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CAUSE OF FARMERS PRESENTED BY SENATOR DIXON IN SPEECH ON CANADIAN RECIPROCITY Last week, In tile course of the dis cusslon upon the ('anadian reciprocity. agreement, senator Dixon presented the cause of the Montana farmer. senator Dixon spoke as follows: Mr. President:-The senate is con fronted by a strange spectacle. A mi nority of the republican membership of this body, almost without excep tion made up of senators from the manufacturing states of the east Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Conne' ticut, New York, Pennsylvania. New Jersey, Delaware, ()hil and Illinois, are in alignment woith an overwhelm Ing majority lof tile democratic sen ators to enact Into law a tariff meas ure, misnamed a reciprocity treaty which, stripped of all disguises, is sim ply a tariff hill for full "free trade in all agricultural products" under the gullise of reciprocity withl Canada. Supporting the same movement for;, "free trade in farm products" we find i aligned ill solid Ihalanx practically the entire daily newspaper press of the great cities, botll those that have been and are the advocates of a "protective tariff" and those who have been and are demanding either "free trade" or "tariff for revenuet only." Inll this new political alliance we see lMlssisslppi and Massachusetts hand in glohve. and Pelnnsylvalia anld South ('arollna joyously acclallning tile new ly-proclalnled political economy that proposes protective tariff duties for every class of American citizens and American industries except it be for that portion of our population that earn their living in agricultural pur suits. At tile same time we see ill solid op positlon to tile measure every repub lican senator, with only three excep tions, from tilhe great agricultural states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michi gan, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska. North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah anti Montana, and the three agricultural New England states -Maulne, New lHampsllire and Ver mont. For this strange and heretofore un heard of political alliance there must be some profound and bascl reason. For nearly three solid Imonths tile senate has been in session to consider and debate the pending measure, and. whlle very Inany senators have been heard In denunciltion of the h111l, only two or three senators have yet raised their voices In even mild defence of It. There is another strange and un heard of procedure attending tills mat ter. After six weeks of hearings on the bill by the finanue committee, anld after listening to hundreds of witnesses as to the ultimate effect of its pro visions on the agricultural interests of the country, nearly every one of those witnesses giving testinlony adverse to its merits, tile finance commlttee sends tile hil back to the senate without either a favorable or an adverse re port accomplnpying It. Yet the great daily newsllpapers are proclaimlng that it must and shall be passed by the senate "without amend-1 mnent." That nlo mlan dare lay un Iloly and profane bands upon it in ally 'way. Is it not at least an extraordinary situation that reveals tile entire dally newspaper press, witth hardly all eK ception, lined up In solid support of this tariff measure that is misnamed reciprocity? I fully, realize the tremendous and overwhelming powes aor the press to create and foster public opinion. Its )ower for good cannot he estimated. When wielded ill a common cause it is irresistible. It is practically the only means for the wide dissemination of information. Generally speakng, the press intends to lie fair. But the owners of news papers are human. They are not en tirely above all the selfish interests that admittedly dominate tile rest of "Pree Print Paper." We know the campaign for "free print paper" thlat has been carried on with such persistent purpose since 1907. In January last the presideqt trans mitted to congress the. present so called Canadian reciprocity treaty, way of free t.rde In all farm products ucts while still maintaining duties on all manufactured articles, "print pa per" being the one ,shining exception to the rule. A few days later, the powerful' Amer lean Newspaper Publishers' associa tion sent out instructions marked "private to editors," as follows: "It is of vital importance to the newspapers that their Washington cor respondence he instructed to treat fa vorably the Canadian reciprocity agreement, because print .paper and woodpulp are made free of duty by this agreement." I am neither arguing pro nor con as to whether as a matter of right or good business judgment the compara tively small duty of about filne per cent--or $3.75 per ton--o print paper should be removed In a general tariff bill, but Ia not the price to be paid by the farmers of this country in the way of free trad in all farm, products for the remuneration of the small duty on "print paper" a tremendous one? Day after day we have been ohly too famliar with the staring head lines: "Reciprocity Sure to Pass." "Pretldent0 Will Force Congress to Act." '"PreSident Will Veto Reciprocity II Amended". "No Amendment Will Be Tolerated to Recleroclty 8IJ." "Senator$ Will Feel the Big Stick.' "Farmers' Oppoeltion Only Inspired by the .Lumben Trti*M,i and so on ad infinitum ad naesaum. I have, bean rbading with much In terest the series rf articles by Will Irwin, now runtnip in Colliers' Week ly, on the' history of netwspapers. In this country, and was eknpessed with his, eminently ¶air and Impartial treatment of.. this most interEt*ini phase of. our national development. After, paying fill and woll deseirved triute to the great wprk done by th presns, heals turnltoln a iUit as to ttt relation` that sometimes exists ibetweeh the "bUthisee offl.ee" and the- eiterial and new plip lpi l, ........ : ý When Canadian reciprocity has be. come a law, I would suggest to AMr. Ir win that he might add a most inter rating chapter on the relation between the campaign for ('anadian reciprocity and the "free print paper" clause in the. pending bill. Some Exceptions. It Is indeed gratifying to find three or four of the great daily new.papeiers that are frank enough to tell the whole story of the relation of "free print paper" and its relation to the so called reciprocity. In a recent issue the Phliladelphia North Ametican said editorially: "But merely because we conslidert honest and equitable a reduction of the paper schedules of the tariff " fitch would save the North American large - sums of money every year is no ren son why this newspaper should give its Sindorsement to an agreement which is to our self Interest, but seems more r; and more like a sham and a per'er I alon of real reciporcity. e "If any Americans will profit there e hy, save the beef trust, the millers, the organized middlenen and the e ne'aepapers. we are unable to see in ho they can possibly be. r Yet this measure is one that did not originate in either ibrunch of congress. r The legislative branch of the govern. I ment had nothing to do with its in 1 ception. The iprofoundt sllencee of its friends t in the senate chamber is unexplain r able. I The Real Facts. r Until the agricultural papers of the country began seome weeks ago to print the real facts in tile case, the people generally were under the honest be. Ilef that tile so-called reciprocity hill Sactually meant free trade with Canada - In both manufactured and agricultural products. I think I make no mis-statement of fact when I say the avotwed purpose * of the measure is free trqde in agri e culturll products, at the same 'Ilic' re taining the tariff duties on all mnnn factured articles, except print paper. Canada gets free entrance Into our great markets for her surplus agricul tural products anld in return somewhat lowers her tariff for a freer admis c sion of our manufactures. r In ilainl words the effect of the ,treaty is to cheapen tile value of the n products of our farms for the benefit of tilhe cities and manufacturing c('en t. ters of the east, to give the newspapers "free print papler.'' The whole arrangelnent being at tilhe 5sole expense of the farmers of this (I 'country. in return he gets nothing, while we remit the $5,000,000 that is now annually collected on Canadian inmports. Its avowed Ipurplose 'is to reduce the high cost of living to the population of the ctiles by lowering the price of agricultural produce. It is for the city and against the country. It is for the manufacturers a.fs e against the farmers. S It is for the east and against tile west. It is class legislation of tile lmst of Y fensive kind. The only argullmellt advanced 1in its T favor Is that "it will not hurt the lfar4ler-much." C if False Colors. id t has beeli sailing tinder the false colors of "Reqliproclty." That is a id beautiful name. It rools from the to tongue with a sweet accent. The very i5 term "reciprocity" appeals to tile bet d. ter instincts of men. It is like the it word "religion," "equity," "goodness," ly "mercy." "harmony," and other sweet 3f toned words that appeal to our better nature. Is But the man who is cenallored at the a- thought of real "reciprocity with ('anl i- lida" had better not read any more of t Ithe pending bill than Its title page if of he does not want to be disabused of his first impressions. Otherwise, he will experience a feeling akin to that which a deeply religious person would exper 5e lence should he pick up a nicely-bound tn volume labeled, "Bunyan's Pilgrim': ce Progress" an) discover within the tales of "'The Decameron." of 'The Decameron." Real Reeiprocity Good. I want to say in the outset that I am not opposed to real reclprocitSr with Canada. I would welcome it. I would not oppose absolute free trade in both manufactured articles as well as fartn products with our northern Ineighbor, where condlitions and climate and language and people are so closely akin. What 1 do object to Is making fish of one Industry and flesh of another. The line of demarkation that runs throughout the entire bill is funda mentally wrong. We have repeatedsy asked and no one has yet answered, why are all the products of the farm to be placed on the free list, when, by the terms of the same bill, everything the farmer purchases continues to be protected by tarift duties. Unanswerid Questions. The questions yet remain unan swered why, under this bill: The present, duty of 25 cents per bushel Is taken from wheat and the tariff of 50 cents per barrel is to be maintained on flour for the millers, and 17% per cent on "prepared cereal foods." Why the duty of 15 cents per bushel Is taken front' oats and the duty of 50 cents per hundredweight remains on oatmeal, Why the duty of 30 cents per bushel is taken from barley and the duty ol 45 cents per hundredweight retained on barley malt? Why,' with the duty removed from the farmera' wheat, there should be retained a 25 per cent advalorem duty on "biscuits, wafers and cakes?" Why the duty of 37% per cent adva lorem Is taken from cattle, $1.50 per head from sheep and $1.50 per head from hogs raised on the farm, and a duty of 1% cents per pound is re tained for Armour and Swift on bacon lard, beef, mutton, pork, and all other dressed mneats? .;:Why the present duty of 6 cents per pound on butter and 6 cents on cheese is.taken, away' and ,the duty of 20 per bent Jq retained, on. the churn, thai pkhes the same butter. Why the present duty of $4.00 pet toit is removed from hay and the farm1 er Is stiil compelled to biiy his "mnIw. ern and horse rakes" under Ia 13 per cent duty and 'hay todders" and other farming Ilimplelnlnts undir a 20 per cent duty?' Why alnil vegetables are put on the free, list and yet I dutly Iof lL cents per pound is still retained on "to-I matoes and other vegctahbles, including corn, In canlls?" We have inquired why. undelr this misnamed reciplrolity tr'eaty eIvery' thing on earth that the falrmer iraises (except ainol and sheep unllshiIorn. which' •ian Ialso ie broughIt in freel) hiis g1nell on the free list, and verythlllig on earth that he buys still retains I tnriff duty, and nio one has answered. Real Reasons. Mr. Presldent, there mulllst iie slllme reason whly this bill is helng lIrged for ianssage and I hope I anm fair-llinded enlough to discuss franlkly tile r'llls ll urged iiy sonme of its Iproponents for this newI' delparture In our present fl nanclul system. Since 1896 there has Ibeen a steady Increase In the price of all colnlill ties. The upward Inmovement of prlices hlls not I:een confined to the n'litedl States, but has been worll wvide. )Durlng the same pIeriod there has been witnessed a great world-widle niivemilent for the combination iof cap ital in all forlls of commercial enter prise. It has been the era that has wit nessed the formatioll of the great in dustrial conblnatlons that are poplu larly known as trusts and comlines. During tills 15-year period the tremend ,ous organizatlion of the luabor unionlls has taken place. Practically every form of labor, ex cept the farmer, hals now hecome or ganised Into Industrial and trades unions that enlbrace within their Ilembership an overwhelmllng majority of tile workers of the United States. The great comhlinattns oi trade and commerce have been nlmost successful in "steadying" and "regulating" the price of their commoditlies. The testimony presented by the gov ernmlent in the famous Standard ()Il and tobacco trust cases, the testimony of Judtlge (ary before the house corn Inittee regarding the workilngs of the steel trust, leaves no possible iroom for doubt as to the effect of thllese great iolmbinutionlls of capital on tile soiling prlces for every comnlmodity known to miodern business. Tile successful demands of tie labor unions for shorter hours and increase of wages has also largely contributed to the upward trend of Irices. There Is another fact that has allso, Ibeen of tremendous Importance in this world-wide mlovement of advance in prices. According to the last reporl1t of the director of the htint, from the date of the discovery of America In 1492 down to 1896, a period of over 400 years, tile total world production of gold, the umit and yardstick of all values, reached a total of $8,850,0.00000. in the past perliod of 15 years, since 1896, tile pro duction of gold has been $5,000,000,000. In other words, during the past 15 y-ears there has been poured Into the world's coinage of gold, five billions of dollars, or miore than 56 per cent addi tional to tile entire gold production of the world In the 400-yeaa' period pre ceiling. The purchasing po\'er of tile gold dollar has in the 15- year period since 1896 shrunk more than olle-thlrd. In the face of this great increase in price values, there has arisen a cry against "the increased cost of living." It has been felt most by those having a "fixed income." The wages of the wage earner has probably about kept even pace with the increased price of colliiodities. Tile man with the "fixed Income" has felt the "increased cost of living" more than any other class. Hence, a protlest has gone up every where and from all quarters against "the increased cost of living." Forgetting how we struggled against and prayed for a relief from "low wages" and "low prices" that blasted and scorched and dried up the ildus trial life of this nation in the years immediately preceding the year 1897, the people are now demanding relief from "high prices" and the "high cost of living." I think it fair to assume that the inception of this so-called reciprocity treaty arose from that protest against "the high cost of living." Frankly speaking, it was an attempt to some what "lower the cost of living" to the people of the cities and manufacturing centers at the expense of the farmling classes and rural communlities of this coantry. I have no question that the presi dent, when the idea was suggested to him, acted solely from a good Impulse and without a full understanding of its final meaning. It is my opinion that in his desire to respond to what he believed to be a popular demand, voiced -largely through the columns of the great dally newspapers, reflecting only the senti ment of the cities, he yielded to the suggestion, forgetting that the proposl tion thus proposed to "lower tl.e cost of living" to the people of the cities and manufacturing centers was in reality a canabalietlW scheme to do so at the expense of the other half of our people 'H ho are engaged in agricultural pursuits. My protest against this propaganda for lowering .";he cost of living" to one portion of our people at the direct ex pense of the other portion is that it is not fair or equitable. If tariffs are to be reduced in order to cheapen prices, then let the reluc tion be made general, all along the line, to -manufacturers and farmer alike. Let us not attempt to have "free trade In farm products" at the expense of th% farmer while retaining high du ties on manufactured articles coming from foreign countries. Let us not make fish of one industry and fowl of another industry. Yet while urging the passage of this reciprocity, bill with the avowed pur pose of "lowering the cost of living" and lowering the coat of "print paper," (Continued on Page llight.) fIilW9AulM ervaftnlmW lmill Specials This Week in Our Furniture Annex This great Furniture Store fills every furniture, drapery and floor covering want of every home, humble cottage or mansion, with the goods of proven quality, up-to-date in style and reasonable in price. These special attrac tions for this week: $5.50 Iron Beds for $3.35 \. " ... ll ,\ IIn il .t .t a 1 -: ; Intl Fi , ; in ;tI :'I' I 'It' \\ Tl ' o "'n.i" ':nel mI . $8 Iron Beds for $5.15 $9.50 Iron Beds for $5.95 IlI 1 d ý, -. I d ' i ll \llh h11i : it d ,1 t In 1 P ,tnl .f', I t ; .,i! .i . , \\hlll l' , I.In i I fillliri ; go, ]l tl ll ll illM. $3 Couch Covers Caloric $1.49 Fireless Cooker tlJhi \! 1 i'k only . • 1 'O .iii v rything t" o )i i lit perso n Curtain Rods h nIi n i n .. A . ook. r whlih ehak.p, Curtain Rods ., &F,$ 10 r....t... '.... . iti i....ills with ,is, I":.sli ,,on Mlt s, .i\.; iie 1.,111 $13.50 Stearns & Foster 1,i , rire,.--i t, h,,I r. . , ,,illr or morh nd.:; extt.ti.s fr.ont t t1 t: 4 Ich "Anho " Mattress Now for 0 ,ii" ,ry wy .t o., sore. Prices regulairly 1:. Inch: this wteek M r N1 o ' of these i l' iu t'I ' no .rs range from unl .8$1|. I.n tip t i 1-7,4).. .in attractilve look iiii .ti i pit l uiii Mliii1111d h ighull Ii *h hiul. i' t ,i II rottred 1 Ipp prtlpiI tin p n . o)n, ( i l, e n el t 'h'l I: x tt 'l, .io n ] 1 ti /otl , MId 1l.ln tlt ln IV\"ol .h t . II t f l rv-p fo u srltl l vn etine tu n k * 40, ( .loo i'nie lt l.xtel7lon ItmlN, 2il/ 2i 4 t Ible d ,c,'fnltl-ns. Lace Curtain Close-Outs Half a Dozen Fine Dresser Bargains Itegul.tr >toe, k I ttnl \\e ha:\e der'ided In Ii - $1 8 (ltin. Strictly high-gl:lp p dii e $15.00 Dressers for $11.00 No. Si 1 p, i ulid uak. Inlpii lI l*nish; Irl:ss h.li- 1 A Pair for Cur- I tains that were $17.50 Dressers for $12.50 t.. I;t i t.:: I',r.i.ess I es.r In xlid oa . I , l l",peri 11 A $3.75 to $5.50.. . iso, "'nli, MuI, . ... ..I "I".ne Ih up. wt .1iiii,." ,,ilh1 t,,rs . $20.00 Dressers for $12.95 pl en 'ip..111 id i -grade ýo. t.., Iriniess i IreI ser. In ilnhigani finilsl; .. 0 ý (; Nott'ngtalis, In no br\ n ] .s hnodle; large French hll vel pilate miIrror. dhslgns ant full size,; o ,,i",. $:., ,. s: $22.50 Dressers for $14.85 3 l I t, r styles-- No. I,7 It gig llilr 1)r w r. l I. Il hoganyiiiii SIlir- tlil.l ; i.,ip hanidlllPes. N\o I.'2 L ix' DI lcl ss Iresser,. III m ltahog ll\ y fil1h1 : w--l llkno) i mndlhe ; Iboth| '' I.h $1189 4r. Ir,,,ih ivi, piiti u.i.rrr. $30.00 Dressers for $19.65 Sp 2'ti11. It :III" P irir . i- il. o lid i luart.rId iittk; Knldhn ni lh h; s\well front tvle, witlh wood klob hia ll i l land ,Fri . t 'Ih l iil.vel . mirropr. Furniture That Makes a Porch a Pleasure and a Lawn a Joy A vast variety hf alplles and Ptyles, PORCH SCREENS. In reed, rustle, hickol)ryf, 1anva and They keep the Illazinlg .1n1 out, let every other mu teriap t f suIta tle for the i " " thi refre.hing air ill, so making the onstruction of flrniture, thel first house imuc'h cooler and the porch t e'ssentOilS ot which Ur( coanins amt , ` " pleasant otnt-of-door room. VUDOR SHADES--In ilght and Rustic' liiilry Chailr, .. $3.50 up dark green and hrown: all 7 feet. S Rustk' 1 ickory Ro(,ckers .p1 41.00 up i Inch".I lung; vomnplete with all Rusitle lickory N.otto.. $8.4OO) up ne. ei..ary ropes, .ulhiiye and fal lpRustlh Hickory Table'.H $7.50 up t,.nlngs- iiRed ('hairs and Rckerx,. $..00 up 4 ret w-ir, $5.00 "ohlding (':cla Chairs at . $ .54) 4 foet wide, 4.00.t Law\n and Porch Iwlngs,, folding foot wide, $4.0. at an d ifl 5 that \ Ide, $5.50. 'orch CIairs, go anl d rie 10 feet whie, $7.40. for...... ..........1.00 BAMBOO PORCW 3HADES REEDCRAFT FURNITURE. 4 r't wide, l feet long, cnm SIlfet e, ,1 4 t t Illg . t Thl s furnl ture in espell'chldly a plOr- '6 ftt whi.i, · t t hlog, ',ll prlate for Mlnmmer furnishillgs and plt. $1.50. I ix unex'elll+eXld In cotml'1ort. In tho 8 t'sfeet Iwhli, t- ruet long, co l latest lu eu d finish and bright alnd plete, ta2.00. dull shellac finil hes; plailn or up- _ holsteii.d in either Pi]aJtiful cre- VUDOR REINFORCED Stolnnes lor geInuine Spanish lofiathier. HAMMOCKS. t' halr, Iapilng In price from $3.00 Vudo Plorch l . wing .. ..001) to $410.00: riinhrs thie paml,. Th.. V. udi r hRelnircee Humnmock in ll eW reid ta Ilesii, uilr, r lul, ihpi fhi, d l rllll t tyll s e CacI In a hlng i, 'r In gl Moin hialii.., ut 1$7.00) triat nl.nirtlniilit of colors, tat ti (, 20.00. 1$4.50, $6.50 and $8.00. SOdds and Ends of Porch Furniture Reduced N . 127, l inlng llh Chlr, Ilk it; ru lrly $i , ri d t $5 ....... ..... . 35 No. 127. 1 t.illhllnrg PIrch ('huair, like cut, u'xc'ipt liiaile to swilig: rlgillilrly t$.50; inoiw $5,.aS6 fine only, Nip. 3 Porch itoekur; gretn aliliti fi'uliii, tlla Suit nuli l I; rtulaily $:t.Ii0, Iou $1.75 Twor oily Nii. 41 Porch Bickers; natural nialei frame, aiion Seat ipiii b k; riignlrly rl St ; now $1.75 Three u tiuly. No. 77X leolding Porch Ilui*;er. luitiprll finluip iiitin l r Igilhlr:v $4,iiii; now $,.25 r , , n()ne inli . Ni. 1 Porch Iticker, with ai'irimi; niatullii finish 'ip l I 'iiiihailyl 1I •; iiii\ $ .25 'l'hre miiiiy. No. 1 Pirth RJlppkpl., wooi l Iro s, irp i. i ,ili ,t ii idld ba;l rugillail';y $ iii; i; iui ' $2.35 Thriiu lty,, No. 75X Yohlllig Piorlh [tkers., aIth arms, nituril frlish nihiu '; 'i hrii , $4 i); . a $2.G5 Oine onih, Nii. 8 Porch Roc, kpr, with airii; green fili heii fratllii, t. l .i , ,at arid Iiii li; avits $5 75; niOuui $2.95 l'iur ,nly, No. 13 Ileilt woudl Purih C.i h'irs, rid fiiiithli; i'gulily $t.00; lniw . $3.25 COUCH HAMMOCKS AND HAM;.OPORTS. Noi. I I'ouliich HanmllIock, ci.' lliitC, pan he used 1s coiii'h ,,r h iiunun k: rf gililulry $2uii; riiliuh'iii t, $17.50 N o. 2 Coiiuch Hammock, una e, exii pt call be u i as pphatjin k niii ; r,1gullitrly $17.ii; r.ih ., tip $15.00 Nip. I 3 i'iiii h Haimmock same as Ni., 2, cx'ept differ, t iulli t .ry; rigull' Ic 1t ,50; riliu'ed it $12.50 Nip. 4 l'iiili'hl Hammock, Utiie In Xiio. 1i, except lio Iniak ir wini ,hi1hl; :;iH I,5 irii'tid il t $14t.4)O No,. 11 lluminiopultal, awood Lfr'eii;i only tl{rue left tip clops uit'l, it , ,i lyt llrit,'d Iit . $8.0) . , Visit the Bargain Basement The Little Department That Affords the Big Savings The Bargain Basement, where you can buy practically everything needed for furnishing a home at savings of from 25 to 50 per cent of the ordinary prices, is our clearing house for oddments and close-outs that accumu late daily on our three big floors. Here is a constant ebb and flow of furniture, carpets, rugs, curtains and draperies of every description-just now the bargains in metal beds, chairs and rockers, dining tables, buffets, china closets, dressers and chiffoniers are especially attractive, following a general culling in regular stock to make room for fall purchases when they arrive. Every time you visit this Bargain Basement you will se a new assortment, so come often and pick up .the things that appeal to you before someone else gets them at SDiscounts of From 25 to 50 Per Cent 'Pt(i ()( n?,S.8PrhHcr.\rlh;rra ro llH)'Ijl:I1. 1I~ 'lfili l-lk ~)WX.~ 1,~ 9·~