The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-02-14
ALL WILL BENEFIT
Taft Shows How Farmers
Gain by Reciprocity.
DEFENDS CANADIAN PACT
Declares 1t VIII Not Affect the Price
Of Corn or Wheat or Farm Land
Values President Has
Severe Cold

procity with Cenada will benefit the
entire United States-farmer, manu-
facturer railroad company, middle
man. warehouseman-was the decla-
ration made by President Taft in ali
address here at the National Corn
Exposition.
The following were the leading
points in the presidents speech:
TIE whole country. farmer, manu-
facturer, railroad company middle
man, warehouseman, all will be the
gamer.
Let the agreement go into opera
ton and In six months the farmers.
who now have fears, will rejoice in
this great step toward closer business
and social relations with our neigh
bOrs.
Should we not. by taking down
useless and unnecessary tariff wall,
bring within our agricultural re-
sources the great plains Of the north
west. when they can bring to Us what
We need. and that without hurting any
OF cur own people?
The tariff should be limited for the
purposes of protection TO the differ
ence between the cost OF production
in this country and the cost of pro-
duction abroad. with an allowance for
a reasonable profit.
The principle OF protection thus
stated takes away the justification for
any tariff whatever by way Of protec-
ton on articles imported from cOun-
try where the conditions as TO labor
and other circumstances are the same
as in ours.
The greatest reason for adopting
this agreement is the fact that it is
going TO unite two countries. with kin
dred people, in commercial ana so
cial union 20 the great advantage OF
both.
"Sach a result does not need 10 be
justified by a nice balancing G.. Pc
ounary profit to each.
Certainly in respect to corn ihe
American farmer is king and will re
main SO. reciprocity or no reciprocity
These figures (of farm yalue) show
incon,esubly that the fear of reduc
ton in farm land values Of this coun
try by letting in Canada products is
wholly unfounded
The price Of wheat is fixed by what
all the wheat exporting countries CD
get for their surplus in Liverpool
Hence the sending Of any part OF Can
adas surplus through our country &c
DO milled or exported without milling
will not perceptibly affect the price
OF wheat for our farmers
Spoke Under Difficulty.
The president spoke under difficult
~. he suffered noticeably from a Sc
sere cold and the consequent sore
throat and at times struggled hard &c
make himself heard throughout the
auditorium on the Ohio state fair
grounds, where he spoke.
The presidents physician, Dr. J.
Richardson, who had accompanied him
from Washington. ordered most OF
the program planned for Mr.. Taft's
stay here cut down to such degree
that he would be but little exposed
and would be taxed By speaking in
public only once. The president was
permitted TO make a few perfunctory
remarks at the banquet given in his
honor at Oxley hall, Ohio State uni
yersity.
The president spoke to the National
Corn Exposition. and naturally he de
voted part Of his time to dispelling
any doubts on the III effects the reci
procity agreement might have en- the
farmers who raise corn. The pres
dents speech was applauded at times
vigorously. His audience listened in
tently, but was not enthusiastic The
crowd didn't seem exactly to grasp the
meaning of the figures that Mr.. Taft
flung at it TO show that reciprocity
meant benefit. not loss, to this nation
and its farmers.
The president went from the audi
forum to the executive mansion
where ne chatted for a short time With
Governor and Mrs. Harmon. and from
there he was taken back to his private
car Federal"
The presidential party left for
Springfield, H.. where this afternoon
The president will address the state
legislature on reciprocity, and later,
if his cold permits, he will speak to
the Springfield Chamber Of Commerce
al rs Lincoln Day banquet about the
mastyred president.