New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-22
D1sCREp1TABLE "DUCKING."

.
Mr.. Roosevelt never Endorsed inc
reciprocity that Congress passed ana
president Taft signed When, before
anything had been done IN the mater
fre President mentioned the subject u"
tho ey-Presjdent as mere plan, Mr..
Roosevelt approved the general idea a.
il WAS intimated to him by Mt. Iaft
The sort Of reciprocity Mr.. Iait
said he was going TO give everybody
MIR. Roosevelt did approve as an
idea. The sort Of reciprocity Mr.. Tart
worked out against the farmer as
fact Mr.. Roosevelt did not approve.
He has condemned IT unsparlngly.-
The New York Press.
The attempt Of Mr.. RooseveIts ioI-
lowers 10 arouse feeling against Mt
Taft On account Of Canadian reciproc-
ity is one Of the most discreditabie
features Of their whole libellouS cam
paign against him. The plea that Mr.,
Roosevelt was fooled into supporting
an agreement and that he never APP
proved the arrangement which was
made IL absolutely without foundation.
Before entering into the agreement
Mr.. Taft consulted Mr.. Roosevelt fully
about the details Of the pending nego-
tiations and discussed its effect on
agriculture and the objections which
might be raised on the very grounds
on which Mr. Roosevelt denounced IL
when he sought the votes of the border
farmers. In reply, Mr.. Roosevelt on
r-..,,g-,. 20 1I11 ,rrnta.
Dear Mr.. President: ! at once took
YOUR letter and went over II with the
"OutIook" editors. 1t seems 70
me that what you propose to do with
Canada is admirable from every stand
point. / firmly believe In free trade
with Canada for both economic and
political reasons. AS you say, labor
cost is substantially the same In the
two countries, so that you are amply
justified by the platform. Whether
Canada will accept such reciprocity
do not know, but IL is greatly TO your
credit to make the effort 1t may dam
age the Republican party for while
but It will surely benefit the party In
the end. especially # you tackle wool
cotton, etc. as you propose.
But this was not all. II ii were
there might be some ground for say
! Ing that the approval was based on i'm
perfect knowledge. The agreement
was concluded pursuant to this advice
and was submitted TO Congress on
January 90. 1911, and on that same
dav summary Of its provisions was
published. An animated debate in and
/ out Of Congress followed, and every
detail Of duty changes became public
property, and every objection 10 the
measure, on the ground that it was
| unfair TO the farmer and on other
grounds. was brought forward. Yet
with all that information before him
| knowing exactly what he was doing
on February -, the very night before
the measure was to come to vote IN
the House, Mr.. Roosevelt thus heartily
commended it in a speech at the Re
publican Club:
I want to say how glad / am TO hear
| the way in which the club has to-
night responded 10 the two appeals
| lnGle 10 lEeIn 10 ubHOiu lllG iitiluS Va
President Taft, both in his efforts to
secure reciprocity with Canada and in
his effort to secure the fertilization OF
the Panama Canal And in addition
10 what has been said about reciprocity
with Canada, / would like 10 make this
point: II should always be a cardina!
point in our foreign policy TO establish
the closest and most friendly relations
OF equal respect and advantage with
our great neighbor on the north. And
I hail the reciprocity arrangement be-
cause it represents an effort 10 bring
about a closer more intimate, more
friendly relationship Of mutual advan-
tage on equal terms between Canada
and the United States.
Nor did Mr. Roosevelt stop there
Congress adjourned without action by
the Senate. A special session was
called. and after more debate, with the
full provisions Of the agreement before
the public in both countries and with
specific measures to carry 1t out before
both Congress and the Ottawa Parlia-
ment, the House again passed the bill
on April q, 1911. In "The Saturday
Evening Post" for April 22 was an au-
thori1od iptarviaxv u,ifh Mr. ROOSavaIt