The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-02-09
CANADIAN WRITES LETTER
Talks Of Hides, Shoes, Sugars and
Tariff

w. d. Trego, former resident
of Blackfoot and a Republican who
sometimes questioned the wisdom of
the high protective tariff, moved to
Alberta in 1907 and went to farm
ing on the big prairies. He helped
organize the Unied Farmers of AL
berta that has covered the prairie
provinces and had so much to do
with turning out Premier Mayhem
and Installing Mckenzie King in his
place as the leader of the liberals
and progressives now in control Of
the dominion government as a result
Of the elections Of December, 1921.
The farmers of Canada have been
studying tariff schedules and saying
some very positive things since hard
times came on, and the fellows who
had cattle to feed and wanted to
cross them into Montana to feed
them on alfalfa and then 60 into
Minnesota to finish hem off on corn
before putting them on the market,
found themselves shut off when we
enacted the emergency tariff laws Of
last year. The Albertans claim that
it killed their chances to buy feed,
and that it killed our chances to sell
feed, and that we lost business and
money on both sides of the line.
It is rather significant that Canada
did the same thing in their recent
election that Australia did long
ahead Of them-turned out the con-
servatives and elected liberals and
prournccivoc Auctro1i Ito hod i%c h a M
times before other countries did, be-
cause they were so isolated during
the war they could not get ships to
carry goods either way. Canada fol-
lowed suit, declaring that present
world conditions call for the removal
of all possible artificial and legal
trade restrictions. German factory
operatives are working for six, eight
and ten cents day and the Huns
say they cannot pay the indemnity
unless they can pay in goods. We
are 'sore" at them and don't like
to take their stuff at any price. The
statesmen Of the world are asking
each other seriously what can be
done about it.
The Trego letter referred to in the
headlines of this article, throws some
light on what the Canadians are
thinking and saying, and 1t leads
up to the question of what would
happen if the Canadian line were
forgotten for generation, and no
sentinels or other officials were
posted at the border:
The Canadian Letter:
February 2, 1922.
Mr.. B. A. Trego,
Blackfoot, Idaho.
Dear Brother:
I have your favor. of the thirtieth
ult. and contents carefully noted and
l wish to thank you for the informa-
ton.
The last paragraph about the
sugar company likely not operating
their factories this year, and that
you think they are watching the
tariff measures has set me thinking.
wonder what will be the outcome
if all the countries of the world con-
tinue their mad fight in the build
ing of tariff walls, excepting Hol-
land.
Each country seems to want to
export but does not want to import.
Can they all live within them
selves?
It has been estimated that If the
Canadian farmers and stockmen
would continue to- produce at our
present rate and with our present
population that every citizen within
the dominion would have to con-
sumo 400 pounds of. bread daily and
a fOur-Year-Qld steer every ten DAYS