The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-02-05
TARIFF BOARD BILL DOOMED
~ Nh M REPORTED M +
t\\OT PiSS THE SE\tTE.
TN" Democratic senator, Are Lined ~
\gninsi the Measure and Declare
That They WIN Not Permit !, to Pass
Taft May lnu an Extra Session.

ASHING1OS Feb With only four
weeks remaining OF this session Of Con-
gres- the administrative programme to-
day appears doomed to fail IN two i'm
porant particulars II was made clear
to-day al the meeting of tho Senate
Finan,c Committee that tn" Administra-
ton bill creating a tarlh board cannot
pass tho Senate The Republicans in the
committee appear to be unanimously in
favor of II. although at lcas; two Repub-
lican Senators admitted that they We're
supporting the measure out OF reglri TO"
the Presidents Wishes rat her than because
they liked il
The Democratic Senators went into the
committee meeting with an agreement
that they would unanimously oppose the
bill. and before the meeting adjourned
Senator Bailey of Texas had served
notice on ms Republican colleagues that
even If the bill were reported il would not
be permitted to pass. in view of the state
of the public business in Congress and the
short time that remains of the session
the Democratic Senators are in a position
to make good their threat
Another interesting development of
the day was the dnnoIin cement that the
Republican, insurgent Senators. with the
exception of senator Beveridg. of In
diana. will oppos" the Canadian reci-
proCify agreement. Senator B.veridg.
has already announced that he is in
favor Of il and will vote for II. The
Democratic Senators, who appear To be
working tremendously for III. first time
in many months, have agreed 10 withhold
their opinions on Canadian reciprocity
until after the caucus nf the House Dcmo-
Gratis Monday night Following that the
Democratic Senators will probably hold
conference on the subject. There
is an increasing spirit of hostii,yto the
Canadian pact. and it begins to look
now as If the Democrats in the Senate.
or u large ma jority of them. would lin. up
with tn. Republican insurgents in OPP
position TO the President, : plans
On the heels OF the disclosure on Capitol
Hill came u report that was generally
credited by Senators that the President
would certainly conven" Congress in
special session immediately after March
II tanadian reciprocity or the tariff board
l"gislat ion failed To pass al this session
The Democrats in Congress We're ap-
parently not much exercised over the
prospect Of special session. They
will simply come into the possession of
the organization Of each house several
months earlier. and several hundred EN-
ployees will be ouSted from their places
and Republicans will give way TO Demo-
Gratis Furthermore. the Democrats were
indulging in vsfled threats that if Presi-
dent Taft called special session to deal
with the question Of reciprocal trade re-
lations with Canada they might find in il
n lSf iCa ion for Va ViHapinv fha nf
the tariff inquiry that would open up the
whole question and lead 10 egslat ion
revising the Payne Aldrich law.
The Finance CoImittse all hut agreed
to-day upon a favorable report on the
tariff board bill The Democratic minor
ity. while opposing the measure vii not try
TO prevent n report from the commit
tee, hut will elect to stand on their formal
notice to the Republicans that they will
not permit the bill to pass the Senate
The committee will meet again Tuesday
and il is expected that the bill will then
he reported To the Senate.
There are indications that the measure
will he amended in n number of respects |
An amendment suggested by Senator
Lodge to-day was agreed to. II requires
that the nominations for members Of the
tariff board shall be subject to confrma-
ton by the Senate. Another amendment
was proposed by Senator McCumber
directing the board to extend the scope
of its inquiry and to ascertain not only
the difference in cost OF production at
home and abroad but also to ascertain
and report the difference in cost of trans
portation charges.
The delay of the Republican insurgent
Senators in announcing their general
attitude toward Canadian reciprocity Is
due to the fact that Senator La Toilette
has been absent in Wisconsin. and as his
State is as much affected by the proposed
reciprocity agreement as any other in
the Union. it was considered proper TO
await his return in order that he might
M ticinate In the conference