Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-25
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

There was a note of optimism among
senatorial callers AT the White House to-
day as to the possibility of vote on
Canadian reciprocity and the consequent
saving of an extra session. Democrats
and republicans alike shared this view.
This change of sentiment, 1t was ascer-
tanned, has been brought about by the
fright that is seizing both democrats and
republicans as TO what may happen should
there be an extra session. with prolonged
political agitation and great industrial and
business unrest
On the face of things today, the reru-
lar republicans and democrats will push
from the beginning of next week for q
vote upon the Canadian reciprocity agree
ment. They will get their speeches out
of the way and show their willingness 70
put themselves on record.
Put It Up to Insurgents.
They will place the responsibility clear
ly up to the insurgent senator's for fore
ing an extra session. That was the
tentative program as gathered today from
senatorial visitors to President Taft
Senator Aldlich, with his old-time zeal
for his party. is on his way to Washing
ton to use his personal influence toward
getting vote next week. His old lieu
tenants are getting ready to back him up,
while democratic senator's. unable to see
anything but political and commercial
chaos coming out of an extra session,
are lining up the same way.
Business throughout the country Is
speaking out in the shape of letters and
kilograms. and business gets the attention
even OF democratic senator's, who are not
ready to rush Immediately into tariff re-
vision.
Taft Is Determined
Aiding all this is the determined at
titude OF the President. Visitors today
declared that Mr.. Taft had reached the
point where he will no longer tolerate
intimations that he will wreck his own
political career and his party if he calls
an extra session. Never has he been SO
determined on question. 1t said
today that he had spoken sharply and
curtly to those who had iutimated that
while he might have struck the popular
chord now, ne Will bring such a political
, revolution With an extra session that his
own head. as Well the top-pieces OF
hundreds of other politicians, will go into
the basket.
Never having felt the craving for con-
tinued political power. the President, with
some explosives not generally on his list.
lets it be known that he doesn't give "A
continental about what happens to him.
He is doing his duty as he sees it. and
the future can get of the map SO far AS
he personally cares
IHSH, W ueu the nervous senatorial VISITOR
finds that he has stirred up hornets
nest he turns toward suggestions that
the President can force his party to bring
about a vote if he wants. The President $
answer to that is that senators of his
party should be the ones to bring about
action. He doesn't wish. to use the big
stick and will not do so.
Democrats Ready to Vote
Senator Smith OF South Carolina as
serted today as he was leaving the White
House that the democrats stood ready
to vote on this question now and that
he was willing to force the hands OF ali
those who had motives. political or per-
sonal. in trying to bring about an extra
session As the representative of the
southern farmers who were responsible
for sending him to the Senate Senator
Smith said he wanted to see business
tranquility for another year and could
see nothing but disturbance among farm
ers and all other classes by an extra
session.
The same intimation was made by other
democratic senators at the White House,
who did not care to be quoted Senator
Crane who was at the White House with
Senator Lodge, privately told few
friends that the prospects for vote
were Frightening to some extent. Senator
Lodge was not quite SO hopeful, but
pointed to the ratification of the Japanese
treaty, which a few days ago threatened
to be held up, as evidence of what the
Senate can do when it gets under fuu
steam.