the Do
minion may so far outstrip the mother
country that the king himself Will re.
side in Montreal. This sort Of pabu'
lum does not go far with the hard
headed Canadian farmer, however
He smiles cynically as he reflects thai
| in the past the Dominion has giver
Great Britain everything and has re-
ceived in return nothing but three
cheers.
The liberals in England take a fal
more composed view Of the situation
Many favor the proposal of Canadian
reciprocity with the United States or
the ground that it will be step In the
direction of freer trade. The same
general alignment Is observed among
the Canadians themselves. The lib
erals support the measure; the con-
servatives oppose. AS the liberals are
in control both at London and Mon
treal. the groanings Of the opposition
will probably have little effect on the
outcome. 1t Is not without significance
that 1t should be the conservatives II
Canada and England who fight the
proposition and the standpatters who
are against it in the United States.
Many Important Reductions.
The articles made free under the
agreement generally cover foodstuff'
and the necessaries Of life. including
all kinds of live stock, grain, fresf
vegetables and fruits. poultry, but
ter. eggs. fish and sea food. cottor
seed OIL lumber and wood products
wire. some kinds of machinery coke
wood pulp, print paper and othe1
kinds Of paper.
| Articles not on the free list, bu
considerably reduced. with the same
rates applying to both countries. in
IL IL.