Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 150, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1904 — POLITICAL COMMENT. [ARTICLE]

POLITICAL COMMENT.

Free-Trade Stalking Horae. The proposition to' Establish “closer trade relations with Canada" lias been stirred up once more. The stirring up comes from the towiis and cities in the United States located along the Canadlan - border. Such towns and cities, for their own benefit, would like to have free trade with Canada. As the lestilt of such free trade they would secure family supplies, such as butter, eggs, beef and pork, cheaper than at the present time. The hotels and cottagers along the great St. Lawrence River, if free trade were established, would buy their commissary supplies much cheaper than at the present time. The American camper along the St. Lawrence can steal over into Canada and buy a - leg of mutton for about half the American price, and ho concludes that that is a nice tiling to be ajile to do, Everything is cheaper in Canada thall 4ar4he-United Sta catjfle-'tliereis a greaterdema nd in the United States and more people to be fed. If our tariff laws were changed several millions of Americans living near the Canadian borders would be fed anti fattened on the products of Canada. These are the issues as they are and not as they are made to apptar to bo at the so-called "reciprocity” conventions. The “reciprocity”

sentiment comes from Minneapolis, where the mills are sighing for Canadian wheat; from Detroit, where the people would like to have the American wage system continued and also like to have the benefit of the low priced farm and family supplies from across the border in Canada. The Minneapolis mills are now owned by English cap--Ift 1, and the Minneapolis newspapers announce that they are in favor of “reciprocity wjth Canada.” which v < uld include free Wheat. A groat many people in Boston are in favor of “reciprocity” with Canada, because they could buy beef and pork, butter ami eggs cheaper from the Canadians than they can buy them now from the people of lowa. By the way, how eoulda Canadian treaty be arranged? Are we to swap Wheat for wheat, corn for corn, hogs for hogs, cattle for cattle, butter for butter, eggs for eggs? These are competitive articles. They are the staples of both countries, Blaine’s idea of reciprocity was to swap Northern products for tropical products. He never proposed to try to trade with the people that were In the same business as the people of our own country, Reciprocal treaties with Canada have been difficult and unsatisfactory because both people are in the same business. The Americans have the advantage of the Canadians because we have a great country and a great home market. They have a great country and no home market. Therefore they are talking glibly about "reciprocity” and suggesting that the American people are mean and “ungenerous” because they do not trade and buy more stuff from Canada. Some of our own people say that we ought to be good and blow our money Into Canada. Reciprocity as a general proposition is now simply used as a means of giving up part of the American-home market to the foreigner. Some people are attempting to z do by reciprocity what they have been unable to do by free trade.—Dos Moines Capital.

The Panama Revelation*. President Roosevelt's message to Congress setting forth the history of the events In Colombia mid Panama in connection with the negotiations for the canal is a candid, luminous statement which answers all the queries to which the affair has given rise nnd reveals the attitude of our own government In a light which will evoke the plaudits of the American people. The President shows that the proposition which we made to Colombia was more than generous to thnt country, and he points out that Colombia itself, just after the revolution at the Isthmus took place, virtually acknowledged this by agreeing, indirectly and secretly, to meet all the United States’ demands* providing we. would permit her to attempt to re-establish her authority nt the isthmus, and thus make us a party to thp overthrdW of the regime set up by the people of Panntnn. Cplombia's whole course throughout

the affair was actuated by a rapacity which was defeated by its own venality and blindness, and by the courage and honesty of the. administration at Washington. It was the purpose of the authorities at Bogota to cheat the French syndicate out of its interest in the canal, and thus to get for themselves the $40,000,000 which we agreed to pay to that company. Tills conspiracy to make the United States a participant in the steal from the citizens of a nation with which we are on terms of the utmost cordiality was happily defeated by the revolution at the isthmus and by the promptness and intelligence of the Washington government.

Every criticism which has been advanced by the enemies of the canal and also by the enemies of the administration has been answered by the President with a frankness and a comprehensiveness which will silence opposition. The friends of the treaty will now be able to make quick work with that compact. Gorman and his junta of obstructionists have the ground out from under them with a neatness and a thoroughness which will overwhelm and humiliate them. Much more than a two-thirds vote will be obtained for the treaty, and the vote will take place earlier than the obstructionists dreain-

ed. The world, especially that part of it comprised in the United States, will applaud the action of the government at Washington, and President Roosevelt and his party will be immeasurably strengthened thereby in the canvass of 191)4.—5t. Louis Globe-Demo-crat.

The Friars and Their Lands. Governor Taft lias settled the most serious problem in the Philippines by concluding an agreement to purchase the friars' lands. Coder this agreement 400,000 acres of the most fertile lands in the Philippines become public lands on the payment of $7,250,000. This is at the rate of $lB an acre, but several of the large plantations, covering thousaiitTs of acres, have extensive irrigating works, are highly improved, arid are well situated.

If the plan of Governor Taft or of the War Department is carried out. the lands will be divided into farms and sold at a price corresponding to the price paid for public lands In this country. The government will receive much less money for the lands than it pays for them, but the transfer of the large holdings of the friars to the people will remove tt long-standing cause of irritation, and will remove also from the islands an Influence hostile to American control.

The purchase of the friars’ lands also opens the way for the more general introduction of the American system of land ownership. Lands heretofore held in largo tracts on the feudal and used to the advantage of air alien element nt war with the Filipinos ns a jeople, will now become the property of individuals, or will be reserved for the public use. The arrangement to purchase the friars’ lands was made with the Vatican, and carries with it the acceptance of thg..American idea of n separation of the church and the state. The agreement as to price was the result of an investigation by a commission representing the United States and the Vatican. .Tlie transaction was regarded distinctly ns a business matter. The frinrs asked ?15,000J)p0 for tlH'lr lands, and Governor Taft offered $0,000,000. Tlie commission awards $7,250,000, and the purchase of the lipids by the United States means the withdrawal of tlie friars from the Philippines, or, rather, the transfer of their, lands to the United States means that they will not return to their old parishes, from which they were driven by the Filipinos. Chicago Inter Ocean.

President -Roosevelt probably receives more mail than any other man In the world. If be hnd to pay the postage, it would cost him one-fourth of his salary each year. King Edward receives about 1,000 letters and 8,000 papers a day; Emperor William, from 500 to 000 dally; Queen Wilhelmina, between 100 to 150 a day.