The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-08
TAFT IN EARNEST
A. AS NEVER BEFORE
His Political Future Depends
on Passage Of Reciprocity.
Bill.
OPPOSITION IS STRONG
If President Wins Fight It viii
Be Against Tremendous
Odds.
Especial to Tho Times. Dl,pa.ch. ]

Especial to Tho Times. Dispatch.1
washington. d. c., June It's Pres
ident Taft about to "break up the
game" In the present great reciprocity
fight which has now been going on in
the extra session OF Congress for more
than Two months? II man ever was
In earnest about anything in his life
William Howard Taft Is Thoroughly 80
regarding the purposes for which he
called Congress In extraordinary SEES
sion. And we'll he should be. His in.
davidual political fate as we'll as that
OF his party depends upon the success
or failure OF the reciprocity propa-
ganda.
Thus far. practically nothing has
been done by the Senate abont the
business for which President Tart
called It together. While hearings on
reciprocity have been conducted in the
Finance Committee these hearings
nave had little to do with settling the
fate Of the bill.
Single Speech .lndc.
4 single protracted speech on re-
ciprocity has been made on the floor
that by Senator Crawford. OF South
Dakota The whole gafnut of a pro-
tracted debate has to be run before
there is vote, and as the time for
opening the real fight draws near ii
looks as II the discussion would
stretch out almost Indefinitely.
Tho week following this one is
when the Gagement on reciprocity
L. expected to become general. The
Greet elections amendment will be
voted on week from to-day. and
then there Will be no longer excuse
for not getting down to business OH
the reciprocity question:. The great
question. aside from the matter. Of
whether reciprocity will pass or will
fail that is engaging the Senate Just
now. is what Is going TO be the ,atti-
tnde OF the Insnrsent Republicans On
this. much depends. With the InsuE-
gents holding the balance OF power
the position they assume Will be OF
much moment Moreover, while a
Eplit among themselves and among the
Democrats may prevent them from
having numerical balance of nower
on reciprocity, they are certain to
WELD great influence and what they
Say viii! have large effect on the coun-
Try.
The Insurgent Republicans In the
Senate are for the most part opposed
TO the reciprocity agreement, but this
does not mean that they are going TO
content themselves with the nero
policy OF obstruction. On the con-
trary. they are going to undertake
what appears to them TO be a great
constructive policy with reference TO
this matter. They are going to seek
by amendments to perfect the recipro-
city measure as they view it,
They contend that the existing ar
rsnGement IS defective, that 1t is one
sided. that IT will not afford the pub
lie the relief 1t needs, and that The
roo ~ .
broadened. They contend that this
can be done without making tho
agreement invalid. M
Senator La Toilette and Senator
CUMMING Will be leaders in the fight
Tor broadening the scope OF the agree
ment. If they get it broadened they
undoubtedly Will vote for it. as will
most OF the Senate progresslves.
Should It fall OF amendment, there is
probability that a considerable num-
Der OF the Insurgents Will vote for
the agreement anyhow.
Won't 10 Improve 1t.
z The 1nsurgent leaders have been
working on tariff matters for weeks
and they do not intend to content
themselves with any merely perfume
tory discussion of reciprocity. They
intend to deal with all phases Of it,
intend to show wherein the present
agreement can be improved. and
doubtless before they get through they
will go into general tariff revision
deeply.
On the House side tho tariff dis
cussions, including those on recipro-
city. have boen more or less perfume
ate side. the signs are that one OF
the historic fights OF that body on tho.
tariff Ia impending. and that 1t will
prove extremely interesting and ami
mated. IN
In some respects the situation now
recalls that at the outset OF the fight
over the railroad bill in tho begin
ming OF the long oession OF the last
Congress-
President Taft submitted railroad
bill and insisted 1t should be passed
without amendment 1t went through.
the House without much change, but
in the Senate the Insurgents attacked
It, reconstructed 1t and made It more
drastic.
President Taft wants no emondment
to the reciprocity agreement But the
Insurgents believe they are going to
be able to repeat what they did in
the railroad bill @~ht. and put through
the Senate a stronger measure than
the President has proposed II they
do this they think the House will
have to accept 1t. f; nd tho President
Sign 1t.
II amendments along the lines they
suggest are prevented they look for
1t to be done by a combination Of high
tariff Republicans and protective
Democrats, led by Senator Bailey.
Senator Bailey makes no secret of
his opposition to the reciprocity meas
ure and Ia expected to oppose It In
any form. P H. MEG. 81