Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-23
TAFT NOT WORRIED
Knows Country Will Place
Blame for Extra Session.
SIMPLY UP TO CONGRESS
President Fully Determined That
Reciprocity Shall Be Voted Upon.
HEPBURN WON'T FILIBUsTER
But Idaho Senator Declares He Will
Do All in His Power to
Defeat Agreement.
SIMPLY UP TO CONGRESS
HEPBURN WON'T FILIBUSTER

Satisfied that the country will fully
understand where the responsibility
lies for an extra session of Congress.
il there should be one, President Taft
today seemed little concerned, visitors
stated as to whether he would be COM
PEELED to call Congress together after
March 4.
Like nearly every other public man in
Washington, his personal incinations in
cline against an extra session and the
hardships 1t would impose in the way of
labor and investigation during the warm
season in Washington. Nevertheless, LIS
intention. to call one is so thoroughly
fixed than he cannot conceive a situa-
ton that would prevent his doing so, if
the reciprocity bill is not voted upon.
The President is apprised that condi
tons are about to enter the political stage
in the Senate, as regards recii rocity and
other questions. thereby assuring that the
next ten days will see both the bludgeon
and rapier in action, with little real re-
gard for the merits of matters that are
pending.
Whether the insurgent senator's will
Trof1t by an extra session in their polit-
ical schemes or not will be far more i'm
portant to them, according to stories told
the President, than whether reciprocity
with Canada should become a law.
Whether the insurgents or democrats
would come out of a tariff revision fight
in better shape than President Taft and
the regular republicans now amounts to
a great deal more than anything else
with certain elements at the Capitol.
The final conclusions as to forcing the
President to call an extra session are to
be based, therefore, upon how much adj
vantage may be gained in extra session
by insurgents. democrats or Taftite re-
publicans.
Taft Not Playing Politics.
President Taft who has not seriously
thought of politics in reaching his deter
n.ination of an extra session. is willing
that the country should watch the game
being played and pass judgment in the
future upon all engaged in 1t. =
It Is recognized at the White House
ter Of some Legislation for other
legislation. but the stage has not been
reached when the President and party
leaders will have to resort to the selec-
all the legislation pending of Importance
and would like to see it go through.
Today rumor was current around the
executive offices that if it became neces-
rates upon magazines to put through
reciprocity the President would agree to
that. The rumor was accentuasezxsn. the
presence at the White House Of festmas-
ter General Hitchcock, who is supposed
10 have discussed the magazine rate prob
lem with the President.
The report went further in the allega-
ton that the insurgent senators are will
ing to trade upon a basis of supporting
reciprocity In the final wind-up IL the
magazines are saved from the additional
rate they are threatened with. The
magazines have appealed strongly to the
insurgent senator's to save them and in
their desire to help the magazines the in
surgent senators will agree to see that
reciprocity is not stopped by their &C
tions.
May Not Make Trade.
President Taft it Is said. knows moth
ing Of such a proposition and is not will
ing to believe that it is contemplated He
is standing by Postmaster General
Hitchcock, and will continue to do So
Trading has not been one of his strong
characteristics in political battle. but
just what disposition he would make of
a definite proposition no one OF course
would be authorized to say.
Representatives of the printing trades
mad conference with President Taft
today in opposition to increased postal
rates on magazines. Those present were
George L. Berry, president of the Inter
national Printing Pressmen. Cincinnati:
Michael III. Flannery, second vice presi-
dent of the same organiZati ton; Michael
II. Madden, president of Typosraphical
Union, No. 10, Chicago.
The visitors told the President that the
imposition of the additional rate would
disturb conditions in their trades, and
they did not believe the government
should push its purposes without further
investigation. The President gave his
callers long hearing, and President
Henry said on leaving: I'VE want 1t I'M
derstQod that We do not believe the Pres
dent has any thought of politics in con-
nectton with this"
Mr.. Berry invited the President to
;ittend the opening OF n sanitarium for
tuberculosis, homo for superannuated
and q technical trade school being
printing pressmen of the United States
The President said he would try to be
present.
Hepburn Not Filibusterer.
senator Hepburn OF Idaho. who has
been. credited with an intention to fill
bustsF against the Canadian agreement,
viii do nothing OF the kind. he said to-
day, but he will oppose the agreement
III as much speech making as he deems
advisable to present his views and those
II expect to tight this agreement as
hard as ! can" said Senator Hepburn,
hut that does not mean flibustering.
| suppose some newspapers will claim
that tf a man talks at length upon a
subject no Is filibustering. 1t all de-
nends on what Interpretation you give
to the word
Senator Hepburn was at the White
House and had conference with the
President, who did not ask the intentions
Of tho Idaho statesman. The President
signed tn Nr. HeybiRn's presence q bill
establishing the holding Of United States
courts 81 Occur d'Alene, Idaho.
Ettends Of Senator Hepburn stated that
he Wlu make e long speech against. reci-
pToekty, pesNbly several speeches. but he
Will net nubuster in the sense in which
that word Il used.
Alehigan Masops to the number of 123
were received at the White House today.
They came to Washington to attend the
big Masonic celebration at Alexandria.
Representative Parsons today invited
President Taft to attend the semi-centen-
NAL celebration of the list Regiment in
New York. The President may be able
to take part In the celebration
La Toilette to Get Information.
Full information regarding the connec-
ton Of both the State and Navy Depart
ments in the securing Of contracts by
private American shipyards for the con-
struction Of two great battlsships for
the government % the Argentine Re-
public win be sent to the Senate by Sec