Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-20
INSIST THAT TAFT REPEAL CAN
adam RECIPROCITY MEASURE
BEFORE CAMPAIGN.
POLITICAL AND ECONOMY
REASONS ARE CLAIMED
Fear Of Democratic Success and Con-
tinuanes Of Agreement in Effect
Real Reason Of Anxisty-canada
May Change Attitude and Accept
the Agreement.
Especial. Correspondents

Washington, July 20.-Some Of the
standpat republicans in congress are
quietly talking about inducing the
president to shift his position on Can
adian reciprocity and come out in favor
of the repeal Of the reciprocity ar
rangement
While the president has thus far out
| wardly opposed repeal, talk is current
in well-informed quarters in congress
that he is not as firm in his allegiance
TO reciprocity as he once was and that
he may be led to sanction the idea Of
repeal
Important reasons, political and
economic, enter into the situation. In
the first place, the president is plan
ming to make his appeal to the country
for reelection largely on the tariff. BY
his support of reciprocity, he alienated
the support of many farmers In the
border states and the northern agricul-
tural states 1t is being suggested by
some of the opponents Of reciprocity
in congress that the president could
strengthen himself were he to come
out now and say the reciprocity ar
rangement had outlived its usefulness
and was dead letter and might as
we'll be got rid Of
Fear Canada May Reconsider.
The ;,ulitica! situation is one of the
reasons why the standpat friends of
the president are letting the White
House know it would be good business
to come out for the repeal Of reci-
procity. Another large factor enters
into the situation, however. This ls
really the important one so far as the
high tariff men in congress are con-
cerned. They view with growing alarm
the evidences that Canada is likely to
reconsider the reciprocity question. The
sentiment for reciprocity In western
Canada is not only strong but in some
Of the elections in that part Of the
dominion recently, especially in Sas-
katchewan, it has been overwhelming
ly manifested. TO the discontinue of
the conservatives and the Borden gov
ernnent which set out to repress it.
The growing sentiment in western
Canada is communicating its effect to
eastern Canada and the cause of reci-
procity is now said to be stronger than
it was formerly in Quebec province.
Might Serve to Save Senate.
Under such circumstances. the high
tariff leaders in senate and house are
more than ever anxious to wipe out
the reciprocity agreement. They see
little hope of il, 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 republican success this fall.
Even if it 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
round to the proposition which this
government has sanctioned. 1t is a
situation they obviously do not like
and. while the conversion of the presi-
dent to the side Of repeal would not be
decisive, inasmuch as the democratic
house would still stand for the reci-
procity arrangement, they think 1t
would be long step in their direc-
ton. They are encouraged by the fact
| that the word is being quietly passed
round that President Taft is getting
shaky on the question Of whether to
remain loyal to the Canadian agree
ment in view Of Canada's failure to
! reeiprocate and endorse it.
| Meantime. the Canadian reciprocity
advocates are working with renewed
energy and representations have late
| " been made by them to London, in
an informal way, that British influence
against reciprocity is both an economic
and political mistake, calculated to
hurt Canada and strain the loyalty of
the western Canadians to Great
Britain.