Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-15
Democrats Begin Debate on
Canadian Reciprocity.
ENCOURAGED WITH CHEERS
Representative Kitchin, North Caro-
lima, Speaks for an Hour.
HARP00Ns THE REPUBLICANS
Thanks President Taft for Giving
His Party Opportunity to Re-
deem Pledges.

The reciprocity bill embodying Presi-
dent Taft's tariff compact with Canada
and differing in no essential from the
Mccall bill passed by the House last
session. was taken up in the House to-
day. For three days it is expected to
hold the attention Of that body. At the
end Of that time democrats and repub-
lcans are expected to join in passing 1t
by a large majority.
With the encouragement of cheers and
prolonged applause on the democratic
side, the great tariff debate Of this ex-
traordinaary session of Congress began.
With a full membership at attention on
the right, with the republicans sitting
moodily in 4 sullen group on the left
and with the galleries packed to over
flowing with visiting Easter excursion
lists, "the people, in fact, the tubilant
democratic party today began the work
Of real revision, to be prefaced by a little
talk.
Shirley Of Kentucky was called to the
CAoAA " ~ CSAuO OtSA SAO SSAAAAAASeOS VI
the whole, which will first consider the
Canadian reciprocity bill. Speaker Clark's s
tribute to the popular young Kentuckian
was greeted with applause.
Then Kitchin Of North Carolina, one Of
the spellbinders of the democrats. was
recognized to open the debate, with leave
to speak for an hour. AS the eloquent
young Carolinian took the floor his COL
leagues applauded and, as If realizing
that they had come into their own at
last, broke into cheers.
And the first thing Mr. Kitchin did was
to cast a harpoon into the republicans
and twist 1t. He thanked the President
for calling the extraordinary session and
giving the democrats an opportunity to
begin at once the work of revising the
tariff and relieving the people of the
burdens Of taxation.
John Dalzell and the other standpatters
looked daggers at the Speaker, and same
grouchy reactionary in the rear rank
srowled out. That's right, rub it in on
u.s."
standpatters Far From Happy.
happy, not alone over the reciprocity bill,
IOT III IdCL the WOISl Is Yet u COIHc
The free list bill is due next week, and
the prospect is appalling to the high
protectionists.
1t is a fact that the republicans are in
bad shape over their tariff police. With
forty-odd progressives and many who are
thought to be ''near-prOgressives'' in their
depleted ranks, they have no definite
plans for resisting the democratic on
slaughts on the schedules.
he nnn0Siffnn p-i1
rilla warfare, every man for himself,
talking to please his own constituents as
he sees the light and voting for the in
terests Of his own district.
high protectionists. They profess to be
discouraged because the President is not
with them. They have never forgiven
him for putting forward reciprocity and
for calling the extra session. They insist
that the progresstves are drifting away
from protection as they understand it.
The democrats for their part are full of
enthusiasm and vigor. Reciprocity. they
claim. is their meat; and the e,1 free list I, Is
will not let an opportunity pass to tack
on to the Presidents reciprocity plan and
expect to rub out his trademark and
brand it Made by Democrats"
First Move Toward Revision.
The debate on the measure was begun
by Representative Kitchin, a member Of
the ways and means committee and an
earnest advocate Of the agreement. In
an hours address beginning with re-
view OF democratic pledges and perform
ances, he declared that the Canadian
reciprocity bill was the first move toward
a downward revision Of the tariff.
"A united democracy gives thanks to
President Taft for calling this extra ses-
sion of Congress- said Mr.. Kitchin.
20
quicken the fulfillment Of their pledges to
the people. How well they have en-
braced these opportunities thus far the
records of the last ten days will show"
Mr.. Kitchin declared the democratic
House had done more in the two weeks
of the present session than republican
Congresses had accomplished in ten years
He referred to the passage OF the reso-
! luton for direct election of senators;
economy In the House management; cleo
tion of the committees of the House, pas
sage of a bill for prediction publicity Of
campaign funds, and the taking up Of
tariff revision.
Calls It Democratic Measure.
Mr. Kitchin said President Taft had
called two extra sessions; the first to en-
act the Ubiquitous Payne-Aldrich tariff
act" and the second to give the demo-
! Gratis d chance to undo It,
Mr. kitchin reused the democrats to ap-
plause by frequent attacks on the
"standpatters'' Of the republican side. He
admitted there would be some demo-
cratic votes against the reciprocity bill
on the ground that it was republican
measure.
And yet Mr.. Dalzell says it's demo-
cratic measure said Mr.. kitchin.
| "Ninety-five per cent Of the democrats
say IL is a democratic measure. Cannon.
| Dalzell, Fordney and Gaines, the four
high priests of protection were all against
il in the last session because 1t was a
democratic measure. Yet those fsw demo-
Gratis now propose to go over on the
other side and sit down by Mr.. Dalzell
and Mr.. Cannon and justify their woes
by saying this is a republican measure. :"
PROMINENT ATHLETE DEAD.
DR.. John A. Miskey Was Former