The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-04-13
EVILS OF PROPOSED
TREATY SET FORTH

4, Justice, Bateman & Co., the Phila-
delphia wool merchants, discuss the
entire tariff question in SO convincing
a manner, that only lack of space pre-
vents the Silver State from reproduc-
ing the entire article. However, we
herewith give that portion dealing
with the so-called Canadian reciproc-
ity treaty:
Several other circumstances have Oc.
Cured since President Taft s Winona
speech was delivered that have further
added to the depression in the wool
business. The recommendation Of the
president for free trade in agricultural
products with Canada has caused .
feeling of sectional envy.
The agricultural sections Of the
country are now arrayed against the
section in which manufacturing is the
main industry. The agricultural sec
tions find that they alone are to suf-
fer by free trade with Canada, and
they are incensed with this apparent
injustice, when the duties are still to
remain upon imported manufactures
which they do not produce, but the
like of which they have to buy.
This is already making trouble, and
it is now plainly seen that unlss all in
dustries that depend for their exist
ence on a protective tariff stand to-
gether, they will all be destroyed in
detail, and the wool manufacturers Of
the east are almost a unit in opposi
tion to the withdrawal Of any Of the
protective benefits to the farmers.
Congressman from manufacturing dis
tricts stood by the wool growers and
their greatest enemies were found in
group of Insurgent Republican
senators from the middle west
The American Protective Tariff
League, which is supported mainly by
manufacturers, in recent address to
the president and members Of congress.
states that they have always advocat-
ed and do now advocate the protective
tariff which shall adequately secure
against foreign competition all Ameri-
can industrial products, whether Of
factory, or of farm, and that the
Canadian reciprocity agreement is .
gross violation of the policy Of pro-
lection, in that it unfairly sacrifices
the interests of the American Agricul-
turist.
They realize that the manufacturer
cannot hope to retain protection for
his industry, when protection shall
have been denied to the farmer, and
they do not hesitate to say 80 publicly.
The sectional bitterness bred by the
proposed unilateral treaty with Can
ada, which is not reciprocal because it
lowers the bars on over 80 Der cent
of the commodities produced in Can
ada, while Canada only lowers the
bars on SO per cent of the commodities
produced in the United States. This
fully emphasizes the danger to the
wool growing industry of the presi-
dent's other proposition to "revise
the tariff a single schedule at time,'
which would act like that of well or
ganized army being beaten in detail
by an inferior force, through attempt
ing to fight but a single regiment at a
time, against the whole force Of the
enemy.
The danger to each industry when
standing alone was shown by vote
at the closing hours of the 61st session
of congress. Senator Culbertson, Of
Texas, offered resolution instructing
the tariff board to report on December
1st with a view, of course, to tariff
reduction), on the iron and steel and
the cotton and wool schedules. The
friends of all these industries standinp
together defeated this attack upon the
tariff.
Senator Culbertson Immediately
thereafter offered resolution that
the tariff board report on the wool
schedule. AS the cotton and the steel
Industries were not particularly inter
ested, and the friends of the wool in
dustry being unsupported by repre-.
sentatives of other industries, that
M IL, ,sak ii
this industry was successfully passed.
The greatest danger in the Cana
dian reciprocity proposition is the fact
that it is tariff bill originated in the
state department, sent over to the
capitol by the president with orders
for congress to pass it without change
Of syllable, under the threat that if
this was not done an extra session of
a congress, known in advance to be
hostile to a protective tariff would be
Immediately called. This is a dan
gerous precedent, for if successful,
what is to prevent any future presi-
dent holding the views of Champ Clark
from making a secret agreement with
Germany to import clothing free of
duty, in the avowed interest of giving
cheaper clothing to the consumer, for
as is well known, wool there is free of
duty and mill wages in Germany are
from two-thrds to three-fourths less
than those in the same industries 90
the United States.
The majority of the Democratic
house of representatives favor the
reciprocity bill, as it is step in the
direction of free trade, and thus, seem
disinclined to raise the question of the
constitutionality of the reciprocity
bill, although the constitution declares
that revenue measures must originate
in the house.
The Honorable John Dalzell, in his
courageous and masterly speech OF
February 14th against the reciprocity
agreement with Canada declared thar
up to the time of it's presentation by
the president s message congress knew
nothing at all about the presidents
secret agreement with Canada.