Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-24
or Congress Is Consider
ed More Than Probable.
Important Measures Endanger.
ed By Reciprocity Mudd|e'


| Washington. Feb. 43.--The chaotic
| conditions existing Wednesday night
| in the United States Senate adds ma =
| terially to the probability OF an extra
session of Congress. In fact indica-
tions began to multiply Wednesday
| that the Senate leaders. having become
| convinced that an extra session is un-
avoida ole. have decided to get into
that session great deal more than the
Canadian reciprocity agreement which
really will be the cause for convcning
the new Congress.
This it was charged by the advo-
Gates of reciprocity Wednesday night.
| would be done to cloud the issue as
much as possible and delay the ratiti-
cation of the agreement by much the
same tactics that have characterized
the present session. President TAFT Is
said to be doing all he can to bring tn"
Republican leaders into line, but he is
met with opposition in both wings of
the party-the Regulars and the In
Surgcnts.
The prediction was freely made about
the Capitol Wednesday that number of
the appropriation bills would fail of pas
sage. If this should prove to be the case.
il would mean that the supply measures
pending in the Senate or in conference
would be thrown out III entirety and the
making Of new measures would be lett to
the new Democratic House. There ap-
pears no longer any disposition to ques-
ton President Taft's sincerity in his de-
termination to call the cd Congress III
an extraordinary session. The date for
the opening OF the new Congress has
been agreed upon tentatively as March 10.
\ number of the 1nsurgent Republican
senators who will retain their seats IN
the ed Congress met Wednesday in the
office of Senator Clapp of Minnesota and
began the formulation of a plan of cam
paign for the remainder OF the session
They say they are in favor of an extra
session They base their attitude upon the
fact that insufficient time remains be-
tween now and March properly TO dis
pose of the many important matters now
pending in the Senate. incidentally, all
of these Insurgent senators who will be
in the next Congress are opposed to the
Canadian agreement in its present form
and desire TO amend it in several impor-
tant particulars.
If il should appear that there is q dis
position to force a vote on reciprocity
during the next week. the Insursent sena-
tors. it was declared Wednesday night
are prepared to flibuster on the post
office appropriation bill. This tiilibuster
will be in the nature of a fight against
the provision increasing the rates of pos
tage on the advertising sections of the
large magazines. Seven of the Insurgents :
are said to have entered into definite
agreement on this point.
The situation in the Senate is practical
ly without precedent. There have been
other years when appropriation bills were
hurried through in the closing days of
the session. but for the number of other
important measures pending there are
said to be few, if any, parallels.
If an extra session is called, the chances
are that it will be anything but brief.
Even if all the appropriation bills should
be disposed Of the Democrats of the
House are deternAned to revise at least
two or three schedules of the Payne-Al-
drich act before they adjourn.