The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-03-10
EXTRA SESSION
CALL SHOCK
TO LEADERS
BELIEVED PRESSURE WOULD
PREVENT TAFT MAKING
GOOD HIS THREAT.
is GIVEN A SCANT WELCOME
Will Do Little to Change Tariff
Fearing Republican Senate.

StduulIS lue pOSlllNeneSS Win which
President Taft had repeatedly said.
in all but direct and official language
that unless congress should ratify
the Canadian reciprocity agreemen
he would call 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
cogress
1t was especially so in the senate.
AS late as an hour before the final
adjournment, leading senators made
bets there would be no extra session.
Pressure nothing less than tremen-
dous had been brought to bear on
the administration and upon men,
bers of congress to prevent the CALI
ing of an extra session. Until the
last moment rulnOrs were incessant
that a way would be found to avoid
it,
One OF the most persistent was
that there was in progress negotia--
lions between the president and the
Canadian government looking to the
withdrawal of the agreement by one
party or the other so as to give ex-
cuse for Withholding the special CALL
misunderstanding" Was Hinted
Another rumor was that there was
an understanding between the presi-
dent and the republican leaders in
congress that one or more of the ap-
preparation bills, preferably the gen.
eral deficiency bill, was to be lost in
the shuttle, so that the special ses-
sion would be unavoidable.
Still another was that the leaders
had determined to hold up some ap-
preparation in which the White
House was especially interested and
at the last moment make it's passage
conditional upon the abandonment of
the extra session project The block
AIDE Of the appropriation bills in the
filibuster in both houses, tended to
give color to these stories
certain senators had believed the
president would actually make good
his threat they would have made
strenuous efforts to pass the reci-
| procity bill
Whatever may be the truth, there
can be no doubt that the presidents
extra session proclamation met scant
welcome at tee HANDS Of those men,
bers OF congress who, after the
stress Of the last session, will barely
have time to go home for a brief re-
spite to adjust their affairs for an
other session, which many think will
extend far into the summer.
There are those who believe it will
! be so long as to leave only com
struclive recess before the regular
session begins in December.
Any other prediction of the length
OF the special session must be sheer
speculation. The democrats of the
house who will initiate tariff legis-
latlon have had no time to inaugur-
aus p4anS. ANY program prepared
now or at any other time within the
next few weeks would be subject to
sweeping changes distated by con-
| tlngencies and which the admins
tration. the democratic house or the
| republican senate neither could for
! See nor control.
The best-informed leaders of both
parties realize that whatever may
! be the sentiment throughout the
country there can be no sudden re-
duction of customs duties.
Democratic leaders of the house
will have many conferences in the
coming republican senate could fore
see nor session with members of their
party in the senate. This fact be-
came known today when it was an
nounced unofficially that expendi-
lures viii be considered in connec-
ton with revenue.
1t was suggested that work will be
given to the committee on expendi-
lures in the various departments.
which in the past have given empty
assignments intended only to give to
the chairman thereof extra allow
ance for clerk hire and similar per-
quisites. The same condition OF at
fairs has existed in the senate.
Some democratic leaders have
come to the conclusion that they
nave before them greater work
than revision of the tariff. They
! realize that the executive depart
ments are called upon to expend
great sums of money as the result Of
public sentiment and that congress
must supply the means for these ex-
penditures.