The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-18
RECIPROCITY BILL PASSED.
SOLID SUPPORT OF MINORITY
PUTS AGREEMENT THROUGH
HOUSE.
Majority of the Regulars Vote
Against Ratification, While the In-
surgents support Measure.

most solid Democratic vote. The
Mccall bill. carrying the agreement
into effect. was passed 221 to 92. A
majority OF the Republicans present
voted against the measure. the di-
vision being rs ayes and 81 noes.
The Democratic vote was 143 ayes
and only noes. A majority of the
Republican insurgents present voted
for the bill.
The Mccall bill now goes to the
senate. What its fate will be In that
body Is problematlcal at this time.
President Taft believes that IL fili-
buster can be avoided and n vote
taken. the bill will pass.
The usage of the bill in the house
came at the end of long debate,
which at times was as bitter as has
been heard on the floor OF that cham
ber I'm years. The fight was confined
almost wholly to the Republican
side. Democratic members joined In
from time to time and taunted the
majority members for their lack Of
unity. The Democratic leaders also
put the claim that the reciprocity
agreement was good Democratic doc
trine and declared they were glad to
welcome President Taft and many
OF the house Republicans into the
Democratic fold.
The suggestion came from the Re-
publican side that Mr.. Taft and
Champ Clark might be rivals for the
next Democratic presidential nomi-
nation. Mr.. Clark claimed that in a
contest OF that sort he would win
hands down."
final vote was reached tonight
only through the application of a
cioture rule which shut off all amend
ments and even dispensed with the
feadlffx OF tho bin. = - -.
The Republicans opposed to the bill
fought the rule to the very last, de-
nouncing IL In caustlc language They
directed their fire especially against
the Democrats and accused them, on
the eve of going into the power in
the house. OF enforcing a gag rule
as drastic as any against which they
had so eloquently inveighed In the
past.
The Democrats laughed loudly at
this and seemed thoroughly To enjoy
the discontinue OF some of their old
time enemies.
Champ Clark took Representative
Dalzell (Pa.) sharply to task for
complaining OF the undue haste"
which the house was acting on the
reciprocity measure. The speaker
to-be declared that the Democrats
had sat for years. bound and gagged,
while the gentleman from Pennsyl-
vania and his associates had brought
'n rule after rule and had rushed
legislation through without giving an
opportunity for amendment.
Under the cloture rule which was
adopted by an overwhelming vote. the
only loophole left to the opponents OF
the measure was a motion to recon-
init To the committee of the whole
house with instructions TO report GER
tain amendments. When this came To
vote half dozen members were
clamoring for recognition. Mr.. Dali
zell was recognized. lie proposed that
meat and meat products. -four. cereals,
lumber and several other articles be
put on the free list. The Democrats
were not shaken by this and the mo-
tion was lost IA TO 191.
The cloture rule had been adopted
previously by a vote OF 1913 to 107. 1t
has been apparent for several days
that the reciprocity measure would
have an overwhelming majority in tn .
house. This seemed to make its op-
ponents all the more bitter. The feel
ing displayed I'm the house today was
so intense at times that II surprised
members on both sides.
Some Republican leaders like Mr..
Dalzell (Pa.) and Mr.. Fordney
(Mlch) veiled but thlnly their predic-
tions that the Republican party would
be defeated by reason OF what they
characterized as a departure from the
principle OF protection and the
espousal OF free trade. Mr.. Dalzell
proposed TO stand where ne stood for
30 years and TO Ego down" with his
party. Mr.. Fordney said ne believed
that Democratic times were coming
and Il made him Sweat blood" to CON
template the melancholy fact. The
other speeches from the Republican
opposition were I'm much the same