The Washington times., 1911-02-18
Reciprocity Agreement Must
Come Up in Extra
Session.
HALE is DETERMINED
TO PREVENT ACTION
Tariff Commission Bill Also Likely
to Fall by the Way
side.
By JOHN SNURE.

The measure for the ratification OF the
Canadian reciprocity agreement cannot
An extra session of Congress now seems
An extra session of Congress now seems
certainty.
Information disclosed today by inside
sources, from Senators who have been
doing their utmost to get the agreement
put through the Senate, makes it clear
that the compact will not be voted on
before the session closes. To such an
extent is this true that Administration
Senators, who until now have been
keeping a stif show of confidence, ad-
mitted this afternoon they had aban-
doned hope.
the present situation to get the agree
ment indorSed or acted on by the Sen
ate by March t. The opposition to the
measure is determined.
Hale to Prevent Ratification.
Not the least important phase of the
situation is that Senator Hale of Maine
is bitterly opposed to the agreement. He
is determined not to allow il to reach
a vote before the end Of this session.
He will go out of the Senate with the
end of Congress, but he is bent on
staving off the ratification of the agree
ment while he is a Senator. If later 1t is
ratified, the responsibility will not be
his.
Not only is the reciprocity agreement
today declared certain to fail, but the
tariff commission bill VIII probably go
down with il. Supporters of this meas
IRE are much alarmed at the outlook.
The result of 4 meeting of the Senate
Finance Committee this morning, to
consider the Canadian reciprocity
agreement, was to max" II more un-
likely than ever that there will be a
at this session. And, II is widely felt
as the chances for a Senate vote dimln-
iSh, the prospects FOR an extra session
to be called soon after March 4, in
crease.
Cannot Report Before Wednesday.
Not before Wednesday, and perhaps
not until Thursday, will the bill for
the ratification of the agreement he re
ported to the Senate by the Finance
Committee. If it is reported Thursday,
this will leave but seven full legislative
days for its consideration. How easily
it. final consideration can be blocked
in that brief time, with business as
badly cOngested as it is, is apparent.
The Finance Committee decided to
give hearings on the bill Monday and
/ Tuesday OF the coming week. The COM
mittee has been flooded with requests
Ior hearings. These have come from
fle lumber interests, from the Grange,
rom farming interests of various sCc-
Mons. from the fish interests of New
England and from live stock people,
as well as from other interests. To-
committee decided to hear As many Of
the different interests rs possible.
The hearings will he conducted in
one Of the large rooms Of the Senate
office building. and will conclude Thurs
day afteTuOOn. The committee VIII
then take up the agreement Wednes-
day. and expects to act on 1t finally
Wednesday or Thursday.
Senate Must ThreSh 1t Out.
Nearly all the members of the COM
1nittee indicated a disposition this morn
ing to vote to report the measure out OF
committee, but to have the report made
without recommendation. This will
leave it to he threshed out on the floor
OF the Senate.
Senator Hale, who is recovering from
his illness, was not at the meeting.
The decision to hold hearings on the
F'inanCe Committee does not hold hear
4mCs.
The fact that it was decided 10 give
hearings is looked on in some quarters
as intended to delay the progress of
ratification of the agreement.
Should the bill be reported to the
Senate Thursday, 1t will he impossible to
take it up for consideration before Fri
day. and probably not then, as consid-
Grafton could be STAYED off on objection
by any Senator.
The opinion freely expressed about the
Senate today following the meeting of
the Finance Committee was that there
would be no vote on the measure this
session.