Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-13
Strongly Opposes Reel
prociiy with Canada.
Claims Free Trade in General
Products Too 0ne-sided.
Canada Gains Great Market, While
United States Gains Nothing.

Springfield. H.. Fob. 12.-Senator
Bailey Of Dauv1lle made public Satur-
day a letter addressed to him by
Speaker Joseph G.. Cannon, OF the Ma
tional House Of Representatives. III
which the Speaker strongly opposes
reciprocity with Canada.
TIE Speakers followers in the SEN
ate House. according to the DanI lille
senator, will fight hard on the floor
when the Canadian reciprocity reso-
luton is offered next week.
Following IS n text of Speaker Can
mons letter:
1T is reported in Washington that
you are about to consider in the state
Legislature. ct Springfield resolution
endorsing the commercial agreement
with Canada which is now pending be-
fore Congress.
That proposed agreement PROVIDES
substantially for free trade between
Canada and the United States in aSrl-
cultural products the farmers hhisheu
products. 1t includes, in addltion 10
wheat, barley, corn. potatoes oairE
products. eggs. poultry. etc, cat'le
hogs and other animals on the hool'
"Of course free trade in these pro-
ducts is BY itself one-sided, because
we give Canada an immense market
for her farm produce both III theory
and In fact, while size affords us prac-
ticallv no market for farm products in
fact. whatever may be theory. ot
course il there can be any advantage
riven rs which will compensate for
the burden of competition thus placed
on our farmers, we should be able 10
find il in the terms. l have not FOUND
il so far. and l note that tho CANADIAN
envoy. Mr.. Fielding. explains to the
Neither country that while Canada Is
gaining a large market in the Chlted
states the United States is not to gam
market enough in Canada to interfere
with English trade since few reduc-
tions are made on our products that
would seek a Canadian market and
these reductions are small.
"I note also one conspicuous discrimi-
nation. Food animals on the hoof such
as our farmers have to SELL come INTO
this country free of duty. but on the
meats manufactured from these animals
there is levied duty of cent ana a
quarter a pound.
Il have no time to enter into COM
plete analysis of the proposed agreement
but I send your another separate cover
copy of the Presidents message contain
ing the proposed agreement and sched-
ules. The agreement to ne and many
others seems substantially to deny pro-
lection to all agricultural products, treat
ing them as raw material and to accord
protection to all who use such products
in whole or in part as basis for some
manufacturing or finishing process.
MY object in writing to you Is to sug'
pest that If any effort is made to secure
action nv resolution or otherwise en-
dorsing this proposition while it is pend
ing before Congress, it ought to be done
onIv after a most careful examination.
"There is marked difference of
opinion among Republicans in the Ma
tional House of Representatives and
in the Senate, touching the wisdom
and the justice of the proposed agree
ment as whole. The Democrats In the
House have held caucus in regard
to the matter and have resolved to sup
port the agreement in the House on
the ground that while it is not all they
desire to accomplish, it is long step
forward in the direction of free trade
under the guise of reciprocity, their
position now and in the near future