The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-03-06
President Issues a Proclama-
ton Fixing on April 4
ACTION WAS UNEXPECTED
Knocked the Breath Out of Many Repub-
lican Leaders, Who Were Positive
That Talk of Extra Session Was
Only Bluff.

Washington, March 6.--The special
session to consider Canadian reciprocity
will convene on April A. The president
issued his proclamation within little
more than an hour after the Senate
adjourned without having voted on the
reciprocity proposition.
IN taking this action without waiting
for further advice from Congress, the
president simply knocked the breath out
OF the Republican statesmen on Capitol
hill who were positive up to the last
minute that his talk OF special session
was only bluff. The belief OF Congress
leaders, in the face of the presidents
assertions, that a special session would
be avoided is little less than incredible
Yet bets were made by certain OF the
House leaders who are supposed to
know something of the presidents in
tentions that Congress would not be
Teconvened on account of the Canadian
agreement. The most prominent public
leader in the House is, in fact, credited
with having made bet OF five to one
with a friend that there would be no
extra session.
Ten minutes before the Senate ad-
journed, leaders of that body in the
Hobbies, on the floor, and even in the
marble room, where Mr., Taft was sign
ing bills declared that he would not
call special session. Yet twenty min
utes after the president had reached the
White House from the capitol the word
was given out that he would call Con-
gress back on April A.
The president, it is known, had taken
this action not only entirely upon his own
initiative, but against the protests OF
many of his friends. Republicans in
Congress struggled with the president
until the last moment. The predicted
his political ruin" invoked the spectre
OF business depression and resorted to
more personal considerations. When the
leaders found the president imperturba
bic and mistaken, they spared for
time They asked that the call be de-
ferred day or two. The president de-
elined He was in no mood to take
suggestions on the subject from the men
who had knitted his recommendations
to Congress lie thanked the Republ-
cans for their advice, returned to the
White House from the capitol and is
sued his call
The conferences in regard to a special
session were held in the marble room OF
the Senate, where the r---7dent had
gone to sign - Iag-end bills. Most OF
the z---mDers of his cabinet were there.
He called in Representative Underwood,
who is to be the leader of the majority
and next chairman of the House ways
and means committee. Senators Bailey,
Overman, Bacon and Money, all Demo |
Gratis, dropped into the marble room and |
talked. Senators Crane, Warren, Smoot, /
Root. Lodge and Others on the Repub /
Iiean side came in too. With all Of them /
the president discussed the date Of the
extra session.
After they had departed and the bills
were all signed, the president walked /
over to the Office of the secretary OF the I
Senate. There he met Speakerthat-was I
Cannon, Representatives, Payne, Dalzell, 7
Weeks and Gillette They were in con- /
ference only few minutes. Speaker /
Cannon objected strenuously TO April /
4. or any other date, for that matter,
but the president in no uncertain fash.
ion made his position clear As he mo-
tored from the capitol to the White
House, he decided that it was no more
than fair that the call should be issued 4
Immediately, and a few minutes after
he was back in his Office Secretary Nor
ton announced the date. The proelama-
ton itself came a few minutes later,
1t had been prepared before the presi
dent left for the capitol and only the
date had to be inserted. Here is the
Whereas. by the special message dat.
cd January 26, 1911 there was transmit.
ted to the Senate and the House of
an agreement between
the department of state and the Canadi-
an government in regard to reciprocal
tariff legislation, together wiz an earn
est recommendation that the necessary
be promptly adopted; and
''Whereas, bin to carry into effect
said agreement has passed the House
of Representatives, but has failed TO
reach vote in the Senate; and
Whereas, the agreement stipulates
not only that the president Of the Unit
I'd States will communicate to Congress
the conclusions now reached and recon-
mends the adoption of such legislation
rs may be necessary on the part Of the
United States to give effect to the pro-
posed arrangement, but also that the
of the two countries will
use their utmost efforts to bring about
such changes by concurrent legislation
Il Washington and Ottawa.
Now. therefore, /, William. Howard
Taft. president Of the United States of
America, By virtue of the power vested
N me by the constitution, do hereby
proclaim and declare that an extraordi-
1ary occasion requires the converting of
both houses OF the Congress OF the Unit
d States at their respective chambers
~ the city Of Washington on the 4th
Jay Of April, 1911, at II noon. to the
md that they may consider and deter
nine whether the Congress shall by