Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-01
p,ayina Politics to the Limit.

that Senate vote must be the real
test in the merits of the reciprocity
agreement. Tie, in substance, an
nounces that he cannot be fooled Win
The cir in Washington is filled with
rumors concerning the fate of the pro-
posed treaty. but it may be taken for
granted that the rumors which tell OF
ARRANGEMENTS whereby votes will be
taken on the Lorimer case, reciprocity
and the tariff commission bill, must be
taken with a grain of salt.
THE objection to reciprocity, says
one CORRESPONDENT, lis fundamental
with senators like Hale. McCumber
and many others, and all other consld-
erations are secondary. Some hope
has been expressed by its opponents
that votes enough to defeat reciprocity
might be found, in which case prob
ably a vote would be permitted. but
the outlook is not encouraging 4
prominent Western senator who has
committed himself for the bill. but
who hopes he will not have chance
to vote on it. figured up list in the
Senate yesterday and dolcfuliy re-
marked. Il am afraid If we get u vote
OH it We'll beat en-"
1t is confidently claimed by those
who oppose the arrangement as drawn.
ameng many OF those who have thus
far urged the adoption of the proposed
treaty. They also claim that If the
same senators We're to handle the mat
ter in the coming session the agree
ment would he defeated. or. at least. So
amended and tempered as to relieve it
OF the features to which the farmers
SO strongly object. Said one senator
yesterday: II believe that the Senate,
as at present made up, would SO ad-
just the terms of the treaty as to give
degree of fairness which the present
goes to an extra session the political
complexion of the upper house will be
largely changed and every one knows
that the present reciprocity movement
has been seized upon by the Democrats
as a shining opportunity for them to
enter frcc-tradc wedge If the meas
ure is ratified it Will be ratified by the
Democrats. Ii it goes 10 an extra ses-
sion, as il is now believed it will. tho
Democrats are going to seize upon the
opportunity to stir up the whole qucs-
ton Of tariff revision"
Ii an extra session is called, no
doubt the sundry civil bill and the
naval appropriations bill will figure
largely in its deliberations, because, if
the extra session is assured in the last
days Of this week. both these bill will
go over. The reciprocity moveAent
has killed the ocean mail bill, without
doubt At a Whit House conference,
Monday. the mail bill was definitely
abandoned as a sacrifice to reciprocity.
a score or mere of western Republi-
cans have declared that the Canadian
agreement forced free trade on the
therefore. vote for the incidental pro-
lection of the ocean mail bill to New
England and the sea board which had
demanded the Canadian agreement.
But for the reciprocity plan and its
disastrous effect. the Republican lead
ers believe they would have won a
majority for the ocean mail bill which
already has passed the Senate.
Probably no measure in recent years
has given SO many opportunities for
political schemes as the reciprocity
measure. Eeven some of the insur.
gents now claim to think that Presi-
dent Taft is too progressive, and they
oppose reciprocity, perhaps with the
intention Of injuring his chances for a
denomination. Just now all parties
and all factions of both parties are
playing politics to the limit Senator
Cummins of Iowa. who has been
prominent insurgent leader, seeks to
amend the reciprocity agreement by
adding all kinds of manufactures 20
the free list. This is all that the farm-
ers of Maine and the other northern
states have demanded They ask that
have to sell, that it also he taken from
| what they have to buy.