The Washington times., 1911-01-30
RECIPROCTTYPACT
AROUSES COMMENT
Politicians Uncertain AS to Final Outcome of the Pes
dents Urgent Message, But Believe Tariff Issue
Is Now Far From Settlement.

than he ever gave II before. He has
also given thought to the profound dis
turbance in this country caused by the
high cost of living. He saw with as
, tonishment the upheaval of dissatisfa
ton over the new tariff measure, and
was not prepared to see the Democrats
sweep triumphantly into power on ac-
count of the unrest over the high cost
of living.
| Those who think the President in
tackling Canadian reciprocity has done
it without reflection on all that 1t in
wolves are in error. President Taft
believes the cost of living question must
be grappled with and he has not hest
tated to take hold of ii. He does not
propose to stop with Canadian reciproc-
ity. This is but one phase of his pro-
gram.
In his own mind, he couples up with
the reciprocity program an Overhauling
OF various important schedules of the
tariff law. The most prominent of
these which he has in mind is the wool
en- schedule and the cotton schedule.
The program the President has in
mind is to cause the free admission
from Canada of foodstuffs such as are
included in the reciprocity agreement
and at the same time, or approximately
at the same time, to have the duties
lowered on the things people wear.
Would Lower Prices.
That such a program would cheaper
the cost of living in the United States
can hardly be questioned. OF course,
te-fO 81 h4
schedules would be followed by what
would amount to revision OF the tariff
and reductions all along the line.
1t is to be expect the Presidents
program will be popular in the centers
of population and, generally. outside Of
the strictly agricultural sections. While
the President insists that reciprocity
with Canada would not work to lower
the farmers profits. IL will be impos-
sible to get the members of Congress
from farming communities to vote for
the compact. The President, 1t may
be expected. is going TO make numerous
speeches for reciprocity in the next
eight or ten months. He is likely to
speak alike in the great centers where
the people are aroused over cost Of lfv-
Ing and in the farming regions.
Some say IL will defeat him for re-
election. Others say ii will bring to
Taft in the next election a tremendous
vote from all the vast population that
Is feeling the pinch of high prices, when
1t pays its bills for groceries, meat and
clothing.
Beveridge for Reciprocity.
Senator Beveridge of Indiana has
come out strongly in favor of the Cana
dian treaty.
Il heartily favor the policy Of Cana
dian reciprocity" said Senator Beve-
ridge. Il have spoken and written for
1t for many years. Now that this pro-
posed reciprocal tariff agreement brings
the policy of Canadian reciprocity with
in sight. every advocate of that policy
should labor and fight for 1t harder than
ever before. Certainly l shall do so.
Every believer in this policy must
applaud the thoroughly admirable mes
sage of the President to Congress,
transmitting to that body the proposed
agreement. That message is powerful
and unanswerable from any point of
view.
Whatever objection may be raised to
any of the items of the agreement itself,
every believer in closer trade relations
with Canada must and will earnestly
agree with the presentation of the
policy in that historic message"
Senator Beveridge declares the great
body of farmers have nothing to fear
from the reciprocity agreement, and
the workingmen and Balaried classes
will be helped. So will manufacturing
industries as a whole, he believes.