New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-26

me a great deal 10 talk over WIN ,l 80
this issue. ! have, as you nave 49,, ,i"''
always been Il low tarU ana Io"lN-
revision man. and the reason WI:
favored the last tariff bill ana pralscu
II as the best one we nal t''l ~ ~. 80
That the consideration OF IL ON Its PI
sage and the efforts OF tn0se VIZ -,
tended il afterwards 10 snow than u
VAS a dtWnward revision were an
concession by the kepuDli ~ 20. 90, ~
that downward revision was ntceoSeis
and that the rule npheiu ~ IF The
Cannon ana other stadd-patIeis ~ ' a.,
orthodox type that no tarlII couiu wv
too high, because what YOU hecuYu ""'
a Chinese wall had been departtd j. ON;
Now. the probability Is thdt Mv,'diam
reach an agreement with our 'Huauia"
friends hy which all natural prouucis
cereals. lumber. dairy productS' iIul,S'
meats and cattle-shall enter DOM coui-
tries free. and that we shaIl SGt d -
vision-not "a heavy one a. NOul"
like but a substantial one. ana equlNd-
lpDt certainly 20 tie French reciprocity
treaty and probably more-on manu-
features -. 49,
The truth is that the minute that we
adopt In convention the proposal tnat
our tariff should hc measured oN INC
difference I'm the cost OF productlon We
necessarily adopt rule Whlch WOMB
lead US straight to reciprocity IN natufdl
products with Canada, because the con
ditions in the two countries are so SIM
lar that there T. substantially no on
ference in the cost of production. Ios-
siblv labor is slightly lower in some
parts of Canada than I'm the United
States. hut il Is also higher IN SON"
parts, ana the adoption Of free trade
would rapidly increase the cost 81 laDor
In those parts whore II rs cheaper III
Canada. so that the conditions would
be the same.
II might at first have q tendency 10
reduce the cost of food products some
what: 1t would certainly make the res
IL IN for
tuations. Meantime the amount Of 60.
madam products We world take would
produce a current of business between
western Canada and the United states
that would make Canada only an au-
junct of the United States. 1t would
transfer all their important business 10
Chicago and New York. with their bank
credits and everything else. and II woulh
increase greatly the demand of Canada
for our manufactures. J see this ~ an
argument against reciprocity MADE ~
Canada. and think IL is good one.
The proposition is TO make an ar
Tangcmcnt 10y which We sh"U present 10
both Houses Of Congress an Identical
bill, and pass il as an agreement for
joint legislation I'm this way We would
avoid the necessity fer two-thrds IN the
Senate. and would secure at once the
consent Of the House. which I'm tariN
matters is generally regarded as neccs-
sary at any rate This will cause a
great connection, presume. II will b,
unpopular in New York because Of Ger
tain lumber manufacturing interests
and the dairy interests. Ii will be un-
popular in Minnesota because Of wheat,
but on the other hand free lumber Will
be popular in some places. and as il
includes free paper ana free wood pulp
we may count on the fairly good sup
port of the press.
This letter, OF course. | must ask YOU
TO regard as confidential though !
would be glad TO have YOU discuss with
M ha loo oh
a proposition. and should he glad 10
hear from you as 10 your judgment OF
II ! think II may break the Republican
parry Tor a while. As ElIhu Root said
when ! talked with him yesterday. II
may be an entering wedge against pro-
lection. although II Is not Inconsistent
with the principle of protection as We
Iaid IT down In Chicago. OF course 1t will
be SAID against IL that We are taking
agriculture and making It suffer first
before we tackle wool and cotton The
blll Is not likely to pass the present
congress. and before the new Congress
comes together ! think | shall he able
70 make some recommendations as 10
the wool and cotton schedules and pre-
sent problem 10 the Democrats winch
they are not likely 10 find an easy one
Al least II will show the hypocrisy Of
some people. or course this f. no
ground whatever for Introducing and
pressing such measure. believe II To
be right, and If il leads on the other
''''i''' ~ h l'uh'NIbH III WOOL ana cotton
manufactures 10 the lowest figures and
10 what Is real measure Of the differ
cnce IN the cost OF production. so much
the better.
snail bc glad 10 hear from YOU as
.Oon as you conveniently can write 81
ms subject, because the matter 10 lust
~ ndhd ana II is quite likely that with
IN ten DAYS We shall reach an agree
ment Sincerely yours
WILLIAM H. TAFT
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt.
The outlook. New York