FARMERS AND RECIPROCITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1097, 8 April 1911, Page 5

FARMERS AND RECIPROCITY.

'AN AGITATION IN THE WEST. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright New York, April 6. Farmers in the North-AYestern States are organising to secure a hearing for the Reciprocity Agreement in the United States Congress. The members of the Democratic party in the Scnato at a caucus meeting decided.to support reciprocity. » ■

'AS"AMERICAN ARGUMENT. Mr. James J. Hill, the American railway magnate, and president of tlio Great Northern Railway, who rules in the North-West States, said recently:— "The pending Reciprocity Treaty before Congress is : the most important this country bos had before it sinco the civil war. If, after having Canada waiting forty years, we turn her down again, our country will suffer, and one of the hardest hit of our industries will be}that of wheat-raising. England is waiting and watching: for just that thing to happen. "Within the fortnight Austen Chamberlain had called up for decision in the British Parliament the measure providing an Imperial federation for England and her colonies. "Suppose that Canada joins the Imperial federation of English colonies, as is proposed. A reasonable differential that England might impose upon our wheat would be fifteen cents, a bushel, and that would mean our wheat-growers would find their whole product lowered that much per bushel in value. Great Britain would tako over practically all of the 200.000,000 dollars in round'numbers that Canada now pays us for manufactured articles; add the six hundred and more millions we export to Great Britain, and we find that, if we fail (o adopt ft. reciprocity agreement with Canada and drive it to an Imperial federation, w'o'are cheapening our wheat crop annually, say, fifteen cents, .per bushel, and at the same time •wo are losing 800,000,000 dollars of export business nf export business lo England and Canada."