The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-02-16
RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA
Congress Flooded with Petitions Fa-
voring and Opposing the Measure
still Talk OF Extra Session Of
Congress - Prominent Republican
Comments on the Democratic DEM
axogic Position On Free Textbooks
In Common Schools.
Especial to The Caucasian. }

postage rates on magazines from one
cent q pound-the rate which Is now
paid by magazines and newspapers
to four cents a pound, has aroused a
storm of protests from all of the
leading popular magazines OF the
country. For the last day or two
Washington has filled up with repre-
sentatives OF these magazines who
are appealing to the members OF
Congress in both Houses. They de-
clare, and produce figures from their
books to show, that such a rate Is
eonfscatory.
A report is being circulated that
the purpose behind this proposition
to increase rates is to drive certain
magazines that favor reform meas
ures and which have been supporting
the position taken by the National
Progressive Republican League out
of business. There are some who be-
heve that If these magazines become
embarrassed that large financial in
terests would buy them up when they
had reached the verge Of bankruptcy,
and this belief was strengthened by
the proposition that the increased
postage rate from one to four cents
should be operative for only year as
. trial
OF course, this suggestion is indig-
nantly denied by the Postmaster
General and those who favor his
plan. The position of the Postmas-
ter-General is that he wants to wipe
out the deficit in the Postofice De-
partment, and that this deficit is
caused by this low rate Of postage
which has been given to the maya
zines No matter what the truth may
be as TO the proposition and the va
Tious views with reference to the
same, yet 1t seems to-day as If the
Congress would not approve the in
crease in postage rates. Indeed, this
evening the representatives Of the
magazines who are In Washington
declare that they have won their
asht.
Reciprocity With Canada
Congress Is being Hooded with Pc
ctitions both favoring and opposing
the reciprocity treaty with Canada;
besides, the national capital is full of
people who are both favoring and
opposing the proposition. On this
question party lines are badly di-
vided.
All of the farmers organization
of the country are protesting against
the reciprocity agreement with Can
ada on the ground that it takes pro-
lection from farm products while
leaving protection for manufactured
products. They charge that this is
an effort to reduce high prices, and
that this effort is directed almost
solely against the farmers. On the
other hand, it is suggested in certain
quarters that the farmers seemed to
vote with the Democratic party in the
last campaign as protest against
high prices while they were the chief
beneficiaries of the same, and that
this proposition is simply to comply
with the voice of the people, fnclud-
ing the farmers, as expressed by the
last election.
The North Carolina delegation in
Congress is very much divided on
this proposition. AS a rule. the
Congressmen from agricultural dis
tricts are opposing the reciprocity
treaty, while those from city districts
are favoring 1t. OF course, there are
a number of Congressman who have
taken positions for or against the
proposition, regardless of whether
they live in rural districts or in dis
tricts where cities predominate.
Extra Session Still Looms Up.
With all Of these questions and
with the permanent tariff board prop
osition and many other important
questions yet undisposed of, it begins
to appear that nothing less than a
legislative miracle would be neces-
sary to prevent an extra session OF
Congress. The leaders on both sides
and in both parties are making siren
uous efforts to harmonic their diff
ferences so as to prevent an extra
session, but there are only a few
days left, and as each day passes the
solution Of the situation does not ap-
pear to be any nearer. 1t is under
stood that President Taft will be GER
tain to call an extra session if his
reciprocity treat sails-
The Free Textbook Proposition.
A prominent Republican of North