News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1912-01-17
FARMERS AND RECIPROCITY
Much Speculation as to What VIII
Be the Political Effect of Mes.
ure's Defeat.

Since the defeat of Canadian reel.
procity by the negative vote OF Can.
ada itself, there has been much specu.
lation as to the political effect upon
the farmers who fought reciprocity so
hard. How far the agricultural peo-
pie are going to remember the reci-
procity episode and to what degree
1t will affect President Taft's chances
next fall constitutes a question to
which the politicians are giving de-
voted study.
The Republican managers are los
Ing no opportunity to assert that the
farmers will soon forget all about it
and that year hence they will be
voting the Republican ticket the same
as ever. However this may be, there
are some present indications which
point very decidedly the other way
and which afford scanty comfort to
those who are trying to believe that
the farmers are going to vote for
President Taft again, the same as if
nothing had happened. One has only
to read the agricultural press, to note
the addresses at farmers gatherings
and grange meetings to realize the al.
most positive certainty that the farm.
er vote of the country is lost to Pres
ident Taft forever, and can never be
regained, no matter how many ex-
ed.
One of the strongest opponents of
Canadian reciprocity has been the
National Grange Monthly, which is
the official newspaper Of the Grange,
with it's more than 100000 members
scattered over thirty states. In its
issue since the Canadian defeat this
paper has this significant editorial
analysis of the effects of the reci-
procity incident. Under the title
Just Retribution," the following is
said:
"The defeat of Canadian reciprocity
is more than the mere overthrow of
that Ubiquitous measure, which pro-
posed to hang a deadly milestone
around the neck of every farmer in
the land, putting him at disadvan-
tage in every transaction in which he
should thereafter have engaged. The
farmer has been saved, but speedy
anCV deserved retribution also comes
10 Abose who had so basely betrayed
hin{.
TT is impossible that such an over.
Whdlming defeat of the Taft-Laurier
deal as has been administered could
do otherwise than carry down to like
defeat its originators and promoters.
The crushing overthrow of Premier
Laurier in Canada is as significant as
it is deserved, and is one of the right
full fruits of the whole transaction.
That similar speedy and just retri
button is coming on this side of the
line is as apparent as the rising of
the sun; and it will be as abundantly
deserved as the defeat of Laurier.
The pe0r'a' of the United States have
their eyes wide open and there is no
question of the result.
Suffice it to close the incident by |
quoting a paragraph from this page |
one month ago, when the fate of reci |
procity was still in doubt: for it de- |
scribes today's situation beyond the |
peradventure of question: IF the re
suit of the Canadian elections should |
be the defeat of the trade agreement
which Taft and Laurier negotiated in
recent councils, against the best judg.
ment of the most intelligent states.
men in both countries, it will afford
the most humiliating spectacle in
which any American president has
ever been placed after the outrageous
methods that forced the ratification
of the treaty in this country"