The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-01-31

great events. four OF them having a
profound interest for all America
though .wo Of them may be SAID &c
have concerned only the two states IN
which they occurred.
/. The truly national event was ths
message Of President Taft. unexpected
to the general public, advocating Tar
reaching and important reclproca
trade agreements with Canada. inns i
2 first step toward the tearing down of
tho unnecesSary commercial barrier
that an unsound and narrowing policy
| has erected. If the Recommendations
are approved by Congress, America
Will get cheaper food. iumbef, pulI
and paper, While the Canadians VII
get cheaper agricultural implements,
coal and furniture, and nobody VII
be hurt except such as have been get
ting "a virtual subsidy by reason OF
being allowed under the tariff laws TO
tax for their own enrich
ment. Canada and the United States
are near neighbors. and the imaginary
line dividing the TWO countries shculd
not be made Il deadline, over which
commerce could not pass easily. II
this Congress viii ratify this agree
ment for freer trade relations with
our ~neishbor. it will open the way FOX
the further reduction of trade bur
! dens, to which the Democratic party
is committed, and which Will help the
whole Each country con
sumes IN excess Of $47, 900. 900 in the
goods of the other, on which there is
now a reciprocal alteration of duty,
told the difference is only half a mil
lion dollars. But this value is 81 per
cent OF the United States i'm ports and
Sc per cent of the Canadian imports.
Moreover, only 9 per cent of our Cana
dian imports remain fully dutiabIe,
while "a per cent, or $S5,1a8, 900, OF
Canadian imports remain dutiab1es The
reached is by removing mutually the
duty on many foodstuffs. and by each
country making free several ~conlnodi-
ties already fpe in the other. This
list is increased by including many
secondary products in q manufactured
state, such as canned goods. The list
of manufactures which are favored By
this arrangement is larger than was
anticipated by the ma pufacturers OF
consumers, and there is a small list
OF special rates for special articles,
such rs coal, cement. iron ore and
dressed lumber. The removal of the
duty on paper and pulp by a recipro-
cal provision OF the treaty is merely
the renedying OF A blunder FOR which
the administration is paying the pen
atty OF repentance, and producing
fruits meet to prove sool faith.
The New York Times. in the course
Of a thoughtful editorial. SAYS. truly:
For us to oDstruct trade with Can
ada, and for canada to Obstruct trade
with us. is flying in the face of nature.
The WateF-ieNel route beside the Hud-
son IS not more Il natural a route
tfan those other routes along the riy-
erS OF the interior and III the valleys
tive the mountain ranges trend
ing north and south. II there were no
politics involved, the buyers and SELL
ers on either side the would
choose these routes. But men have
erected barriers between north and
south, where nature created barriers
etWeen east and west. And II is Gu
/, riouS to reflect that on both sides the
border there Is an irrepressibIe politi-
Cal cOniilct f"tWeen east and west. and
an almost equally irrepreesible ten
dencA toward commercial unity across
the artificial barrier etwcen north
ana south. 1t lnaE be said thar h1r-
man plumbers nave put aSunder those
"nom lroNiatnce had intended 10