The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-02-16
Washington
RECIPROCITY BILL
BEFORE HOUSE IN
SPIRITED BATTLE
Democrats Vote Almost Solidly
In Favor of Act, While Stand
patters Line Up
Against It.

Washington, Feb. 14.-By a vote of
1875 to 121, the House today decided to
begin immediate consideration Of the
Mccall bill, carrying out the provisions
Of the Canadian reciprocity agreement.
No agreement has been reached as to
the limitations Of debate, but the bill
may pass today.
While the vote to displace the regular
order for today on the House calendar
and take up reciprocity cannot be ac-
cepted as an exact indication Of the
final vote on the bill, it is regarded as
being approximately so.
The votes against taking up the
measure today came almost entirely
from the republican side. The demo-
Gratis voted almost solidly for imme-
date consideration. Some Of the re-
publicans who voted against displacing
the regular order are not expected to
place themselves on record against
reciprocity at final vote.
Mr.. Mccall, of Massachusetts,, will
handle the time for debate in favor Of
the bill and Mr.. Dalzell, of Pennsyl-
vania. will serve in like capacity for the
opposition. Both are republicans.
Cannon Aids Measure.
Speaker Cannon called Representa-
tive Mann, of Illinois, to the chair to
pItSloc ONtT Tie LILO
consideration of the measure.
In the earlier proceedings Mr. Cam
non. by recognizing Mr.. Mccall and
declaring his motion to take up the
reciprocity bill, a privileged matter,
had shown a disposition to help the
cause along to vote, despite the SEN
timents against reciprocity which he
expressed in a letter to the Illinois
legislature on Saturday.
RapreSapfatiVe Hill of Cannactic,If
one of the republican members of the
committee on ways and means, was
recognized for one hour in support Of
the reciprocity agreement. When he
began to speak the House was In much
confusion and Mr.. Hill asked for close
attention.
Come over on this side" suggested
Representative Fitzgerald, of New
York, democrat. "We'll listen to you
and this is where you'll get your
votes"
The voting on the motion to take
up the reciprocity measure was fol-
lowed with the keenest interest. On a
yea and nay vote there are always two
calls through the alphabetical list. At
the end of the first cali 1t was seen
that the reciprocity advocates were
winning. The vote then was: Yeas
us; nays, 10.
At the end Of the second call the
vote was announced as 1875 to 121. This
was later changed to 1876 to 121 to cor
rect a clerical error. An analysis OF
the vote to take up the Mccall bill
showed this result:
For-Republicans. 60; democrats, 1856.
Total, 1856.
Against-Republican 1O1; democrats
20. Total. 12l.
Insurgents Are Divided.
The republican insurgents attitude
toward reciprocity was shown by the
fact that IA voted against considera-
ton and only six for 1t.
Mr.. Hills opening argument in favor
of the agreement followed closely the
lines laid down and the facts set forth
In the majority report from the ways
and means committee. He was in
terrupted from time to time for ques-
lions. Asked if he was in favor OF
free trade with Canada, Mr. Hill said
he favored unrestricted trade with
every country where the cost OF pro-
duction did not differ from that IN
the United States.
Mr.. Hill declared that talk of injury
to various interests in the United
States as reciprocity was not based
on facts.
President Taft arrived at S:45 a. m
from his speaking trip to Columbus
Ohio. and Springfield, Ill. He was
in high spirits and showed no Ill effects
from the trip. With Captain Archi-
bald Butt he was driven Immediately
to the White House.