The Mena weekly star., 1911-02-02
TREATY MAY FAIL
MUCH OPPOSITION DEVELOPS TO PROPOSED CANADIAN RE-
 ciPRocAL AGREEMENT.
AGRICULTURAL STATES OPPOSE Ii
Republican Members Generally Not avorabIe--Democrats May Be In
 duced to Vote for It-Some PecuI. lar Features of American Politics

Washington, Jan. 30.--Canadian re. ciprocity faces defeat in the present temper of congress A poll of the two houses disclosed such opposition to the reciprocal trade agreement which President Taft made public as to suggest that all the force of the administration will be necessary to se' cure action at this session of con. gress The big committees to which the proposition has been referred finance and ways and means--are ap, parently in agreement against the plan. By delaying their report ou the agreement either of these committees can defeat action at this session Ar rayed on the side of the members oi these committees are most of the ftandpatters in both branches of con gress. The republican leaders have learned nothing as result of the No. yember election. On the other hand the democrats are almost snlidly in favor of the agreement. An eyira ses. sion of congress looms up m conse. quence President Taft is averse to lIth dItiOus but iHtIt fo itdrOn tot believing that if assurance could be given that the democrats would ratify the reciprocal agreement as submitted without attempting to tack onto | amendments that would upset the plan, the president would issue a call.
 Many Are Non-committaI.
 There is large non-committal vote in both branches of congress dis. closed by the poll. President Taft is concentrating all of his powers O. per suasion on these members, who hold the key to the situatien Following is an analysis of the call
 In the senate but six republican, members would consent to declara themselves for the bill Ten repub licans and one democrat also declared themselves against the agreement. Ot the non-committals there are 2- re publicans and 22 democrats
 In the house T4 democrats avow themselves as favorirg the agree. ment, as do also 3S republicans. But while 22 republicans vote no There are 5T republicans, however. who de clare themselves as non-committal one democrat is openly against 1t. and 32 democrats.
 Summed up the republicans are op posing the agreement on the ground that 1t is aa opening wedge in the protective tariff.
 The democrats favor 1t because 1t is in line with their promise to reduce the cost Of living.
 Farmers Are Opposed.
 Republican opposition comes largely from the farming sections and there is significance in the fact that the farming and the manufacturing inter csts, long in a close combine to keep up the high rates of duty, are at last on the verge of split.
 As side light it is interesting to note that the insurgent republicans who battled during the debate or the Payne-Aldrich bill for lower duties. are solidly opposed to the reductions supposed to be brought about by this agreement.
 On the other hand the friends of the administration profess to a belief that this is temporary storm which will blow over when the agreement is studied with more care.
 The republican party, they claim. may as well put up it's shutters and give the democrats clear field in 1912 if this opportunity to reduce the cost of living is not seized now.
 Friends of recipr0cify are hard at work in an effort to find some means by which the conflicting clements may be united and the republican ad- minis'ration be given credit for this final effort to revise the tariff before the democrats take control of the house for the remainder of the Taft administration.