The Washington times., 1912-07-18
RECIPROCITY MAY
Be ABANDONED BY
PRESIDENT TAFT
Political and Economic Rea-
sons Brought to Bear to
Induce Change.
BY JOHN SNURE.

Some Of the standpat Republicans in
Congress are quietly talking about in
ducing the President to shift his position
on Canadian reciprocity and come out
In favor of the repeal of the reciprocity
arrangement.
While the President has thus far out
wardly opposed repeal, talk is current In
well-informed quarters in Congress that
he is not as Arm in his allegiance to
reciprocity as he once was, and that he
may be led to sanction the idea of re-
peal
Important reasons, political and econ
omic, enter into the situation. In the
FIRST place, the President is planning to
make his appeal to the country for re-
election largely on the tariff. By his
support of reciprocity, he alienated the
support of many farmers in the border
, States and the northern agricultural
= States. 1t is being suggested by some
Of the opponents of reciprocity in Con-
gress that the President could strength
en- himself were he to come out now
and say the reciprocity arrangement
had outlived its usefulness, and was a
dead letter and might as well be got
rid Of
Good Political Move.
Tho political situation Is one of the
reasons why the standpat friends Of the
President are letting the White House
know 1t would be good business to come
out for the repeal Of reciprocity. An
other large factor enters into the situa-
ton, however. This Is really the Inn
portant one. SO far as the high tariff
men in Congress are concerned. They
view with growing alarm the evidences
that Canada is likely to reconsider the
reciprocity question.
The sentiment for reciprocity in west
ern Canada is not only strong, but in
some OF the elections in that part of the
Dominion, recently, especially in Sas-
katchewan, 1t has been overwhelmingly
manifested, to the discontinue of the
conservatives and the Borden govern
ment, which set out to repress 1t.
The growing sentiment in western
Canada is communicating its effects to
eastern Canada, and the cause of reci-
procity is now said to be stronger than
It was formerly in Quebec province.
Fear Loss Of Senate.
Under such circumstances, the high
tariff leaders in Senate and House are
more than ever anxious to wipe out the
hope of It, however But If they could
get President Taft, who wants the votes
Of the high tariff element this fall. to
come out for it, they feel it would help
and would add to the chances Of Re-
publican success this fall. Even II II
did not save the President, so runs the
reasoning, It might help to prevent the
/ Senate from being turned over to the
' Democrats.
The high tariff men in Congress are
confronted with this situation: They
: are utterly opposed to reciprocity with
Canada; but the sentiment in Canada
! for reciprocity is growing; and Demo-
: cratic control of the Government would
leave the reciprocity measure on the
| statute books and would mean probably
that Canada would be allowed a full
/ four years after next March to come
around to the proposition which this
| Government has sanctioned.
Taft Shal1y On Question.
It Is a situation they obviously do not
Hike. and while the conversion of the
President to the side of repeal would
not be decisive, inasmuch as the Dem
ocratic House would still stand for the
, reciprocity arrangement, they think II
would be long step in their direction
They are encouraged by the fact that
the word ls being quietly passed around
that President Taft is getting shaky or
/ the question OF whether to remain loyal
! to the Canadian agreement In view
of Canada's failure to reciprocate and
indorse II.
Meantime, the Canadian reciprocity
advocates are working with renewed
energy, and representations have lately
been made by them to London, in ar
informal way, that British influence
against reciprocity Is both an economic
and a political mistake, calculated tc
hurt Canada and strain the loyalty OF
the western Canadians to Great Brit
ain.