The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-25
washington
WAS SHOCKED
Defeat Of Reciprocity Was
Wholly Unexpected
WILL STRENGTHEN TAFT
1T IS EVIDENT THAT CANADIANS
THOUGHT UNITED STATES WAS
GETTING BY FAR THE BEST OF
THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAeRlNED RY IT'S DEFEAT.

Washington. D. c. Sept az ofacial
washington has not yet recovered
from It's surprise ever the emphatic
defeat Of reciprocity by the Canadian
people Up until the receipt OF the
announcement that reciprocity was
lost practically all advices received by
cfactals were to the effect that Canada
would adopt the agreement by a safe
majority. In some quarters the mat
ter had all but ceased to be topic OF
conversation. 1t was simply a fore
gone conclusion that Sir Wilfred Lau-
rier would win easily. Under such
conditions the overwhelming defeat OF
the veteran Canadian premier was a
tremendous shock. 1t was wholly UNI
expected.
Advices from the scene of the con-
flict indicate plainly that the surprise
was not all on this side OF the border
line However, the Canadian elector-
ate has spoken so Enthusiastically that
1t is not anticipated reciprocity will
raise its head again for a long time
to come IL the result of the remark
able election had been close, conditions
would be very different. With the
conservatives In complete control OF
the dominion parliament 1t will require
great hardihood on the part Of the lib
erals to bring up reciprocity as seri-
GUS issue In the near future.
While it Is too early to predict with
any degree Of certainty the effect
which Canada's action on reciprocity
will have on President Taft's political
fortunes. there Is a strong conviction
hare that he viii not lose strength.
To begin with. his friends figure that
the farmers. who honestly felt that
their interests would suffer through
the operation OF a reciprocity agree
ment with Canada viii accept the YER
dict OF the Canadian people as an in
dication that they regarded the pro-
posed agreement as entirely too favor
able to the United States. In other
words, the president exerted every
ounce OF his influence to put on the
statute books Of the two countries a
law that would have been a good
bargain for the United States. It is
not believed that the farmers viii long
resent Mr.. Taft's attitude on recirroc-
ity In View OF this general feeling.
On the other hand people in the
cities, who believed that reciprocity
might contribute materially to q re-
duction In the cost OF living, may rest
assured that there was nothing more
that the president could have done to
further reciprocity between the two
countries He succeeded in passing
the bill through congress In spite Of
most determined opposition, more es-
peciaily In the senate. He went coun-
ter to the advice OF many friends In
doing 20, and made sacrifices from the
effects OF which he may not recover
politically.
It il believed that the attitude Of
farmers toward the president during
his swing around the circle from now
on will clearly indicate how they feel
,n the subject OF reciprocity, now that
it, death and burial are accomplished
Iacts. TIia reception by farmers 30 FAR
has not indicated any OF the cold aloof~
ness shout which the inaurgent breth-
ren have been talking. The frost"
hat awaited President Taft III the
vest has not yet nateriaiized. or
course, lit may come. but close friends |
IL his here are not losing any sleep
,ver the prospect.
The Insurgents arc worrying more
,ver the defeat or reciprocity than the
standpat republicans who have at all II
,ines consistently opposed Ii. While |
many Of the insurgents In congress
yoted against the bill, they were in
lined to hope that Canada would |
tdopt reciprocity. which would have
given them stronger issue with /
which To 80 10 the people and ask for
delegates to the republican national
II Ii officially stated that reciprocity