The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-05
Reciprocity and Permanent Tariff Board Bill Meet
 Defeat
EXTRA SESSION WILL
 COMMENCE APRIL 4
Amid Violent Scenes in Both Houses Bills Are Rushed Through in Last AS Hours Appropria-
 ing Over -$7OO, 100000

Washington, March 4.-The Sixty first Congress. needless of one of the most important legislative tasks set before it. came to an end shortly after noon today. Within the hour following President Taft had issued a proclama- tion calling the new Congress In extra ordinary session at noon Tuesday. April 1.
 At that time he will submit for rati- fication to House overwhelmingly democratic and to Senate barely re- publican the reciprocity agreement with Canada. The Mccall bill, carrying that agreement into effect and passed by the House, met today at the hands of the old Senate the death that had been freely predicted for it..
 The President well warned, if not entirely reconciled to the fate in store for the measure, was at the capitol to witness the obsequies. The bill was not allowed at any time to come up in the Senate for a moments oonsidera- tion.
 The permanent tariff board bill, forced to its passage through reluc- tant Senate at s:3o o'clock this morn ing, was hurried over to the House. there to be strangled by a democratic filibuster. The President, in the room reserved for him in the Senate lobby, heard the news with resignation. Con Gress provided funds to continue the work of the temporary tariff board bill for another year.
 It was at the request of tho demo- crats of the House and Senate that President Taft fixed the date of the extra session on April 1. The new dem ocratic ways and means committee Of the House, which is also to serve as the new committee on committees, will meet Monday to take up its latter duties. A full caucus of all the demo- cratic members of the new House will not be held until April B. In the mean time the plans for the extra session will have developed.
 Democrats to Revise Tariff There Is little doubt now that the dem ocrats of the House will undertake to revise at least two or three of the sched- ules of the Payne-Aldrich tarif act. and there is every reason also to believe these bills will be favorably received In the new Senate--the increased democratic and insurgent strength in that body giving a majority to the principle nf further revision of the tariff downward. It Is supposed, also, that so long as the new schedules do not nagrantly violato the policy of protection. President Taft will not withhold his approval of them. He has announced, however, that if a gem eral revision in violation of the protec- tive policy should be inaugurated he would not hesitate to use the power of the veto.
 How long the extra session will last is probIematical. While the new Congress ss may promptly ratify the reciprocity agreement. some democrats are in favor of withholding confirmation until two or three new tariff schedules are ready. if tariff differences should arise between the House and Senate, the session un- occasionally would be long one.
 Tn this connection, however the inter esting fact was developed today that the President has constitutional right to bring the session to an end in case the houses of Congress cannot agree upon . time for adjournment. Such action, 1t is admitted, would be revolutionary and there is thought 10 be little likeli- hood that any President would care to invoke the power vested in him by sec tion 3. article ? of the constitution.
 Owen Filibusters
 Tn the Senate a filibuster conducted by Senator Owen of Oklahoma delayed fife finai approval of four of the great ap- propriation measures up to within half hour before adjournment Senators of both parties appealed in vain to Sem etor Owen to stop talking and let the supply bills go through. The senator said he had set out to talk to death tho res olution approving the constitution of New Mexico and comforting upon that terri tory the last rights of statehood So it was that when President Taft arrived at the capitol. at 10,sO o'clock to sign the last of the bills rushed through in the closing hours. he fcund- statehood hold ing the Senate at a standstill and the tariff board bill absolutely blockading the progress of the House.
 The President was appealed to by the Senate leaders to use whatever influence hA might have with Senator Owen. The senator declined to see the President. He said Arozna must come in jointly with New Mexico and have her referendum and recall' constitution approved at the came time or the appropriation bills would fai1. iu.
 Both filibusters accomplished their i'm mediate purpose. The Senate did not ap- urove the constitution of New Mexico and 3he House did not pass the tariff board bill.
 When the nlbusters had been brought to a close the time remaining was too short and the time-honored custom of turning back the clock was resorted to-.
 Clocks Set Back
 Thrice in the House the hands of the two clocks were set back each time 15 minutes. The Senate resorted to this par 1iamentary device but once, the hands being pushed back a full half hour The Senate adjourned at 1920 and the House at 1887.
 All of the big appropriation bills finally managed to squeeze through In time to eecure the approval of the President. The work of whipping these measures into Anal shape and engrossing them upon s parchment as the permanent laws of the land, taxed to the utmost the wonderful eystem at the capitol and at the govern ment printing office. Eight of the bills. carrying more than .$500, ,000. 900, were yushed through in the last lS hours of the session.
 \ When the excitement and uncertainty as to the fate of the appropriation bills had died away and the vice presidents gavel had fallen in adjournment of the Senate. the news flew through the cor Pidor that Senator Bailey of Texas had resigned. .
 The tumult Of the closing hours of the session, following all-night sittinGs both in the Senate and in the House. died away as the last of the Appro- priation bills had been disposed of and IT, both branches of Congress there were the usual scenes of non partisan telicitations. Galleries. crowded to the 
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