The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-28
NERVOUS TENSION !. IN HOUSE OVER THE RECIPROCITY BILL Measure Advances Iinpor- tant Step Before the Op-
 ponents Realize It IPENROSE FAILS TO
 FIX DAY FOR VOTE Debate Indicates That Insurgents and Democrats Want Other Bills To Get To Taft Before
 Reciprocity Measure
 

Washington, June 27.-The tension that exists in the Senate over the reciprocity measure was emphasized by incidents that occurred in the confused proceed ings today. The session began with an unsuccessful attempt by Chairman Pen rose of the finance committee to secure an agreement for vote on reciprocity July 24 on the wool bill July 26 and free list bill July 2S Friends of reciprocity insist upon coupling all three measures in any agreement to vote.
 After refusing to permit such an ar rangement, the opponents of the reciproc- ity bill allowed that measure to advance one important parliamentary step before they had realized what had happened. For quarter of an hour the Senate was in executive, session. At it's conclusion no one being ready to speak on the measure and following the parliamentary custom of that body, Vice President Sherman an- nounced that the bill would be reported from the committee of the whole to the Senate. The bill actually passed through all the stages of being reported to the Senate before members realized what was going on. While under consideration in the committee of the whole the measure could be amended, but could not be voted upon. In the Senate 1t could be brought to a final vote at any time Senators Nelson, Bristow. Clapp and Bailey joinc+ in the protest that arose when it was found what had happened to the bill
 At first Senator Penrose objected to having the measure reinstated in the committee of the whole He said the Senate had rhown no disposition to hurry in it's consideration of the bill and had rejected his proposal for definite time for a vote on the measure. He, there- fore. thought nc backward step should be taken.
 Restored to Former Status
 Friends of the bill on the democratic side however, aed .hy Senators Stone and Bacon, said the Senate haa evidently been off it's guard, and had permitted the bill to be advanced unntentionally. Senator Penrose finally consented to hay ing it restored to its former status.
 The feeling that developed over this incident was not so marked, however, dS lIldl WHICH Sltbltu OeDdIOG teITOSe attempt to fix a time for the vote on the bills.
 The insurgents objected to any def mite date for the reciprocity vote and the finance committee was extricated from the embarrassing position of hay ing the other votes determined by an objection from Senator Root. Several democrats and insurgents would have welcomed the fixing of the other two dates so that the tariff bills could be forced up 10 President Taft ahead of the reciprocity bill and the latter held back as means of forcing his sigma ture to the others.
 Will Renew Request
 The Penrose request will be renewed from time to time and whenever con ditions seem favorable Ultimately the friends of reciprocity may consent to the order allowing the vote on the tariff bills to come first, but they will not do so al present. nor in talk ing this position will they consent for one to go through without the oth- CTS. In this attitude they have the in- dorsement of the President who has ad- vised them in individual conferences that while he does not shrink from considera tion of tariff measures at this time, he thinks that reciprocity should | come first in the natural order. His position, as expressed to senators who have talked to him, is that the present session sh ould be confined as strictly as possible to reciprocity that being  sider
 Senator Maritime of New Jersey, wno has qualified as a farmer in the Sem ate, had an interesting passage al arms with Senator Borah, who spoke in op- position to the reciprocity bill He ques- toned the latter's statements as to the benefits of protection to the farmer.
 Maritime as Farmer
 I've been looking up the senator from New Jersey since he announced that he was a farmer,r retrorted MT. Borah, aud l find that IS or 20 years ago. he had q farm of 12o acres in New Jersey: that he farmed 1t for while, played politics a little. and that finally a great manufacturing town to 1t. he cut it into building lots built houses on 1t, and Is now many times landlord and has come to the United States Senate.'
 Senator Maritime answered with heat. | and declared he had been an active farmer up to three years ago.
 The dialogue was terminated by Sen ator Galinger's observation that Sen ator Maritime must have been elected by straw vote. The Senate was compelled to adjuorn because of the storm that ragged about the capitol late in the afternoon. which made further proceedings impossible.'
 Washington. June 2I-An attempt by Chairman Penrose of the Senate finan- cial committee to fix July "A for a vote on the Canadian reciprocity bill was de- feated in the Senate today through Sen ator LaFolette's objection.
 The debate indicated a portion of the republican insurgents and some demo- crais would fight to have the wool revision and the free list bills passed first, so that the President will have to act on them before the Senate passes the reef procty bill
 The Penrose resolutions proposed a vote on the reciprocity bill July oi, a vote on the wool revision bill July 26 and vote on the free list bill July 2S. Senator IaFollette's objection was made only to the vote on the reciprocity bill. Bailey urged no one to object to the other dates. but the republican lead