New-York tribune., 1911-02-14
From The Tribune GIreau.l


A SPECIAL SESSION.-The question of
a special session is becoming Of consuming
interest to members of Congress. and some
OF them are making inquiries at the White
House. When they do they are told TO ask
the Senate, and. in the final analysis. the
Senate alone is in a position 10 answer
the question. II the Senate approves the
Canadian reciprocity agreement there VIII
ne no special session. II the Senate disap-
proves the agreement by yea and nay
vote there will be no special session. IT
the Senate fails TO vote on the agreement
there will be a special session. According
TO the best judgment OF Senators. there viii
be a special session. That Is. the best post
cd Senator'S do not believe II VIII be pos
sjbIe 10 get vote on the agreement at
this session Neither do they believe, how
ever. that the President will call Congress
in special session il they fail to vote on IT,
When they realize, as ultimately they WILL
the purpose of the President. his intense
earnestness and his determination not to he
swerved from the course which he believes
To be his duty they may change their
minds regarding the possibility OF gettinS
a vote on the agreement al TINS session
II is moi. therefore. safe TO make pre-
dction until tho Senatorial mind has
crashed the fact that the Presidential mind
is fully made up that Mr.. Taft Is not
"bluning" and that their failure to vote
means inevitably special session. The
indications this evening sl point to vote
on the agreement In the House before ad-
iournment tomorrow. and TO its approval
that Is. TO the passage without amendment
liII b<-
proxin1ately one hundred votes. That VIII
mean that by Wednesday noon the bill VIII
reach the Senate
SITUATION IN THE SENATE.-When
the Canadian agreement reaches the SEN
ate IT will b. Immediately referred to the
Committee on Finance. There arc prob
ably enough votes in that committee to in
sure favorable report. provided hlihuster-
ing tactics ave not resoyted TO. But Ger
tain prominent Democrats assert that mn
bustering tactics will be resorted 10. one
Of the first Of these will he motion 10
hold hearings on the agreement. or course
there is no occasion for holding such near
ings. because the House has held hearings,
aud, too. the extensive hearings held ny
The Finance Committee on the Payne tsrir
lill must have impaired TO the comm,ttes
all tho information n could possibly obtain
by holding more now. But there VIII ne
Republican votes in support Of the motion
10 hold hearings, as we'll as some Demo
cratic votes, and n that course were De
cided on il would proba bly, preclude IA
vorabe report I'm time 70 permit Of q vote
in tho Senate. If the resolution could come
sduarely before the Senate for vote 1t
would he adopted by about eighteen ma
iority. II all depends. however, on whether
II can be brought before the Senate for
vote. And that. in turn. probably depends
in large measure on how ready the Sen
stors ara to believe that the President is
IN deadly earnest, and that II they do not
vote nov they will nc compelled 70 do so
p special session The question Of spe-
cial session is therefore, still q question,
and one which, ~ the nature Of things.
cannot he decided for ut least q week.
There Is one point which Senators would
Go Welt 70 take 70 heart. They have been
trylng to console (or to ca jole) ;'amselves
with the idea that the talk of special
session emansted chiefly from the Presi-
dents outer office" a. they put IL. that is.
from Mr. Norton. secretary 10 tho Pres-
dent Those who find consolation I'm this
idea probably will continue +, cherish II.
Those who really want ~ know tho facts
ould do well to put question or two to
the President himself