The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-04-11
THE RECIPROCITY BILL FIRST
PROGRAMMES READY TO SUBMIT
TO HOUSE DEMOCRATS.
n To.night's Caucus Accepts II the Cana.
dian Bill VIII Dc Passed in Advance
Of Any Other TariR Measure Then
BiIi to Compensate the Farmer.

WARRINGTON. April 1O.--If the House
Democrats in caucus tomorrow night
accept the recommendations by the
majority of the Ways and Means Com
mittee the Canadian reciprocity bin will
be submitted to the House and passed in
advance Of any other tariff legislation.
The Democrats Of the Ways and Means
Committee decided to might after an all
day session upon a tariff programme
which starts off with Canadian reciprocity.
This action is gratifying to President
Taft. who has been urging that reci-
procty be taken up and passed as q
separate proposition. While the Demo-
Gratis have taken the President at his
word in promising them fair play on
other legislation and will act first on his
pet legislative measure. they will lose no
time after it is out of the way in passing
several tariff revision measures.
The day after the Canadian reciprocity
bill is reported to the House the majority
of the Ways and Means Committee. ac-
cording to the plan to be submitted to
the caucus tomorrow night, will offer
a bill lowering duties on agricultural
implements and on supplies which the
farmer is obliged to buy. There will be
about 100 articles in this bill. nearly all Of
the reduction designed chiefly for the
benefit of the farmer. The items will be
taken from a number of schedules and
will include boots. shoes. reapers. ploughs.
harness and saddlery. harvesters. twine.
bagging and many other articles that
draw upon the farmers pocketbook in
the course Of the year.
II was originally planned first to att empt
a revision OF the wool schedule, but on
second thought the Democratic leaders
have decided to recommend the intro
duction Of sort Of companion piece to
the Canadian reciprocity bill. 1t has
been the cry of the insurgents and many
regulars in the Senate that they could
not vote for the reciprocity agreement
because it draws upon the farmer and
gives him nothing in return.
The bill which the Democrats will
introduce Immediately after the Canadian
reciprocity agreement is passed is de-
signed to cut the ground from under
these objections II will in a measure
compensate tho farmer for the concessions
that he is supposed to make in the pro-
posed reciprocity agreement. The Repub-
lioan insurgents in the Senate found them
selves in an embarrassing fix in the las
session Of Congress as regards reciprocity
and the Democratic method Of handling
| the subject is likely to put much severer
test upon their sincerity.
A revision of the woollen schedule will
not be undertaken until the measure
lowering duties on farming implements
and supplies has been put through the
House. There may be several more of
those -popgun' tariff bills, all Of them
aimed az the necessities of life. before the
Democrats quit tinkering with the tariff.
The Senate Democrats are going to
follow the example Of their brethren on
the House side and hold another caucus
They will not get together. howevar.
until the latter part Of the week One Of
the things to be considered by them is the
creation of a committee Of floor managers
whose duty will be to look after legisla-
tive programme The Republicans Of
the Senate always have had a special
committee of this character, but the
Democrats have entrusted the general
management of party affairs to a single
committee II is the suggestion Of
Senator Martin of Virginia the new
minority leader, that the special committee
he croatod