Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-16
Smoot Doubts Passage of Ca
madam Bill Before March d.
LOOKS FOR EXTRA SESSION
President in Conference With Promi-
nent Senate Leaders.
FAVORABLE REPORT LIKELY
Majority of Members of Finance
Committee Believed to Be
for Agreement

for Agreement
faiiure OF the Canadian reciprocity
agreement TO pass the Senate will result
III Ffesiaent Taft calling an extra session
vi congress was the belief expressed to-
DAY by Senator Smoot of Utah following
conference at the White House with
the President over pending LEGISLATION.
senators Lodge and Root were present
also
senator Smoot announced that the Sen
ate would be given all opportunity to
discuss the reciprocity measure. and that
the Mccall bill will not be smothered i'm
committee nor delayed in any way. The
senator entertained the opinion that onc.
In the Senate, however, the bin would
meet obstructive tactics that would pre-
vent vote before the close of Congress
March 4.
Will Work for Vote.
Senators Root and Lodge are with the
President and will work for vote on
the proposed law at this session. Sen
ator Smoot. generally in line with the
White House on important measures, is
opposed to the agreement, but agrees
with the President that there should be
vote both in committee and in the
open Senate.
while l am opposed to the Canadian
agreement, said the Utah senator, Il
do not believe that 1t should he smoth-
cred anywhere in the Senate The coun-
try doesn't want that and will disap-
prove it. l think that the best thing TO
do is to reach vote.
"Will 1t be reported from the commit
tee?"
the agreement will be favorably reported
by the committee
How about vote in the Senator"
Difficult to Reach Vote.
ut is my personal belief that a vote In
the Senate at this session will be difficult
to reach. There are only thirteen more
days for work in the Senate, and dozens
OF important bills are pending that must
be acted upon. This agreement is a big
thing. and the time for consideration in
| the Senate is exceedingly short
II there Is not a vote al this session
will there be an extra session."
1t is my personal opinion that an ex-
ira session will be called il there Is no
action at this session.
This last statement of Senator Smoot
a most influential man in the Senate
was taken by many to Indicate that
| an extra session is practically a fore
Senator Smoot, answering a question
as to who would be in charge OF the
agreement for the administration in
the finance committee, said he supposed
To Call Meeting Soon.
Senator Burrows. the ranking MEM
ber of the finance committee in the alb
sence of Senator Aldrich. conferred
briefly with the President after the
other three members had gone. Last
night he and Senator Crane also con-
ferred with the President a long time.
senator Burrows said that he would
call meeting of the finance commit
tee for tomorrow or next day to begin
consideration of the reciprocity prono-
sltlon He did not wish to make any
predictions as to the outcome
senator Stone of Missouri. a demo-
cratic member of the Senate finance
committee. also saw and talked with
the President
Relative to probable hearings before
the committee. Senator Smoot and others
today ventured the opinion that there
would be no hearings. Senator Smoot
said he had written to a number of his
constituents who had asked to be
heard, suggesting that they write let
ters directly to the senators. believing
| that they would get quicker and more
satisfactory results
The vote in the finance committee ac-
cording to information taken to the
White House, promises to be pretty
close or the five democratic members
of the committee, Money of Mississippi
and Stone of Missouri are for reai-
proclty. Bailey of Texas is outspoken
againstsit. and Simmons of North Caro-
lima is generally understood to be with
Bailey. Taliaferro of Florida is rather
non-committal. but is expected to be
with Stone and Money in the final vote.
How Committee Stands.
OF the nine republicans Senator Aldrich.
chairman. is absent. leaving eight to he
reckoned with. OF the eight three are
outspoken against the treaty, leaving five
supposedly for 1t. The three are Hale OF
Maine. McCumber of North Dakota and
Smoot Of Utah. The five believed to he
for it are Burrows, Michigan arose,
Pennsylvania: Cullom Illinois. Lodge.
Massachusetts. and Flint California
The final vote in the committee is ex-
pected to be as follows: For treaty-Bur-
rows Penrose. Cullom. Lodge Flint.
Money. Stone. Taliaferro, s. Against
Hale. McCumber, Smoot, Bailey Sim
mons. >. Much doubt is expressed as 10
Senator Penrose standing by the admin
istration. If he should vote apalnat
there would be I for and against in the
committee.
President Taft is daily growing more
sangune that public sentiment will COM
pei vote at this session of Congress
From all directions he is receiving word
OF bodies approving the agreement He
was informed today by Representative
Anthony of Kansas that the Kansas
legislature. including the lower house. an
1nsurgent body. has almost unanimously
approved reciprocity. A telegram today
said that the Minnesota legislature had
done the same thing.
The President lis almost certain that
the pressure will be too strong IN ba
resisted. particularly with the certain
knowledge that there will be an extra
session If there is no vote at this ses.
sion.
Endorsed by an M. P.
Moreton Frewen, a member of the
British parliament. who called at the
White House today, said that he IA
yors the reciprocity agreement that
has been negotiated. Both countries.
he thought, would be benefited W
closer commercial relations.
Canada has in my judgment a great
deal to gain by the trade agreement
now pending before the American Con-
gress and the Canadian parliament"
said Mr. Frewen. 1.-The S,O00,O00 people OF
that Dominion will get a market from the
90 900 900 people of the United States
for their products. / cannot see why
they should not wish to grasp such an
opportunity without delay.
"Of course. the Americans will get
the opportunity under the terms OF the
treaty Of entering our Canadian mar>