The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-07
TARIFF STRUGGLE
 WILL BE LONG ONE
Senator Johnston Gives Out
 Interview on Return
RECIPROCITY ALSO
Congress May Take Up the Tariff Schedule First or May Start Out With Reciprocity and
 Reapportionment
E, N, CHOPPER


 . United States Senator Joseph F. John ston reached Birmingham yesterday, from Washington, where he has been at tending the meeting of Congress- He will remain in this city until the time of the reassemb1y in Washington pursuant to the formal proclamation of President Taft to consider the Canadian reciprocity and the apportonment bill.
 Senator Johnston gave out an interview yesterday in which he said the tariff schedule would most probably evoke a long and tedious struggle before Congress and that if the measure was considered on the floor of the House and Senate dis cussion would last until 1912.
 He did not make any formal statement about the Lorimer case, preferring to re- frain from discussing that incident in a formal way In discussing the work of the extra session Senator Johnston said:
 The democrats generally did not de- sire an extra session. When they meet there are two courses that may be pur- sued The first is to take up the Cana dian reciprocity for which the extra ses- sion was called and amend it so as to more fully emphasize the democratic po- sition on the tariff, pass that law, then take up the apportionment bill. No doubt this will be pressed by the democrats from New York; Ohio, Indiana, Colorado and West Virginia. These states have now democratic legislatures and the apportionment may be so made as to cor rect the gerrymandering that now pre- vails In this event the business of the extra session could be disposed of within 60 days and the ways and means commit tee of tine House have six months to pre- pare a bill revising the tariff or such schedule as they may desire before Con gress meets in December
 Second, Congress may take up forth with the revision og the tariff which would be long and tedious job, running over many mohths and possibly not passing the House until close on to the next ses- sion in December If the first plan is adopted the democrats will also have full opportunity to investigate many abuses that have grown up in the last ten years and prepare to cut down the expenses of the government without ma terially affecting it's efficiency The com mittees could sit during the recess and have their reports ready for the opening of Congress in regular session next De- cember and the ways and means commit tee of the House could perfect a tariff revision bill and be prepared to sub init it to the House when 1t meets. l should dislike to see the country and it's business and commercial interests held up whilst the preliminary work on the tariff, which could be as well done, per haps better, by the committee as by open discussion in Congress.
 We shall have a long session in De- oember, perhaps running until July, as efforts will be made to correct many extravagant abuses and l would not be surprised if we undertake the tariff re- form in April when we meet that the session may be prolonged until July, 1912 I fear that during this time there would not be much renewal of the in- dustrial interests of the country Although Senator Johnston recently re- mained up all night in the Senate attend ing the filibuster demonstration and oth- CT arduous events, he looked very well and in good physical condition. He called on some few friends down town yesterday and while at the offices of Campbell s& Johnston there were many friends who called to pay their respects.