The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-10
Bill Putting Reciprocity Agree
ment Into Effect to Be Re-
ported in House Today.
GREAT INTEREST ALL
OVER UNITED STATES
Senator's Lining Up for the Con-
flict; President Taft to
Talk for Treaty.

WASHINGTON. Feb 9.-The cam
paign OF the Taft administration for the
OF the reciprocity agreement
with Canada moved on apsce today. The
house committee on ways and means
held its final hearing and is expected In
executive session tomorrow morning to
vote to report II favorably
President Taft left tonight for the west
and In speeches tomorrow at Columbus.
o.. and Saturday at Springfield. H.. he
will emphasize stll further his advocacy
OF the agreement.
Secretary Wilson OF the department OF
agriculture added his word to the pro-
reciprocity chorus In the form OF long
and forcefu "open letter" addressed TO
the National Grange. The Democratic
members of the senate VIII meet In
caucus tomorrow morning.
Democrats to Caucus.
Ostensibly the conference Of the mi
nori,y was called TO outline programme
In relation To all pending legislative mat
ters but IL Is believed the Canadian
agreement viii consume practically all the
discussion and that the Democrats WIZ
de terminc upon a policy In respect 10 II.
Democratic leaders say naturally they
would be for the agreement. but some
OF them are holding off because of the
feeling that President Taft might be
benefited politically by its adoption by
congress- The Democrats who are In
clined to this view say they hesitate TO
assist in extricating the Republican party
from any OF It's difficulties.
The attitude of the minority in the
senate may be influenced by Democratic
sentiment In the house when the Mccall
bill. to carry the agreement into force.
is put on its passage. The indications are
the house Democrats VIII support the
bill. in which event the senate Democrats
VIII follow suit.
First Speech in Support.
The first open voice in support OF the
agreement in the senate was heard to-
day wien Senator Beveridge advocated
it's adoption. In the house the situa
ton has been swiftly shaping itself and
gives indications OF resulting in speedy
action. So far as can he learned, the
plan Is 10 bring the Mccall bill In from
committee tomorrow without any rule
regulating Its consideration.
This would leave Il open TO amendment
The friends of the measure express the
belief. however that there is large
majority OF the house in favor OF the
adoption OF the measure exactly as II
stands, and that they VIII defeat any at
tempt to amend it. when II is made plain
that single amendment may defeat the
whole plan.
John Norris. chairman OF the paper
committee OF the American Newspaper
Publishers association, today made the
final argument before the ways and
means committee in support Of the pulp
and paper clauses OF the agreement. earn
estly urging its adoption without amend :
ment.
Protest of Lumbernen.
a protest against suggestions that a
combination existed among the lumber
manufacturers OF the country or that
the standing timber is controlled by a
few individuals. was voiced by Edward
Hines of Chicago, president OF the Ma
tlonal Association Of Lumber Manu-
faCturers.
Mr.. Hines challenged the statement OF
President Taft in his reciprocity mes
sage that q few owners control the for
ests OF the United states. lie said the
president must either have proceeded up
ON frequent newspaper reports 10 this
effect or have an advance report from
the commissioner OF corporations. Her
bnr, Knox Smith. who has been invesu"
eating alleged combinations In the lum-
Der industry.
Mr. Hines said Mr. Smith had been
engaged In his investigation four years
that the manufacturers had given him
every assistance. but they had been un-
able thus far TO learn that he had found
any evidence of a combination.
I.umbcrmen from various sections OF
the country protested TO the committee
against ratification OF the agreement.
Some of the lumbermon indicated that the
agreement would not be so Objectionable
II it, provided for free Canadian logs as
well as finished lumber. In that case.
they said, the American mills would be
able 10 meet Canadian competition with
out much injury.
D. e Skinner of Seattle. A. j. Wilson
of Spokane, Herbert w Blanchard OF
BOSTON a. w. Whitehead of Wilmington
and Mr., Hines. as representing the lum-
ber manufacturers. presented tho pro-
tests of producing interests.