Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1911-05-11
AZ. Parker Writes on Subject of
Utmost Importance.
ARE NOT "PAUPER LAB0RERS"
CIV Of "Cheap Agricultural Pro-
ducts" all Buncombe.

To the Free Press: 1t is estimated
that 400 or more people left Idaho
county last year for the purpose Of
securing land in the British posses
sions to the north of us. Official pub
lications of the United States and
Canadian governments place the total
influx Of American citizens into Cana
da as more than half million in the
last few years, and more are following
all the time. They cannot be kept
out with shot guns. These facts are
worth pondering in connection with
the Reciprocity treaty now pending in
the national congress.
The stand-patters, alarmists and
prophets of disaster who oppose the
enactment Of this treaty are loud in
its denunciation, and cite as their
stock argument the alleged fear that
the "Pauper Labor" of Canada will
swamp the world with cheap agricul-
tural products and thus put the
American farmer out Of business.
Their fears are groundless. The null
titude Of American citizens who have
gone to Canada have not necessarily
become "Panper Laborers' by the
mere fact of crossing the international
and artificial boundary line. Their
standard Of living is just the same as
it was when they resided here. Agri-
cultural products cannot be produced
any more cheaply in Canada than in
any other new country. The product
ivity of virgin soil is more than offset
by the increased cost of living in all
new countries.
As matter Of fact, the opening of
the Canadian territory will make
great and growing market for the
products Of American factories, mills
and mines, and is therefore necessarily
bound to benefit the entire population
OF the United States. The develop
ment Of the new Canadian country is
following precisely the same lines as
those adopted in the settlement Of all
the new country in the United States.
By a parity of reasoning the settle
ment OF all the great country west of
the Mississippi or Ohio rivers was a
menace to the farmers living east
thereof. In the short span of not
much more than an average human
llie we have witnessed the transforma.
ton OF wilderness into many great,
wealthy and populous states. The
canadian country is in process of just
such another transformation. 1t is
SIMPLY repetition of the historic
flow of population that has developed
the continent They are no longer
confronting an inhospitable waste, but
are rapidly developing into great
and growing land filling up with
friendly and kindred neighbors.
There is no force to the argument
lhat 1t is detrimental to the United
States to have this great wheat pro-
aucng country lying along our nor
tnern boundary. Rightly considered
Will become our nearest and great.
est customer, and in the time to come
the future students Of history will be
amazed at the fear of those who pic
lure disaster and ruin because neigh
boring nations desired more close and
friendly relations mutually beneficial
to both.
President Taft sums up the reciproci-
y situation very tersely in his address
delivered at the banquet of the Asso-
GATED Press and American News
paper Publishers Association, New
rork' April y, 1911. President
iail among other good things, said:
1anada has now between seven
ana eight millions of people. They
ut a hardy, temperate, persistent
'aee' brave, intelligent, and enter
pflslhe' sharing or inheriting the good
.a Qualities Of all their ancestors, and
i "i'n national pride III their Do
s1 m,iioh that grows with the wonder
a,,5 ~, success and prosperity that have
attended them in the last three de-
.ats eaaf,' ihey are good neighbors; we
;e9'a not have better neighbors. 1t
NM n,sfe than a hundred years since a
a aos''le shot was fired across the bor-
oa aes' a. and they are like us because our
.ohaltions are similar and because our
ma au''lohs are similar. They are
u'e la. restrictive in their immigration
Jaws than we md ,,orI, 49,, ora,,