The Sentinel=record., 1911-06-02
RECIPROCITY
 IN BALANCE
FINAL TEST IN SENATE FIX. PEcTED WHEN FREE LIST
 BILL IS OFFERED
Taft Seeking Way to Make 1t Easy for Democrats to Vote for List as "Rider'--7eport Ex-
 pected Soon

Washington, June 1.-The CT sis it. the senate fight on Canadian reef procity Is expected to he reached when the democratic farmers free list bill is offered as an amendment to the bill carrying the agreement into effect. That such an amend ment will be offered to embarrass the democratic supporters of reciprocity ceems certain. Tt is toward this crit ical contingency that President Taft just now is devoting his attention He Is holding daily conferences at tle White House in an effort to keep re publican and democratic senators alike in line for the pact.
 President Taft is certain the reef. procity bill will pass the senate by a comfortable majority if it can be brought to final vote without amend ment. He feels tat the test for tn, true friends of reciprocity will como in dealing with the proposed amendments to be offered from the floor. MT. Taft recently has had assurances that the bill will be re ported out of the finapce committed without amendment ani without rec ommendation. That is what he greatly desires.
 The president feels any amend ment adopted in tse senate will de feat the bill and he believes that to be the purpose of some senators wh, have proposed amendments The proposed Root, Lodge and Nelson amendments have brought the presi dent into sharp conflict with thess senators, but he has not lesitateJ to express his views regarding them Fully cognizant of the fact he must depend upon the almost solid vote of the democrats in the senate to carry the reciprocity bill through President Taft has been endeavoring to devise a means to help them out of tae dilema that will be presented when they are asked to vote for or against the free list bill as q rider. Some democratic senators have told the president frankly they would vote against the free list amendment if they could be assured the stand pat" republicans would not stifle in committee the free list bill as it came from the house and taus deprive the southern democratic senators of the opportunity in open senate, properly to record their votes on the measure.
 President Taft fully appreciates ths position in wich the seaators fin themselves, but he thinks he has found d solution of the problem. He has suggested that a motion y the democrats to discarge the finance committee from consideration of the free list bill and to put it upon its passage would serve the purpose oi the democrats in making their at titude a perfectly clear one, and he has further expressed confidence in the fairness of the American people to recognize the purpose of those who would attmpt to use the free list method Of defeating reciprocity.
 The plan, as outlined, has been broadly discussed among democratic senators and it is said they believe with other friends of reciprocity that | it is an acceptable solution of the Idifficulty.
 In all of his talks with senators during the last few days President Taft has endeavored to impress th2 | fact that in negotiating the pact with Canada the United States offered to l put meats, flour, agricultural lhiple ments and shoes on the free list Canada would not make like conces sessions. The agreement IS specme on certain points ani cannot be varied Tae rates on flour, meats and shoes could be reduced without violating the pact. it Is said, but tf do so would open up the problem O
 the most favored nation clause II
 treaties with other countries. Ant
 while the United States woull ge no confession from Canada by reduc ing thk rates, the application of thes'
 artes ito other countries. the presl
 dent holds, might let in Argentine
 meat nd Australian mutton w''c'