Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-05
President Sends Reciprocity
Message to Congress.
is DUTY TO THE PEOPLE
Bases Action Calling Session Upon
Difference to Popular Sentiment.
AGREEMENT PURELY ECONOMIC
First Message and the Canadian
Agreement Submitted as Parts
Of Present Document.

President Taft today transmitted tc
Congress a message urging early action
on the reciprocity agreement with Can
ada. He stated that he based this mes
sage upon difference to popular sentiment
and duty to the great masses of the
American people.
fight in the House over the adoption
Of the new democratic rules was inter-
rupted to permit the reading Of the mes
sage. The message was listened to with
some interest, but there was no applause
at its conclusion. 1t was referred to the
committee on ways and means. After
the message was read in the Senate 1t
was referred to the finance committee.
The message follows:
ITO the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
II transmitted to the Sixty-first Con-
Eress, on January 26. last the text of
the reciprocal trade agreement which had
been negotiated under my direction by
the Secretary of State with the repre-
sentatives of the Dominion of Canada.
This agreement was the consummation of
earnest efforts. extending over a period
OF nearly a year. on the part Of both
governments to effect a trade arrange
ment which. supplementing as 1t did the
amicable settlement Of various questions
of a diplomatic and political character
that had been reached. would mutually
promote commerce and would strengthen
the friendly relations now existing.
Purely Economic and Commercial.
1.-The agreement. in its intent and in
its terms was purely economic and COM
mercial. While the general subject was
under discussion by the commissioners
felt assured that the sentiment of the
people of the United States was such
that they would welcome a measure
which would result in the increase Of
trade on both sides Of the boundary line.
would open up the reserve productive re-
sources Of Canada to the great mass Of
our own consumers on advantageous con-
ditions, and at the same time offer a
broader outlet for the excess products Of
our farms and many of our industries.
Details regarding q negotiation OF this
kind necessarily could not be made pub
lie while the conferences were pending
When. however, the full text of the
agreement with the accompanying cor
Tespondence and date explaining both its
purpose and its scope become known
to the people through the message trans
mit,ed to Congress. 1t was Immediately
careful labors OF the commissioners met
with widespread approval. This approval
has been strengthened by furthei con-
siaeration of the terms Of the agreement
In all their particulars. The volume OF
support which has developed shows that
its broadly national scope is fully ap
preciated and Is responsive to the popu-
lar will.
The House Of Representatives of the
Sixty-first Congress after the full text
OF the arrangement with all the details
in regard to the different provisions had
been before it, as they were before the
American people, passed bill CONFIRM
Ing the agreement as negotiated and as
transmitted to Congress. This measure
failed Of action in the Senate.
Incorporates First Message.
'In my transmitting message of the
26th Of January I fully set forth the
character Of the agreement and en-
phasized its appropriateness and neces-
sity as response to the mutual needs OF
the people of the two countries. as we'll
as it's common advantages. I now lay
that message and the reciprocal trade
agreement. as integrally part of the
present message. before the Sixty-second
Congress. and again invite earnest at
tention to the conditions therein ex-
pressed.
II am constrained In Difference to popu-
lar sentiment and with a realizing sense
OF my duty to the great masses Of our
people whose welfare is involved, to urge
upon your consideration early action on
this agreement. In concluding the negoti-
atoms the representatives of the two
countries bound themselves to use their
utmost efforts to bring about the tariff
changes provided for in the agreement
by concurrent legislation at Washington
and Ottawa 1 have felt II my duty,
therefore, not to acquiesce in relegation
OF action until the opening of the Con-
gress I'm December, but to use my con-
stitutional prerogative and convoke the
Sixty-second Congress In extra session In
order that there shall be no break Of
continuity in considering and acting upon
this most important subject.
WILLIAM H. TAFT
The White House. April 8, 191l.''