The Washington times., 1911-02-05
TARIFF FIGHT NOW
SEEMS IMMINENT
President Expected to Call
Early Extra Session for
Pet Legislation.
DEMOCRATS WOULD
OPEN UP SCHEDULES
Farming and Wool Manufacturing
Interests and Stand-Patters
Against Reciprocity.
By JOHN SNURE.

The great fight over Canadian reci-
procity, complicated with other phases
OF the tariff, grows more imminent.
Stronger intimations of an extra ses-
sion come daily from the White House.
President Taft is now showing symp-
toms OF calling an extra session of
Congress almost Immediately after
March 4.
II a special session is called, 1t will
precipitate a tremendous struggle over
the taSiff. 1t will be impossible to con-
fine the activities of Congress to any
thing less than the whole tariff prob
lem. Nor Is there any certainty that
other legislation will not be taken up.
President Taft is insistent on tariff
commission legislation and on Canadian
reciprocity legislation. He cannot get
Canadian reciprocity legislation through
the Senate at this session, and the in
dicatIons are he cannot get tariff COM
mission legislation.
President Taft must decide whether
to call Congress back for action on
these matters, especially on the reci-
pr6cty agreement.
Indications are that the President
cannot get the reciprocity agreement
session 1t is certain he has a hard
fight ahead if he forces action upon it.
Senate insurgents, with the exception
of Senator Beveridge, are going to fight
the agreement, because they declare it
benefits chiefly the trusts. They have
not issued any statement to this effect
and may not issue one, on the theory
that there is plenty of time for them to
DIT &c
doubt they are getting ready for war.
The National Grange has declared
against the reciprocity compact. The
grange represents about million farm
ers in thirty States. Its legislative conf
mittee will bring pressure to bear on
the Senators and Representatives from
every agricultural section of the coun-
try The grange holds the agreement is
unfair to the farmer, giving him free
trade as to his own products, but leav-
ing the tariffs on the articles the farmer
has to buy.
Bitter Against Agreement.
Leading high tariff organizations Of
the country are as bitter against the
agreement as is the National Grange.
The National Association of Wool Man
ton this week, is strongly opposed. The
wool manufacturing interests are nos
tile to the agreement, because they fore
see that if it goes through it will be the
beginning of the end of high tariffs in
the United States.
S,andpat Senators generally are hos
tile to the agreement. They see in free
foodsIuffs, toward which the Canadian
agreement gees a long way, the rebel
lion of the farmers against the high
tariff system and fear that as free trade
came in England through the repeal of
the corn laws, so either free trade or a
system of low tariffs would come in
this country from free trade IN farm
products.
The Canadian agreement will be
passed by the House. OF this. there is
practically no doubt. 1t Will be De-
ported out of Ways and Means the last
of the week. The Democrats will sup
port it. almost to a man. An informal
canvass of the House Republicans dis
covers that about half are going to
vote fer il.
The attitude of the Senate Democrats
viii! depend in some measure on that Of
the House Democrats. but most of them
are expected to be for it.
Representative Mccall, in charge OF
the reciprocity measure in the House, |
is certain he has the votes to put it |
through. ]
While the elements are concentrating |
against the reciprocity agreement, Pres |
ident Taft is getting no end OF encour- |
aEement Letters and kilograms are |
pouring into the White House in sup |
port OF 1t.
Taft and Cabinet on Speaking Tour.
The President and his Cabinet, or part |
OF it, are going to make large number |
of speeches this spring. Mr.. Taft is |
going to start February 9 on a trip to |
Springfield, ILL.,, and Columbus, Ohio. |
He will talk on reciprocity on this trip |
whenever he gets an opportunity. Sec
retary of State Knox will speak on the |
subject before the Association OF Com
merce dinner in Chicago, February Is.
President Taft undoubtedly has the
backing of the consuming public in his
fight. If he can stir up public sentiment
to sufficient activity, he may yet force
the agreement through the Senate,
though not at this session. A small
number of Republican Senators COM
bined with the Democrats in the next
session would be able to pass it. On
the other hand, there is the danger |
that if the President calls Congress in
special session the Democrats will
ignore reciprocity and will take up moth
ing that does not comprehend either
general revision or the reduction of a |
number of important schedules.
So far as the tariff commission is con-
Cerned, there will be no permanent COM
mission unless it is provided while the
control Congress. A Demo-
cratic House and a Senate in which
the Democrats are nearly as strong as |
the Republicans, will not provide for a
permanent tariff commission.
Senate Democrats, led by Senator
Bailey, are preparing to filibuster
against tariff commission legislation, and
the best the President can hope for is
an increased appropriation for the tariff
board