The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-10-25
INsINCERITY AND DEMAGOGlSM
OF THIRD TERM CAN
DIDATE SHOWN.
WHY HE SHIFTED POSITION
He Not Only Favored Reciprocity but
Wrote President Taft That He
Firmly Believed In Free Trade
With Canada.

question. Mr.. Roosevelt favors Tree
trade with Canada and was an ardent
advocate and supporter of reciprocity
until he found that its endorsement
would not help him In his third term
race.
President Taft, while he was con-
siderlng the question Of reciprocity,
naturally consulted with ex-President
Roosevelt. He knew that Mr.. Roose-
welt had been president, that he was
familiar with the subject and that he
was, at that time, a good and loyal
Republican. When, In the course OF
a lengthy letter. he asked Mr.. Roose-
velt's advice, he reviewed both sides
of the matter In impartial fashion.
Mr.. 'Roosevelt's reply was not only a
full endorsement but he went SO far
al to advocate absolute free trade
with Canada Mr.. Roosevelt wrote
az follows:
Roosevelt for Free Trade With Canada.
New York. Jan. IL, 1911.
Dear Mr.. President:
Il seems to me that what you pro-
pose to do with Canada is admirable
from every standpoint. firmly be-
lIeve 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 &C
cept such reciprocity do not know.
IA l. - ~UAAtA -
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 II. 1911.
he said:
Here, friends. In Michigan, right
on the northern frontier, have the
peculiar right to say q word of con.
rrstulation 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 . speech before tho Repub-
licap club of New York city, deliv-
cred on February IL, 1911. Mr.. Rooss-
veit rave emphatic endorsement of
President TAFT and reciprocity in the
following words:
81 want to say how glad I 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 Tart, both in
his effort to secure rocipYoeity 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-
velt now explains his antagonism TO
reciprocity by saying that he did not
fully understand the proposition and
endorsed It under q misrepresentation
Of its details.
Mr.. Roosevelt's explanation Is un-
worthy Of consideration for tive rea'
sons, In tho FIRST place. . man In
bic position from whom advice and
suggestion had been sought BY the
president Of the United States ought
not to admit having hastily endorsed
without moving what he
was doing. As matter of fact. Mr..
letters and speeches
above quoted are exactly In line with
his record.
More than this, Mr.. Roosevelt's ex-
PLANTATION 10 an insult to the intelli-
gent voter because In his letter to
President Taft he says. 81 firmly be-
lieve in free trade with Canada"
This is going farther than President
Taft ever went, because Mr.. Tafts
idea of reciprocity was to obtain val
liable consideration In return for con-
cessions granted. Roosevelts free
trade proposition IL enacted into law
would break down all the barriers
between Canada and the United
States and would cause tremendous
loss to American farmers.
The fact La 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 |
Republican national convention. when
he found that reciprocity was unpop- |
llar. Then he shifted. His pres
INT attitude demonstrates his utter
and shows that he is ready |
70 do anything to catch votes. He
g 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
10 doing he would gain few votes Ia
In example of demagogfsm thorough
y typical Of his character.
II Is also important to remember
hat IL a Democratic president should
70 elected reciprocity with Canada
would soon be an accomplished, fact.
nasmuoh as the Democrats In the
louise OF Representatives voted for It
md also voted against repeating the
aw which had been passed. Demo
,ratlc reciprocity Is the kind that