The Washington times., 1911-02-19
DEMAND GROWING
FOR EXTRA SESSION
Old Republican Leaders
Thought to Be Working
Toward This End.

With hearings before the Senate
Finance Committee on the reciprocity
| measure scheduled TO last Monday and
Tuesday and no report on the bill by
the committee before Wednesday or
Thursday: with an unexampled conges.
tion OF important business in the Sen
ate, and with the House killing time
at a critical period in the session, as
the result Of the Mann fllibuster, the
outlook for an extra session of Con-
gress this spring is admitted on all
hands to be stronger today than ever.
Leaving the reciprocity question out
OF consideration, many members OF
House and Senate deem It likely that II
will be found impossible to pass all the
appropriation bills before March 1, and
fear an extra session will be made
necessary on that account. Moreover,
the Senators whom the Administration
mas been relying on to force a vote on
reciprocity are discouraged and declare
1t is not possible to compel vote.
Not only is situation arising that
would seemingly make 1t necessary for
the President to call an extra session
or back down on reciprocity, but there
Is a well-defined feeling about the
House and Senate that certain of the
old Republican leaders are working for
the object OF so complicating things as
to force an extra session.
Would Shift Responsibility.
The reasons why they should do this
are not far to seek. In the first place,
they want to throw responsibility on
-, tl,I n
thus give them every possible chance
t. Liurder in the eyes OF the country.
Moreover, the Old Guard is opposed to
tho reciprocity agreement is bitter
at the President for forcing the issue
and wants the reciprocity agreement
II put through at all. passed by Dem
oCratis votes and by a House under
Democratic leadership. The Old Guard
would rather have President Taft and
a Democratic House, with Il Senate
almost Democratic. assume the re-
spunsibility than to assume it itself.
Another element in the situation is
the desire Of the Old Guard IN the
House TO discredit the charges in
the House rules in the direction of
lii eraliZinG them. II they cou!h make
eraliZed rules could not be made to
operate effectively. they would be
greatly pleased This might afford an
excuse for returning TO the regime OF
Onc-man power and Czarism by the
Speaker when the Republicans rcxt
assume control of the House. More
over. the reactionaries wOul1 make
use Of IL TO try to disCredit tn" insur-
gent movement.
Saturday and today, more extra sea
sion talk has been heard about Wash
ington than at any time since the dis
C1ISEinn Of nnSGihlp nNfra vpCS!nn
started. Scarcely anyone can be found
who has confidence that vote will
be reached on reciprocity in the San
ate. Senator Hale is expected back
from: a sick bed this week and he
will busy himself, II is expected. rui
ting obstacles in the way Of d vote.
Lorimer to Speak Wednesday.
Talk is heard of a movement on the
part Of the Lorimer supporters to form
a combination with the opponents of
reciprocity, but this talk is thought to
have little basis. in view of the fact
that some of the strong opponents of
reciprocity are utterly hostile to the
retention of Lorimer.
Senator Lorimer has given notice to
the Senate that he will speak Wedkes-
day in his own defense.
Senator BeverIdge will speak in reply
to Senator Bailey Tuesday.
After the speech of Lorimer. strong
effort will be made to force vote. In
fact, Senator Beveridge, after his
speech Tuesday, will renew his attempt
to get an agreement for vote, some
thing which Senator Burrows of Michi-
gan, who is a LOrimer supporter, has
blocked.
Direct election of Senators, the Sullo-
way pension bill. the tariff commission
bill, and eight great appropriation bills
remain to be disposed OF by the Senate.
In the postal bill is the amendment in
creasing the postage rate on magazines,
a proposition that is expected to lead to
discussion unless 1t should
be stricken out on point Of order.