The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-08-03
WASHINGTON
NEWS OF WEEK
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY BILL
PASSED THE SENATE AT.
TER A HARD FIGHT.
SOUTH DAKOTA DELEGATION Votes NO
La Toilette Wool Bill Passed in the
Senate by a Combination Of Demo-
Gratis and P~rogressives

A special dispatch to the Register
from Washington says that the pas
sage of the Canadian reciprocity bill
by the Senate accOmplishes the pur-
pose for which President Taft, on the
fourth day of March. ordered a spe-
cial session Of Congress. This spe.
cial session convened April 4, and
after seventeen days of debate, the
House passed Canadian reciprocity by
a vote Of 267 to SO. There were
thirty Members recorded as not vot-
ing, while three others answered
present" The Senate had the bill
from April 81 until July %. on which
day it was disposed of, the vote in
that body being SO for, and q against.
The Canadian reciprocity pact was
distinctly a Taft proposition, and was
opposed by influential members of his
own party, and had it not been for
the aid received from Democrats, and
by their votes in the house and in the
Senate, the measure could not have
become a law. In the case of many
state delegations there seems to be
no way of analyzing the vote Of Mem
bers of the two Houses. The politi-
cal exigencies affecting Republican
regulars" and "progressives" do not
appear to furnish the usual explana-
ton. Throughout the border states
a large number Of representatives Of
the Republican party opposed the
theory that it was detrimental to the
interests Of the farmers. On the
other hand, Democratic Members from
the same localities, as a rule, sup
ported the pact. In some cases the
delegations in the states acted al
most as a unit, but the vote of the
two Houses shows that even in ad-
joining states, where conditions were
practically identical, that Members
Of Congress applied different methods
or reasoning.
In the case of South Dakota, Sena-
tors Gamble and Crawford, and Rep
resentatives Burke and Martin voted
against reciprocity.
Even more complicated IL its 20
litical manifestations, was the action
taken by the Senate Thursday after
loon in reference to wool revision.
For many days there have been ru-
mors Of various kinds that the Demo-
Gratis and Republican progressives
would unite in passing a compromise
bill. However, as the substitute, sug-
gested by Senator La Toilette, did not
meet with approval, the feeling be-
came general that these two politi-
cal elements would not be able to get
together. The final outcome was a
compromise measure. which seemed
to meet the differences of opinion ex-
listing between the Underwood bill and
the La Toilette substitute. This was
offered by the Senator from WiscOn-
III anu "do pdooCu W d NcIC vi 10
to 80. As the wool revision bill now
stands it must go TO conference, where
the differences between the La Fol-
lette compromise bill and the House
bill, may be adjusted by representa-
tives of the Republican Senate and
the Democratic House. If the agree
ment is consumated, a wool revision
bill of some kind will be brought out
Of the legislative hopper OF both
Houses, and submitted 70 the Presi-
dent for his signature or veto In
view OF Mr.. Taft's denunciation OF
to have all tariff revision await re-
ports from the Tariff Board, it has
been suggested that the present leg
~islation will prove embarrassing.
Senator Gamble voted with the reg
ular Republicans against any tarif
changes, while Senator Crawford vas
found under the banner Of Mr.. La
Toilette, and his vote helped TO pass
the wool tariff revision.
Someone has been trying TO figure
out what the next Congress is likely
to do. Upon one thing only does
there seem to be any agreement or
opinion, and that Is that everybody
will want to raise the shutters, here
in Washington in time for the meet
ings o. the National Conventions next
summer. In the meantime there are
a lot of booms that need cultivating.
In this connection most everybody In
Congress Is interested.