The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-05-11
An Iniquitous Measure and the
Rankest Injustice Since
the Civil War
RECIPROCITY AND FARMERS
FREE LIST MAY Be JOINED
Possibility Of Combining Both Into
One Bill and Thus Forcing the
President to Endorse Free Trade
In Toto or Veto Reciprocity.

Washington, May 11.-Country and
city were arrayed against each Other
today at the Canadian reciprocity hear
ings before the senate. finance commit
tee. The conflict was sharp. Farmers
from Minnesota and North Dakota de-
nounced the agreement as iniquitious
while members of the boards Of trade
from the cities along the international
boundary endorsed It unqualifiedly.
Henry Flagg, master of the Mime.
sofa State Grange, told the committee
that nothing since the civil war had
30 enfanled the farmers Of the north.
procity BILL"
May Combine Bills
Facing the question of an early re-
port on the Canadian reciprocity bill
and with the free list bill already
before them, members Of the senate
committee on finance are considering
. Democratic proposition to couple
the two measures. There is no hope
Of having the two bills reported as
one. but motion will be made in
committee to that effect. In the SEN
ate the question will be seriously
presented.
Senator Simmons of North Carolina
one OF the oldest Of the minority
members of the committee, finds the
Democratic senators friendly to the
proposition as whole. He also has
been In consultation with regular and
insurgent Republicans, some of whom
have manifested interest.
Many Of the insurgent senators IA
vor broadening the application Of the
reciprocity bill. though only q few Of
them are willing to change 1t along
the precise lines proposed by those
who would appropriate the house
free bill without change. No regu-
lar Republican would accept the house
free bill except as means, OF de-
feating the reciprocity bill which
they think would be accomplished
through veto If the two measures
should be combined.
The Democrats are therefore ex-
periencing difficulty in finding COM
mon ground with either branch of
their opponents.
Some Of them, such as Senators
Stone and Shively, are earnest believ-
ers in reciprocity and they would be
loath to enter into coalition with any
element in the Republican party, the
anly object Of which would be the
destruction of legislation which, from
their point Of view, Is desirable.
The insurgent Republican senators
prefer to work out the problem along
their own lines, but they, as we'll as
the Democrats, confess that in the
end they may find themselves united.
II the Democrats realize their ex-
pectatioons Of solid party vote in
favor of the rider, they will need only
five Republican votes to place 1t on
the bill. It is believed that the
house would welcome the combination
and in that event the president would
be compelled either to accept reci-
procity with an enlarged free list or
reject both.
Vicious assaults on the reciprocity
bill marked yesterdays hearing. The
farmers from the border states. fish
ermen from Gloucester, Mass. manu-
facturers of wire cloth for paper maxi
ing and manufacturers of book, wrap
ping and news print paper, all pour
ed forth their protests against the
bill. ----
Probably the greatest outburst