The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-10-23

but Il 10 greatly to your credir &c
make the effort.
| Ever yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Not only in his letter to President
Taft, but also In speeches Mr. Roose
Welt endorsed reciprocity. At Grand
Rapids, Mich, on February IL, 1911
| he said:
Here, friends, In Michigan, right
| on the northern frontier, l have the
peculiar right to say q word OF con
graduation to you and to all of us
upon the likelihood that we shall soon
have closer reciprocal tariff and trade
relations with the great nation to the
north OF u.s."
And In a speech before the Repub-
lican club of New York city, deliv-
cred on February 10, 1911, Mr.. Roose-
Welt gave emphatic endorsement OF
President Taft and reciprocity In the
following words:
II want to say how glad l am at
the way in which the members OF the
club here tonight responded to the
two appeals made to them to uphold
the hands of President Taft, both in
his effort to secure reciprocity with
Canada and In his effort to secure
the fertilization of the Panama canal"
Explanation Does Not Explain.
In the face of this record Mr.. Roose-
welt now explains his antagonism to
reciprocity by saying that he did not
fully understand the proposition and
endorsed 1t under a misrepresentation
OF its details.
Mr.. Roosevelt's explanation is un-
worthy of consideration for two rea-
sons. In the first place. man In
his position from whom advice and
suggestion had been sought by the
president Of the United States ought
not to admit having hastily endorsed
reciprocity without knowing what he
was doing. AS a matter OF fact. Mr..
Roosevelt's letters and speeches
above quoted are exactly in line with
his record
More than this. Mr.. Roosevelt's ex-
PLANTATION Is an insult to the ,intelli- |
President Taft he says, II firmly be- |
lieve In free trade with Canada"
This is going farther than President |
Taft ever went, because Mr.. Taft's |
idea of reciprocity was to obtain val
liable consideration in return for con-
cessions granted. Roosevelt's free
trade proposition II enacted into law
would break down all the barriers
between Canada and the United
States and would cause tremendous
financial loss to American farmers
The fact Is that Mr.. Roosevelt was
heartily in favor of reciprocity and
Of free trade with Canada until he
made his tour of the west before the
national convention. when
he found that reciprocity was unpop-
llar. Then he shifted. His pres
ant attitude demonstrates his utter
nsincerity and shows that he Is ready
% do anything to catch votes. He
8 ready to endorse anything that he
believes is popular and to condemn
hat which he thinks is unpopular
without regard to his own convictions
,r wise governmental policies. The
manner in which he has suddenly re-
'ersed himself In the hope that by
70 doing he would gain few votes Is
N example of demagogism thorough
y typical OF his character.
1t is also important to remember
hat II Democratic president should
e elected reciprocity with Canada
would soon be an accomplished fact.
nasmuch as the Democrats In the
ouse Of representatives voted for 1t
nd also voted against repeating the
Nv which had been passed Demo
ratio reciprocity Is the kind that
lie Canadian newspapers are hoping
anada will secure. because 1t will
lean that Canada will get everything
ON the United States and give moth
lg In return