The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-02-20
President Serves Notice on
Congress
IF SENATE FAILS TO ACT
Makes Known Determination Through
Representative McCall-Regards 1t
as Solemn Obligation at This
Time.


Washington. Feb. 2O.-Ihe first au-
thoritive announcement that President
Taft win call an extra session of Con-
gress ii the Senate fails to act on the
Mccall, bill. carrying into effect the
Canadian reciprocity agreement, came
from Mr.. Mccall himself, followed an
interview with the president at the
White House.
Mr.. McCallis statement, which is gem
orally understood to have been approved
by the president, follows:
81 believe Republican senators are
gradually coming to recognize that, with
the certain prospect of an extra session
unless they bring the reciprocity bill to
a vote there will be very serious ineon-
venience and embarrassment if not dan
ger to the business and industrial en-
tcrprises that are really entitled to pro-
lection. The president feels that he is
under an international obligation to
summon an extra session. lie viii do
this reluctanctly because it is bringing
into power a Democratic House and a
Senate much more nearly Democratic
than the present Senate.
But if the Senate should fail to act,
the president feels under his agreement
with the Canadian government to use
his utmost endeavor to have the reci-
procity agreement confirmed he will be
compelled to call an extra session They
would naturally feel that they can not
extemporize a revision OF the tariff
schedules. The light remark that you
can prepare tariff bill over night or
IN two weeks or month everyone
knows to be utterly nfomded
"But what an extra session is like
" to mean is constant agitation and
continuous investigation into the in
dustries that are made possible by pro-
lection and interference with their bus
mess that bodes no good for business at
large The consequence is that if any
one should prevent action on the reci-
procity bill he would be in the position
Of helping to bring about a condition
most injurious to those industries which
really need protection. What follows IN
an extra session viii not be the presi-
dents fault The president is a protec-
zionist and expects TO use the veto pow
pr, as far as he properly may, to main
tain the party's protective principles
But it would be a misfortune to have
this inevitable conflict come nine
months ahead Of the time when it is
naturally due.
Garfield when in the House voted
against denouncing the Elgin treaty,
which was drawn on almost exactly the
same lines as is the present agreement
I'm Grants administration, treaty in
nearly the same terms was negotiated
and rejected by the Senate. Mckinley
hi later times advocated a like policy,
and after many years Of agitation the
present administration has been able TO
lake advantage Of an international sit
uation and to bring to conclusion r
fair, equitable reciprocity agreement,
which fills the measure OF Meknley's
requirement. namely, that il shall injure
no. interest at home and shall further
increase our foreign trade. The presi-
lent is impressed with the extreme inn
portance to the country Of the ratifica-
tion of the agreement and also with the
solemn obligation he has undertaken
to use Ills utmost endeayor TO have it
enacted into law.
In conclusion | desire to call at
tention to the following extract from the
presidents speech at Springfield H..
With its attendant warning;
""There are those conservative pro-
tectionists who hang back from an APP
prevail Of this agreement on the ground
That it is departure from the prin-
'iple Of protection and is the opening
wedge to let in free trade Ny own
view is that no step could be taken more
in the interest of a reasonable policy
Of protection than the approval Of this
treaty The very existence Of the pol
cy depends on our abolition Of the tar
II where it Is not really needed under
the principle of the last Republican plat
form. If we persist in retaining it in
these times of high prices and gradually
exhausting food supply and base our re-
tention Of protection principles we shall
rouse an opposition that viii know no
moderation and will not cease radical
economic changes until it has removed
from the statute book the last trace
Of protective tariff.
While it is the evident purpose of
The president in permitting the an
nouncement Of Mr., Mccall to avoid an
extra session BY inducing senator's to
act upon the agreement, it is the opin-
lon Of many about the capital that in
al probability the statement has come
too late. With appropriation bills bad
" congested for the popular election
Of senators coming up daily as the un-
finished business the chances for action
upon reciprocity agreement seem slight,
but that, of course. conditions may
change.
There is some prospect that the Lori.
mer case may be disposed Of on Wednes.
lay following a speech which Senator
Lorimer made in his own behalf, but
there is no apparent likelihood Of early
votes on any Of the other important
measures mentioned
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