The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-04-25
PASSES TREATY
Reciprocity Goes Through
House by Big Majority.
AMENDMENTS VOTED DOWN
Crowded Galleries Heard the Con-
Guiding Speech From the
Leaders of Both
Factions.

Washington, April 22.-The Cana
dian reciprocity bill was passed by
the house, 264 to SO. after six days
debate. The measure went through In
the form in which ii was reported from
committee.
The bill. which has President Tafts
entire approval, practically Is idenu'
cal with that submitted at the last
session.
In the course of the debate on the
measure, amendments for free lumber,
fresh meat. canned meat, shingles and
laths were voted down on the ground
that they would break the Canadian
agreement.
The debate was concluded with the
speeches of the three leaders in the
fght, Representatives Underwood. of
Alabama: Mccall of Massachusetts.
and Dalzell, of Pennsylvania, Crowded
galleries heard the concluding speech
es, Mrs. TAFT occupying a seat in the
executive gallery.
Says Farmers Were Fooled.
Represen. alive Mccall declared that
the farmers Of the United States had
been pushed forward to hide the real
interests opposed to the agreement.
lie said that he spoke in behalf Of all
Republicans who were in favor Of the
measure. He ridiculed the "eulogies
upon the farmers" which he said had
characterized the majority Of the
speeches against reciprocity.
The farmer is not the sad-eyed
rnonstrosity that he has been painted
in the house." declared the speaker.
The opening up of the cheap lands
OF Canada TO United States markets
would not be injurious to this coun-
thy" said Mr.. Mccall.
The advantage of this reciprocity
agreement will be not in reducing the
price of single bushel Of wheat but
when the time of our scarcity comes
it will prevent the rise in price by
giving us free access to the Canadian
supply"
Declares Protection Is Threatened.
In final attack on the bill Mr..
/ Dalzell, of Pennsylvania. declared the
agreement had been made without au-
thority of law: that II had been made
without popular desire for it and un-
/ der the guise of a measure TO reduce
/ the cost of living He held that neither
/ the president nor congress had the
right to make an agreement with a
foreign country involving revenue
/ questions.
Mr.. Dalzell called the agreement a
"bungling piece Of craftsmanship.
and further characterized it as an
open, avowed. free trade measure,
declaring that its passage would
/ threaten the whole policy of protection
to American industry.
Underwood Closes the Debate.
Mr. Underwood then took the floor
to make the closing address Of the
long debate.
For fifty years." he said. the Re
publican party has maintained the
policy Of excluding from the home
market. as far as it has been able to
do so, competitive products from other
countries. In the beginning this policy
was inaugurated with the express
| declaration that 1t was intended 10
develop new industries until they were
strong enough to stand alone and
face. in the open. the markets of the
world and the rivalry of our protec-
/ tive competitors, but the greed for
gain has driven the advocates Of this
theory far beyond the position they
maintained at its inception Today
there is hardly a great American in
/ dustry that Is not exporting its sur
plus products to the open markets OF
the world and selling them in free
competition with the manufactures and
crops Of our foreign competitors"
Mr. Underwood contended that the
nation should turn from these stand
ards, carefully adjusting the laws to
meet new conditions without serious
injury to capital or labor. in order to
reduce the cost of living at home and
be prepared to dispose Of surplus pro-
ducts to insure stability Of prices and
emplOvment of labor.