The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-17
Chairman of Senate Finance
Committee Tells Taft Reel
procity Bill Will Pass.
COUNTS SIXTY VOTES
IN FAVOR OF MEASURE
Declares Amendments Will Be
Defeated; Wool and Free
List Bills to Go Over.

WASHINGTON. June 16.-The de
termination of the senate finance com
mittee to push through the CANADIAN
reciprocity bill, and the confidence OF
senate leaders of clear majority IN
favor of the bill without amendment
was made plain today when Chairman
Penrose of the committee forced the
bill into its second reading and an
nounced its early passage,
Consideration of the measure was
brief. as no one was prepared 10 speak
at length. Before the senate assembled
Senator Penrose had given out for
NAL statement. claiming sixty votes IN
favor of the passage of the bill and
more than that many votes against the
Root amendment, which affects the I'M
portation of pulp wood and paper.
In reply to questions from Senator
Gallinger, Chairman Penrose said he
believed no speeches would be ready
before next week. He had found, he
said, that few friends of the bill cared
to speak on it, but preferred to vote as
quickly as possible. The opponents of
the maneuver, he said, wanted more
time to prepare their arguments.
Senator Penrose said that for his
own part he was ready to vote today
Other members suggested that the
president and other leading Republicans
and Democrats had explained and in
dorsed the bill.
Says Measure Devoid Of Merit.
"I am not surprised, returned Sen
ator Smith. "that a measure so devoid
OF merit, similar to the treaty of 1854,
which President Lincoln saw no reason
for continuing in force, and similar to
the projects rejected by Grant and
Blaine and others. should find no one
in this chamber willing TO stand up and
risk his reputation as its Champion
Chairman Penrose volunteered no
statement as to the senators who would
vote for the bill. if any. The senate
listened TO the second reading of the
measure, which brought il officially be-
fore the body for amendment and SEN
ator Root pulp wood amendment
which had been adopted by the finance
committee. was then offered, but as
Senator Root was not prepared to speak
upon it, no attempt was made to vote.
The senate adjourned until Monday,
at the conclusion of the second read
ing. From that time forward speeches
sre expected every day until the bill is
finally disposed of. Senator Townsend
of Michigan announced that he would
offer an amendment instructing the
President 10 undertake further nego-
tiations looking to wider reciprocity ar
rangements with Canada.
Chairman Penrose, In conference
with President Taft today, confirmed
the report that sixty senator's are ex-
pected to vote for CSSaGian reciprocity.
and predicted that within two weeks
a date for vote would be agreed on.
He gave the president a detailed re-
port of the situation in the senate, and
ho al h
out amendment
Statement of Penrose.
Later Ar. Penrose issued formal
statement. IN which he said:
ga careful canvass of the senate
shows that sixty members, or substan.
tally two.thirds OF the senate. are in
favor of the reciprocity bill and more
than that number will be opposed TO
the Root amendment. The senate will
hold daily sessions from now on, and
during the next two weeks great prog
ress ought to be made toward reach
ing final vote on the measure. The
bill will be passed at an early date
without amendment. It would be well
if it could be passed before the Can
adian parliament reassembles in the
latter part of July.
ffThe probabilities are that the wool
bill will reach the senate in few
days and the finance committee will
be called together for the purpose OF
considering the wool bill and the Sc
called free list bill. It is we'll under
stood that the tariff board has beer
hard at work investigating the WOO
schedule and will be ready to report
next December. 1t is not reasonable
therefore, to expect that the Rcpub
hcan majority in the senate will take
up the wool bill until the tariff board
report shall have been received.
The free list bill opens up wide
range Of tariff discussion and the finance
committee is In receipt Of numerous re
quests from all over the country asking
for hearings on the numerous schedule!
of that bill. AS no hearings on the bill
were given by the house committee Il
is only reasonable that opportunity
should be permitted the various manu-
featuring interests concerned 10 presen
their statements to the senate commit ee
and at as early date as possible the com
nittee will hold such hearings as far a!
Is practicable between the long and con
tinuous sessions Of the senate 10 be de
voted to the reciprocity BILL the early
passage Of which is the first considera
flOn Of the session