The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-28
Many Obstacles Thrown
in P ath Of Reel
procity Bill.
TAFT MUST USE
HIS BIG STICK
Even Then He May Not Be Able
to Force Measure Through
senate-Tremendous Pres
sure Is Being Brought
Against Measure by Pro
ID lection Interests.
Especial to The rimes-Diapatch !

Especial to The Times-Dispatch.]
Washington, May 27.-Will President
TAFT. with all of the power that the adj
minlstration possesses. be able to force
the Canadian reciprocity bill through?
1t has been apparent, here for some
time that the reciprocity road was be-
coming roughcr and roughcr every
day
Dangers from so many sources are
now threatening the agreement tina
It's supporters are getting alarmed.
Ihis does not mean that the admins
tration la at all in despair about the
passage ofithe BILL hut 1t realizes that
The pressurehto defeat the measure is
getting more and more Intense, and
that strenuous efforts by the President
Will be necessary 10 force It through
Work Drugs slowly.
With the Finance Committee drag
cling slowly along, and showing no
disposition to report the bill for some
days: with Senator Root Insisting on
his amendment to the paper and wood
pulp provisions. which would seriously
cripple the measure. with Senator
Lodge. OF Massa chusetts. wavering and
showing signs of being secretly hostile
TO the agreement with Senators
La Toilette and Cummins unfrtendly 10
the agreement: with Senator Kenyon,
the new Senator from Iowa. who was
relied on to support the bill. uncertain
and regarded now as not unlikely to
vote against II. and with the standpat
high tariff leaders in the Senate IN
compromisingly opposed to reciprocity
In any form. It Is getting more and
more plain how grave are the Difficult
ties ahead.
Senator Kenyon has not said he
would vote against the agreement. but
opponents OF the bill are getting more
and more hopeful that he will yield 10
the pressure against him.
The difficulty the bill Is in is this:
that 1t has no aggressive champion in
the senate on the Republican side. Sen
ator Norris Brown is one of the few
Progressives for, the bill. but he VIII
have no opportunity OF making fight
until the measure is out of the Finance
Committee.
Ofthe Democrats. Senator Stone, OF
Missouri, is working earnestly for the
measure. and 80 10 Senator John Sharp
Williams. both on the Finance Com
mittee But they are finding It uphill
work In the committee, dominated as
II is by the regular Republicans and
with Senator Bailey throwing rocks
IN the way OIL the agreement at every
opportunity.
Senator stone repeatedly has on
Jected to the way the Finance Com
mittee Is dragging out the hearings
He feels and says there Is scheme 10
hold back the report and delay action.
1ndica ton of lnis was given as late
a last evening. when June 10 was
fixed for voting on direct election Of
Senator'S. and this matter was left the
unfinished business to that time. SEN
ator Bailey said the reciprocity bill
would not get to the floor much If
any before then. J
With a month or six weeks of de-
bate ahead. this makes 1t look like the
middle OF July. and perhaps August.
before a vote can be had oil reciprocity
in the Senate
In the meantime, tile adversaries of
reciprocity are bent on using every
weapon they can possibly employ
against the agreement. That the high
pr detected interests OF the country are
making. an organized fight against 1t
is clear They are cleverly getting
the farmers of the country, at least
the Grange officers. to make the fight
for them, while they are keeping in
The background and more or less un
der cover.
The word has gone around that
President Taft was never more in
earnest in his life than he is about
this agreement. He has used the big
stick at time since March {. 1909. to
further his favorite measures. but the
signs are that he will use It with
greater vehemence than ever in seek
Ing to muster votes for reciprocity.