The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-28
D ireful Prophecies Of
Defeat in Congress
Are Made.
BUT TAFT HE
JUST SIN I Z ES.
President Is Determined Thai
Reciprocal Agreement With
Canada Shall Be Approved,
and Will Not Hesitate to
Call New Congress in
Extra Session.

w washington, January 2I.-SnaEa
began to loom up in the pathway OF Il
the Canadian reciprocity agreement -
fore II had been in the hands of COM
gress twenty-four hours, and confident
predictions of its failure were made
freely by the pillars of the protective
faith. 1t was said that even should tha
House accept the terms Of the arrange
ment (Which Republican high tar.-s
advocates did not concede for sra
momen) it could not pass the Senate
These direful prophecies were ear
ried to the White House to-day by
members who visited the President.
ostensibly on other business, but In u
stead Of their causing pessimisti,
feeling there, Mr.. Taft. 1t is said re-
ceived them with smiles. which indi-
Gated that one defeat would not turn
him from his purpose If his own !.
party, before surrenderng control or
the House of Representatives. fails to #
seize the opportunity and the credit Of Z
putting Into operation this reciprocal
trade pact. the President. 1t is believed,
viii not hesitate to submit his program
TO the Democrats. perhaps even in an
extra session of the new Congress.
Will "stny With IT.,
Ono man in the confidence Of the
President. who has been the adminis-S
tration mouthpiece on more than one
occasion, came from the White AAouse
tonight with the declaration that tha
proposed Canadian arrangement would
not die an easy death so long as Mr.
Taft was in the White House. The
president was never more In earnest
in his life," he said ..He intends ia
stay With it. through this session anu
to carry 1t to the next If necessary.
He would not hesitate to call an extra,
session II he thought such g course
would be the best"
President Taft believes thai the muI
tual concessions arranged By the
United States and Canada, especially
the large number OF articles Of food
stuffs which would be put on the freq 4
list, promises great huma nitarianS
movement that ultimately would mean
a material reduction in the cost Of
living.
It is we'll known that Mr. Taft was
greatly disappointed that the tariff
board had not completed ITS inyestiga-
ton Of Schedule" K-the wool tariff
SO that he could recommend at the
same time reduction in the duties on
clothing, He believes that this COM
bination would have appealed so
torclbly TO the great army OF wage
workers who have felt tile pinch OF
constantly advancing prices Of what
they eat and wear that there would
have been manifested at once an over
81
country for the adoption of his pro-.
gram.
The overturnfng Of the Republican
majority OF the House ana the great
change which will be made in tha
complexion of the Senate after March
is thought BY some to supply Pres.-8
dent Taft with more than an even
chance for success. s.
If the attitude Of the Democratic 3
leaders of the House proves a true
index Of the position which nority Il
members Of the Ways and Means Com IS
mittee will take on join rcsolu ton to !.
put the trade agreement into force,
then such a resolution can DC brought
out of committee. The seven Il mo- rnt 81.
or the committee are believed to be in +
sympathy with the agreement, and it
is certain that four Republicans will
vote to report It, This makes a clear
majority Of the nineteen lnen.b ers.
Should the resolution be bioaght out L
OF the Ways and Means Committee i
within the next fortnight, a vote could
be had on Il In the House during the
Opposition Ia senate.
1t is in the Senate that the barriers now
look impregnable. y Republican mem H
Der OF the Finance Committee said to-
day that not one of the majority or
mat body favored the proposed ar
rangemen, with Canada, some being
opposed because they believed interests
OF their States to be jeopardized and
others basing their objections upon the
ground Of supposed menace to the pr.n-&
ciple OF protection. The est.mate by
this member of the sentiment in tfaS
committee concerning the agreement
may not be entirely correct. 1t is adj rs
m'tted that q majority OF the commit-
ice as It is constituted is opposed to
the proposed arrangement and that IL
probably will require a majority vote
OF the senate for the discharge of the
committee If a resolution TO put the
measure In force is broush, out into
the open. 5s q
After March 4. there viii be seven
vacancies. half OF the membership in
the Finance Committee. 1t is not
doubted that the filling OF these vacan- e
cies, when the Senate organizes for. the Il
next session. Will Increase the chances &
Tor favorable action upon the -
procity agreement.
Canada Confident.
ottawa, ONT, January 2I.-ConhdentSn
that the ec!Drocity agreement between z
Canada and the United states viii re-
ment from the Canadian Parliament,
representative men here are now chic sS
~ interested in the attitude Congfasa ii
will take There IS a fear in some
tate general tar!n discussion de-;
Washington resulting in "a dclay6that53
VIII be fatal 10 the measure The com, 7 Y;
misssoners ana the highest guYern-g s
ment ofhcials do not share in this fear
however. g NM
By mutual agreement betwenp ( ~ 3Sa