Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-07
TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1911.
EXTRA SESSION GOSSIP.
Short Sitting Hoped For-Lone One
Expected,

washington, March 6.-Notwith.
standing the positiveness with which
President Taft had declared repeated
ly, in all but direct and official Ian
guage, that unless congress should en-
act legislation to put into operation the
Canadian reciprocity agreement, he
would summon an extra session to re-
sumo consideration Of the subject, his
fulfillment Of that threat within two
hours Of adjournment was an actual
surprise to many members Of that.
body. 1t was especially so in the SEN
ate. AS late as an hour before final
adjournment. yesterday. prominent
senators and others about the Capitol
made bets that there would be no ex-
ira session.
Pressure nothing less than tremend-
GUS had been brought to bear upon the
administration and upon members Of
congress to prevent the calling Of the
extra session. Until the last moment
rumors were incessant that a way
would be found to avoid It. One Of the
most persistent was that there were in
progress some kind Of negotiations be-
tween the president and the Canadian
government looking to the withdrawal
OF the agreement by one party or the
other, so as to give excuse for with
holding the special call.
Another rumor was that there was
some kind Of an understanding be-
tween the president and the Republi-
can leaders In congress to the effect
that one or more Of the great appro-
priation bills, preferably the general
| deficiency bill, was to be lost in the
| shuttle" so that the special session
would be unavoidable. Still another
was that the leaders had determined to
hold up some appropriation bill in
which the White house was especially
| interested and at the last moment
make its passage conditional upon the
abandonment Of the extra session pro-
| 1ect. The blockade Of the appropria-
tion bills in the filibusters in both
houses yesterday tended to give color
to the stories.
| Some go so far as to say that II GER
tain senators had believed the presi-
dent would actually make good his
threat they would have made strenu-
GUS effort to pass the reciprocity bill.
Whatever may be the degree Of alb
sence Of truth in any Of these stories.
there can be no doubt that the issue of
the presidents extra session procla-
| nation met scant welcome at the
hands Of those members Of congress
who after the stress Of the past ses-
sion will barely have time to go home
| for a brief rest and to adjust their
| affairs for another session which many
think will extend far into the summer.
There are those who believe It will be
so long as to leave only "construc-
tive recess" before the regular session
begins In December
At the present time any prediction Of
| the length Of the special session must
be sheer speculation. The Democrats
of the house who will initiate tariff
legislation have had no time to inau-
gurate plans. Any programme pre-
pared now or at any time within the
next several weeks would be subject
to sweeping changes dictated by con-
tingencies which the administration,
the Democratic house or the Republi-
can senate could neither foresee nor
control.
The best informed leaders Of both
the Democratic and Republican par
ties, who are familiar with tariff ques-
tions, realize that whatever may be the
sentiment throughout the country
there can be no sudden reduction of
customs duties. II Is conceded that
even Democratic house, which will
Immediately be bombarded with de-
mands for radical modification Of the
tariff or even the destruction Of the
protective policy must Of necessity
proceed with caution.
Democratic leaders Of the house will
have many conferences during the
coming session with members of their
party in the senate. This fact became
known when 1t was announced unof-
ficially that expenditures will be con-
sidered in connection with revenues.
It was suggested that work will be
given to the committees on expendi-
lures in the various departments,
which in the past have been empty as
signments intended only to give to the
chairman thereof extra allowances for
clerk hire and similar -perquisites In
the gift of the party which happened to
be in the majority Of the house. The
same condition Of affairs has existed
in the senate.
Appropriations for the large part
have been in the hands of the house
and senate committee on appropria-
tions. There have been few excep-
tions, such as the bills for the army,
navy, pensions and postoffice depart
ment, but for the most part the great
bulk Of expenditures has been passed
upon by overworked committees on
appropriations. The effect has been
that items aggregating millions have
been voted upon by the great body of
congress with little or no opportunity
for study of their merits. It was in
that way that the billion dollar con-
gress" was created. 1t rests with con-
gress whether the rapid growth Of es-
Inmates and the almost as rapid growth
of appropriations is to be checked.
Some of the Democratic leaders who
have given thought to this situation
have come to the conclusion that they
have before them a greater work than
revising the tariff. They realize that
the executive departments are called
upon to expend great sums Of money
as the result Of public sentiment, and
hot ot,nn1ty fhn
for these expenditures or else cut the
expenditures.
Confronted with the responsibility Of
initiating any revision Of the tariff
which may be attempted following ac-
tion in the extraordinary session upon
the Canadian reciprocity agreement,
the Democratic leaders are already
giving thought to the dilemma. They
say that II the tariff legislation passed
by the house should provide INSULT
cient revenues the senate will at once
amend 1t.
In the event Of the supremacy Of the
house in conference, which Is not i'm
probable, in view Of the fact that the
senate will be barely Republican and
portion of its majority comprised Of
insurgents who may act with the Dem
dent Taft would use the veto. In fact,
Many people think, therefore, that
few actual tariff changes will result
from the extraordinary session in
spite of the feeling on the part Of the
incoming Democrats, that the last
election imposed upon them COM
mand to proceed Immediately.
Moreover, some Of the more conser-
vatve Democrats are already arguing
that their party was In no wise res
ponsible for the extra session and that
had 1t not been called by the presi-
dent the tariff question Of necessity.
would have been postponed until the
regular session beginning in Decem-
ber. Those who argue thus, would
like to have the question Of reduced
import duties considered next winter
in connection with a radical reduction
Of expenditures in the government de-
partments. For this purpose they
want to restore actuality and vigor to
the practically dead committee on ex-
penditures in the various departments.
causing them to study the needs of the
different branches of the government
and give to congress such information