Evening star., 1911-06-05
President Taft Opposes All
Reciprocity Amendments.
FOR THE TREATY AS DRAWN
His Views Expressed Today to Sen.
ator Stone of Missouri.
STATEHOOD FIGHT DISCUSSED
President Takes No Part in Contro-
versy and Will Not Exer-
else Veto Power.

President Taft today announced himself
as unutterably opposed to all amendments
to the reciprocity agreement In the
Senate. He is opposed to the Root amend
ment. the Lodge amendment and any
amendment no matter what its dress or
form.
The President would not oppose the
Root amendment except that 1t sets
precedent for further amendments. ana
the information he gets Is that the varl-
Gus elements in the Senate desirous OK
swatting the agreement through under
handed process are hoping to pull OH the
amendment game in such successfui
way that Canada will refuse to ratify
what has been agreed to by the repre-
sentatives of both governments
The Presidents reiteratiOn of his firm
determination to oppose amendments was
made to Senator Stone of Missouri, the
most active man in the Senate in behalf
of the reciprocity proposition. senator
Stone told the President that the Senate
is full of reports that the chief executive
is willing to accept certain amendments,
the result being to weaken the forces OF
reciprocity. The President unhesitatingly
stated that no one was authorized to
quote him, directly or indirectly, as favor
ing any change in the agreement. and
he was perfectly willing to have that fact
become known as generally as necessary
Senator Stone said that he would return
to the Senate and fight as vigorously as
possible every amendment that is brought
forward. eff so-called harmless amend
ments are allowed to the agreement" the
Missouri senator said. ''other amend
ments will be tackled on that will not be
so harmless and will defeat the bill"
President Complimented.
congratulated the President upon his
forcible reciprocity speech at Chicago Sat
urday night The speech was declared
to be the strongest the President has yet
made on that subject and certain to stir
public opinion at a time when the final
ratification Of the proposition is hanging
in the Senate
The President has received. from q
thoroughly responsible resident Of Yer
sentiment Of that state on the question
of the Canadian reciprocity agreement.
The writer conducted an inquiry regard
ing the attitude of the sixty daily and
weekly newspapers published In Vermont.
or dailies. advocate the agreement
and 1 is neutral. OF 81 weeklies, 3S are
in favor, 7 are opposed and 3 are neu-
trail.
These figures include both republican
and democratic papers. and 1t is noted
Vermont only four are democratic. Ex-
cluding from the calculation the four
neutral newspapers. II will be seen that
so per cent are supporting the reciprocity
agreement.
Reflection of Public Sentiment.
The Presidents informant says that
ho ~ fol
reflect public sentiment at large, and es-
pecially the attitude OF the people on this
issue In the towns and rural districts
where the local newspapers circulate.
While the press OF Vermont Is as q whole
notably Independent, editorial opinion in
the concrete does not run contrary to
the real sentiment of readers on political
questions Of a national character.
The census OF 1900 shows that 36 per
cent OF the population OF Vermont, ten
years old and over. engaged in gainful
occupations, are farmers. and the Presf-
dents informant says that only per
cent of the farmers have written letters
in opposition to the pact.
No Interference in Statehood Fight.
President TAFT. 1T is understood, will
not interfere in the statehood fight in the
Senate. New Mexico and Arizuna people
who are anxious to secure statehood by
the passage of the amendments proposed
in the bill passed by the House have
been seeking to sound the President as
to whether he will veto the bill. Ex-
Gov. Curry of New Mexico was with the
President today on the subject. The
belief now prevails. based upon remarks
made by the President. that he will not
veto the bill. but he will not interfere
for or against it in the Senate
q pracfdanf iS vla cod
with the bill as 1t passed the House.
owing to the opportunity it gives to
the people of Arizona to ratify their
proposed recall OF the judiciary. but he
Is not disposed to stop the admission OF
the two territories by veto Of the bill
now before Congress.
Gov. Curry and others who wish to
work for the passage of the bill did not
care to waste time doing SO IL the Presi-
dent was hostile to the measure
Information for Sugar Committee.
Representative Hardwick Of Georgia.
chairman of the select committee of the
House investigating the sugar trust, con-
ferred with the President today to ask
that the executive Departments be in
structed to give all possible help to the
committee. The facts in the possession
of the Department of Justice and Treas
ury are especially sought by the commit
tee. The President told Mr.. Hardwick.
the latter said, that he saw no objection
to the departments aiding the committee
in it's Investigations and will give in
struo tions accordingly.
The President today saw Representative
Austin and a committee of Knoxville cit
izens to arrange with them the date OF
his visit to the Appalachian exposition In
Knoxville. The President has agreed to
be I'm Knoxville either september 10 or
IS. the exact date depending on the time
he departs from Beverly for his western
journey. The committee consisted of l..
p. Tyson, S. H. Cohen. Asbury Wright
and E. G. Oates.
The President today tentatively ac-
cepted an invitation extended by Repre-
sentative MCGUIRE of Nebraska to stop
in Lincoln on his western trip.
President Going to Brooklyn.
President: Taft has made arrangements
for his trip to Brooklyn Thursday, when
he will review and speak to over 1000
school children taking part in the annual
parade of the Sunday schools of that city.
The President will leave here at o'clock
Thursday morning on the Pennsylvania
road. arriving in New York at LOT
o'clock. He will go from the Pennsyl-
| vania station in New York to the Han
over Club in Brooklyn, travelling by way