Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-27
Senate Has More Business
Than Il Can Attend to-
Lille Prospect Of Passage Of
Canadian Reciprocity Bill.
Several Important Measures
May Also Fail Of Passage.

Washington, Feb. 2G.--Day and night
sessions will probably be held in both
branches of Congress, beginning to-
morrow, for only five and half days
remain to conclude formidable leg
islativc program which is in an un
preccdented and almost hopeless con-
dition.
| Without taking into consideration
the situation in the Senate, where
there is a filibustcr against taking
votes on the Canadian reciprocity
Iagrecment, tho permanent tariff board
bill and the Lorimer case. to say
nothing Of the proposal to raise the
Irates for carrying the advertising sec
tions of magazines through the mails,
There is a congestion OF appropriation
bills that to some seems irrcmediable.
The urgent deficiency bill is the only
one Of the IA general supply measures
that has become law. The situation
Prospecting appropriation bills is as fol-
lows:
The Indian. legislative. army. and
both houses and are III conference. All
of these bills contain items of dispute
which present difficulties.
| The pensions. post office, agricul-
tural. naval. military academy, forti-
fhcations. dffipsifo'fnatic and consular and
sundrv civil bills have passed the
| House but not the Senate.
| The general deficiency bill has not
even come out of the House committee
on appropriations.
There remain to be passed by the
Senate, therefore, the pensions. post
L n 4 Il
Academy, fortiflcations. diplomatic and
consular sundry civil and general de-
| ficiency bills. Not in the memory of
any senator has there been such a
congestion of supply measures, nor so
1many complications by reason of other
important business.
| If the Senate could devote the five and
half days left of the present Congress
TO the calendar. and if speeches could
be curtailed, senators would not worry
| about the legislative situation. Notices
| have already been given. however. of sew
eral speeches on the subjects of direct
| election of senators, Canadian reciprocity
| and the Lormer ease. There will be
| speeches also on the subjects of magazine
| rates. fortitcation of me Panama canal
| and numerous other controversial oucs-
| tonS which appear in appropriation bills
Intense feeling was displayed during
| the last week between the opposing fac
tions in the Lorimcr case and that is GER
| tain to create d deal of bitterness before
| vote is taken upon IL The Iaction
| which supports Senator Lormer is deter
| mined that disposition shall be made of
| the case during the present session, but
| 1t is evident that the anti-Lorimer forces
will resist to the utmost any attempt to
take vote before they have concluded
arrangements they have in mind.
The Mccall bill to carry out the pro-
| visions of the Canadian reciprocity agree
ment is on the calendar and Senator
Hale and others opposed to the agree
ment have made ii clear that they do not
intend that any prior rights shall be given
TO 1t because of the interest of President
Taft in the subject or for any other rea-
son.
1t is perfectly clear that d vote can
be prevented on the Mccall bill with
| out resort to flibuStcr. The only
way a vote could be obtained ON the
measure would be assurance. by a
poll which could not be doubted, that
| there We're votes enough to defeat it.
The informal polls that have been
| taken have disclosed that majority
of the Senate would vote to enact the
Mccall bill. There are several Demo-
Gratis who oppose the measure and an
effort was made yesterday To obtain
promises from seven others of the mi
uority to stand with the Republican
majority against the measure. This
effort failed, but it may be renewed
at any tirlc.
The Canadian bill has no champion
in the Senate and this fact seems to
preclude and possibility of bringing
it to a vote. Senate and House lead
ers have become reconciled to the
idea of an extraordinary session and
there is little doubt that one will be
called by President Taft and that it
will be convened on April I.