The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-10-10
WITHOUT A TARIFF THE PAN.
ANA CANAL WOULD SUBJECT
THEM TO DIRECT CON-
PETITION.
THE SPLENDID HOME MARKET
Would Be Ruined by Free Products
Of South America, Cheap Land and
Labor Some Homely Truths by
William Mckinley, the Father Of
Good Times.
(By James Boyle, Private Secretary
to Governor McKinleyO


vitality interested in the success of
the Republican party than are the
farmers, And yet it is to the farmers
that the Democrats are making the
most demagogic appeals. 1t must, at
the outset, be frankly recognized that
4 great many farmers are displeased
at President Taft on account of his
endeavors to secure reciprocity with
Canada. But as a present possibility,
reciprocity is now dead, whatever its
merits or demerits. Nevertheless,
the Democrats are hoping that the
corpse of the project can be vitalized
into live issue against the presi-
dent. This is amusing, and the par
tisan endeavor of the Democrats has
an impudent aspect, for the Demo
cratic party in congress favored reci-
pro-city with Canada, their position
being that it was step toward abso-
lutte free trade. to which they are in
fact committed, although their name
for free trade is tariff for revenue
Cnly." Fair-minded men, however
much they may differ as to reciproc-
ity, agree that the president was
firmly of the opinion that it would be
beneficial to the consumers of the
country at large, while at the same
time it would not adversely affect
the farmers.
More Honest Than Polite.
1t will be recalled that in his pre-
convention campaign speeches. the
president acknowledged that he had
been severely criticised by a large
number of farmers on account of his
stand on reciprocity; but he pleaded
that he had acted for the best, and
that while he respected the right of
people to differ from linn on the ques-
tion, he would not change his opinion
merely for the sake of getting their
votes. Possibly this was a little
brusque, but it was the language of
an honest and brave man. Con-
trast this attitude with that of Mr..
Roosevelt. That gentleman heartily
endorsed the presidents plan of reci-
procity, and strongly urged him to
But reciprocity was defeated by the
Canadian people, and there were loud
Shouts of approval from large num-
bers of American farmers. Reciproc-
ity became dead ISSUE" and
there are but few now who are pre-
pared to urge it, for the present at
least Still, Mr.. Roosevelt had stood
for it just as earnestly as Mr.. Taft
and the Democrats in congress had.
But Mr.. Roosevelt became candi-
date against Mr.. Taft for the presi-
dental nomination, and he went
West in pursuit of votes for dele
gates favorable to him. Now, what
happened? While on his trip West,
Mr.. Roosevelt discovered what evi-
IDENTIFY he did not know before: that
the farmers of the West-or probably
majority of them-were opposed to
reciprocity with Canada. Having dis
covered this, Mr.. Roosevelt COM
pletely changed his views. This may
have been polite, but, after all, the
American people prefer a man who
though they may be unpopular.
Raising the Dead.
But those farmers who are oppos-
ing Taft because of his scheme of
reciprocity, are short-sighted, quite
apart from the consideration that a
broad guage view Of the presidents
policy and administration must make
allowance for difference of opinion on
some questions; and the writer feels
free to say this for the reason that
he was one of the numerous Republi- |
cans who did not like the reciprocity
scheme either in it's substance or in
the form or manner in which it was
attempted to pass it. But it would be
folly for the American farmers to
turn this government over to the
Democratic party simply because
they did not like Canadian reciproc-
ity-now dead issue, but which the
Democratic party would revive if
they had the power, and even go
much further. Just now there is
something else which is real, tan
gible and threatening, confronting
them-and that is Democratic tariff |
for revenue only, or free trade The
Democratic platform has declared for
it, and Candidate Wilson has en-
dorsed this declaration.
The declaration is sometimes made
that while protection might possibly
benefit the manufacturer and the
workingman, it cannot benefit the
farmer it being claimed that it
would be impossible for tie farmers
of the rest of the world to compete
with American farmers in the latter's
own territory; and it is, therefore,
argued it is useless to put protec-
tive tariff on farm products.
Powerful Foreign Rivals.
Those who so argue, fail to recog-
nize the possibilities of Europe in
agriculture under modern conditions:
and, looking to the immediate future, |
they shut their eyes to the vast fields
Of Russia, which are showing capa-
bilities of enormous production of |
cereals which could compete with the |
farms of Canada and the United |
States, with cheap water rates. They |
also ignore the enormous stretches of |
arabic and pasture lands in South
America, to be had for a song, which
can be worked with cheap labor; and |
after the opening of the Panama
canal the products of these almost
limitless territories would be brought
in active competition with the prod
ucts of American farms were it not