River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-03-16
JAPAN TREATY BEST
TAFT COMMENDS CONGRESS, BUT
ALSO CENSURES IN At
LANTA SPEECH.
PLEADS FOR CANADA PACT
Declares Failure to Enact Reciprocity
Agreement Was Greatest Disap-
pointment of Sixty-First Session
"HoIds Up" D. r. Francis for $1,000.

Atlanta, Cain an address before
the Southern Commercial Congress Fri
day President Taft declared that the
failure to enact reciprocity with Cana
da was the greatest disappointment of
the SiXty-first congress, and that the
greatest achievement was the ratifica-
ton Of the treaty with Japan.
He reached the convention hall short
ly before IL o'clock and was given a
tremendous ovation.
The president wa5 introduced by for
mer Governor Francis of Missouri.
At the close of the speechmaking a
roll call Of the states resulted in $27,-
900 being subscribed for the continual
ton of the work of the Southern Com
mercial Congress. When the state of
Missouri was reached in the midst of
the roll call, President Taft seized the
gavel from the hands of former Cover
nor Francis of that state and, taking
charge of the convention, called on
Missouri for subscription. Mr.. Fran
eis, caught unawares, responded that
he was not authorized to subscribe any,
thing for his states commercial bodies.
1--WE are not from Missouri, but we
must be shown" replied the presi-
dent. What will Missouri do?"
II will subscribe $1,000 and am sure
my state will assume as much more"
said Mr.. Francis.
After reviewing the remarkable in
dustrial and commercial growth of the
D1snc To of
last congress as follows:
"The Sixty-first congress just closed
has enacted more useful and progress
i've legislation in it's three sessions
than any congress since the war.
"One of the crying evils of the pres
ent day is the expense of litigation
This congress has passed an act ma
king substantial reductions in the cost
of appealing cases from the courts Of
first instance to the courts of appeals"
The president then enumerated sew
eral other laws that were passed.
"a great disappointment of the ses-
sion," he continued, was the final de-
feat of a permanent tariff board.
Finally, and the most important
LuIuS WUlCA was OOAO Ill CAO oOOOAOA
Just closed, was the ratification of the
treaty with Japan.
"Of course, the greatest disappoint-
ment of the session was the failure of
the senate to follow the lead of the
house in ratifying the reciprocity
agreement made with Canada.
when we entered upon the negotia-
tons I authorized the secretary of
state and his commissioners to offer
free trade in everything, but this Can
ada could not grant us.
Canada is at the parting of the
ways. If we now reject this opportun-
ity we shall throw away an opportun-
ity for mutual benefit not likely to re-
cur.
Under my promise to use my ut
most efforts to secure the ratification
of this agreement by congress have
felt it my duty upon the failure of the
senate to act to call an extra session
for the purpose of securing the ratifi-
cation of the agreement. / feel conf
dent that a test of six months of this
agreement will so vindicate the wis
dom of adopting it as to remove it
from political discussion thereafter"