The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-05-02
RECIPROCITY HAS
BUTL|TTLE SHOW
IN SENATE
Harris Predicts that Bill Will
Never Be Reported.
SENATOR PAGES POSITION
Advlces Received by Him Show Farm
ing Interests to Be solidly
Opposed

.
islation looks as If the leaders were
afraid the people would get out an in
junction on them to restrain the pas
sage of the free list bill II they did
not rush ii TO hot finish. Beginning
with today the House is assembling at
IL a. m, an hour before the usual
hour Of meeting, and every possible
means are being used to vote il
through as soon as the majority can
reasonably foreclose on the previous
question. Just why this untoward
haste is deemed necessary is not ap-
parent. Certainly the senate is not
anxiously waiting for it; on the con-
trary quite the opposite. 1t is a rash
citizen who will assume to say certain
ly what the senate will do, but at this
time it is good betting proposition
that the bill will not even be reported
out of the senate committee at this
session.
However, there are contingencies
as yet somewhat remote-which later
might bring about action on it in the
senate. If that body we're to pass the
reciprocity bill the senate leaders
| nll6uA utNluC Aidl INT iItG llNl VII
must necessarily be applied to recip-
rocity as an antidote. AS yet, how
ever, they are asking the question:
why put the patient in such a condit-
ion as to require an antidote? This |
understand to be the position of such
consistent protectionists as Senator
Page, who will vote against reciproci-
! ty and then in the event of it's pas
sage might feel morally bound to as
sist in administering first aid to the
injured by way of the free list emetic.
And there you are. The chances OF
these bills are so interviewer that all
reasoning in order to arrive at a pos
sible result is useless.
! The above allusion to Senator Page
brings out some facts gathered by
your correspondent in an interview
with him today. The senator was
questioned as to his recent statements
to the correspondent of the Spring
field epublican-and, by the way, he
was not aware that he was being in
terviewed for publication by the Re
publican epresentative--in which he
is quoted as saying in effect that a
| large majority of the farmers of Yer
mont were opposed to reciprocity and
assuming that this interest comprised
| a majority of all the states interests.
In this connection Senator Page per
mits me to state for him that, first,
the farming interests of the state, as
proven by advices received by him.
are practically solid against the meas
ure. In no communication received
was any farmer decidedly in favor of
the measure, and with scarcely an ex-
ception they were explicitly opposed
to it, Secondly, all letters received
from all sources and representing all
industries were in the ratio of eighty
five per cent opposed to the measure.
Thirdly, the marble interests and the
manufacturers OF agricultural and
creamery implements and machinery
were solidly opposed as far as heard
from. Fourthly, the granite and slate
interests were either divided in senti-
ment or Indifferent. Filthy, com
munications received from the few in
other lines of business which were
not decidedly opposed to reciprocity
manifested indifference.
In view of this result of his refer
endum" Senator Page believes him.
self justified in concluding that the
Overwhelming sentiment of all the
people of Vermont, including but not
alone the farmers, is against the en-.
actment of the measure. Certain 10
cal interests directly adjoining OIL
very near the line expressed to him
their approval of the bill, but these
were considered from the point OF
view of direct local and personal in
terests. The above, the senator be
llieves, should dispose of any academi
cal argument as to whether Vermont
is or is not an agricultural state as
indicated by any statistics The
stacks of letters received by him in
dictate that Vermont as a whole is
very largely opposed to the projected
legislation, and in his endeavor to cor
rectly represent their views he will
base his vote against the bill.
In the consideration of the present
congressional condition of opinion or
this subject it may be worthy of note
that Minnesota Wisconsin, Michigan
and Iowa, as well as other states oil
the north further west, are practically
solid in opposition 1t is more es
pecially worthy of note that an inter
Tor state like Kansas is also hotly op
posed, No argument is intended il
the statement of these facts, the only
purpose being to indicate existing con
ditions. AS far as is known the two
Massachusetts senators and Senator
Johnson of Maine, democrat, are The
only New England senator's favorable
to the bill. Senators Root and O'Gor
man Of New York and Senator Pen
rose of Pennsylvania are likewise fav
orable. The latter is the chairman o
the Finance committee, which mus
report the bill.
1t is expected that, beginning will
today, the above committee will give
public hearings on the bill, whicl
hearings will in a broad way also in
. clude the free list bill. The indica
tions now are that a very large mum
Der Of delegations from twO-thirds o
the states of the Union will be presen
and ask to be heard. Many of then
are already here and have been fol
some time. The House committee OF