The Washington herald., 1911-02-27
A JAM In THE SENATE
Upper House Swamped with
Legislative Work.
SUPPLY BILLS ARE DELAYED
The Outlook for q Vote on the
Reciprocity Agreement Remains
Sight Over Measures that Are Yet
to Be Considered.

Although some administration leaders
are inclined to nope that the Canadian
reciprocity bill will be voted upon in the
Senate, it is generally conceded that II
is now too late for such conviction to
have its effect According to the situa-
ton as analyzed last night, there are toe
many other measures tangled up in the
Senate at the present time to permit any
escape from an extra session. The jam
of legislation there is serious. IT is not
so much a question of the extra session
itself as to what measures beside the
reciprocity bin are to be carried over
into it. A few appropriations bills and
perhaps one or two other measures now
the new body.
Among the measures yet to be acted
upon by the Senate are eleven that carry
appropriations to keep the wheels of
government in motion. The failure of
any one of them would make it necessary
for the President to call special session,
without regard to the fate of Canadian
reciprocity. Embraced in some Of these
bills are provisions that have provoked
controversies that have tended to further
complicate the situation, growing out OF
the bitter factional fight precipitated by
the submission of the Canadian agree
ment to Congress-
While the Senate has been debating
the Lorimer case, the direct elections
resolution, and other measures the House
has been busy putting through appropria-
ton bills. Thirteen of these measures
have passed the House. Six of them
have been acted upon by the Senate.
a 70 hoe vat 10 40
of the appropriations, and in addition it
must consider all of the conference re-
ports on these measures.
Propositions Full of Trouble.
There are three propositions in the sup
ply bills that have stirred up trouble.
Two Of them have excited the hostility
of Senator Hale. He is opposed to the
authorization of two battle ships in the
naval bill. He is hostile to the appropria-
ton OF $4,000 for the tariff board car
ried by the sundry civil bill Just how
far Mr.. Hale will carry his opposition to
these provisions remains to be seen. If
he intends to use them merely as a
means of tilibustering against Canadian
reciprocity, he may withdraw his opposi-
sition to the battle ships and the tariff
board at the last minute.
ance with the Senate progressives is gen
orally known. The progressives took a
leading part in the flibuster of the past
week. In the main the progressives are
opposed to the Mccall bill. and it is gen.
orally believed that they have formed
an alliance with Senator Hale and other
regulars to prevent action on ii at this
time.
The Fight over Postage.
The progressives have another fight
on their hands. They are taking the side
of the magazines in the efforts making
to defeat the provision in the postal bill
increasing the mail rates on the adver-
tising pages of magazines. This pro-
vision may come up for consideration
in the Senate to-day. There is a sus-
picion that the progressives are perfectly
willing to defer action on the postal bill, as
a means of defeating the proposed higher
mail rates, if it becomes apparent that
the President will adhere to his deter
mination to call special session in event
of the failure of Canadian reciprocity.