The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-02-23

North Carolina made a point OF no
quorum there were 95 members on the
floor and a call of the house again
was ordered. Mr.. Gardner of Massa-
chusetts vainly sought to secure a
recess, the chair declaring against that
because no quorum existed. Then, on
motion of Mr.. Heflin of Alabama, the
sergent-at-arms was directed to arrest
all absentees and bring them TO the
bar of the house.
Members became impatient for
breakfast toward 8 o'clock and a form
al request by Mr.. Gambler of Missis-
sippi for leave of absence to go to
breakfast struck a popular chord and
in a few minutes the house chamber
was almost deserted, only the Repub-
llcan and Democratic whips and sew
eral lieutenants remaining 10 watch
each other.
Taft Ready to Call Special.
The first authoritative announce
ment that President Taft will call an
extra session of congress If the SEN
ate fails to act on the Mccall bill.
carrying into effect the Canadian rec.
iprocity agreement, came from MI.
Mccall himself, following an inter-
view with the president at the White
House.
According to Mr.. McCall's announce
ment, the president feels that he is I'M
der an international obligation to sum-
mon an extra session if it be neces-
sary to secure action on the recipro-
city agreement. The session would
be called Immediately following the
adjournment of congress at Don on
March 4th.
Does 1t Come Too Late?
While it is the evident purpose of
the president. in permitting the an
nouncement of Mr.. Mccall, to avoid
an extra session by inducing senators
tc act upon the agreement, it is the
opinion of many about the capitol that
in all probability the statement has
come too late.
Few senators are sanguine enough
to predict that action would be taken
on the agreement in the upper branch
of congress at this session, while
some insist that there will be a vote.
With appropriations bills in a badly
Congested condition, with the Lorimer
case pending, with the permanent tar
if board bill pressing for considera-
ton. with the general service pension
bill being urged by senators, and with
the resolution for the popular cleo
ton of senators coming up daily as
the unfinished business, it seems that
the chances for action upon the Cana
dian reciprocity agreement are slight.
There is some prospect that the
LOrimer case may be disposed of on
Wednesday, following a speech which
Senator LOrimer will make in his W
behalf, but there is no apparent likeli-
hood of early votes on any of the 9th
or important measures mentioned.
Opponents of the reciprocity agree
ment in the senate are viewing with
c"omplacency the cOngested conditions
existing in that body. The demands
Of the public business are such that a
vote on reciprocity can be avoided
easily without the appearance of a
flibuster. The bill probably will not
be reported out of the finance commit
tee before Thursday at the earliest.
At that time there will remain only
seven and a half legislative days Of
the present session.
Maintain Protection Principles.
Following his interview with Mr..
Taft, Mr.. Mccall also made the in
teresting announcement that the presi-
len would veto any tariff legislation
passed by the Democratic house and
approved by a nearly Democratic SEN
ate if that should be necessary to
maintain the Republican party's pro-
tective principles.