The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-06
Republican Leaders Surprised
When President Called Extra
Session of Congress.
SENATORS MADE BETS
AGAINST PROPOSITION
impossible to Forecast Length
of Session. or What Action
Will Be Taken.

WASHINGTON, March 5.-Notwjth-
. standing the positveness with which
President Taft had repeatedly sad. in
4 ali but direct and official language, that
unless congress should ratify the Can
adian reciprocity agreement. ne would
summon an extra session to resume con-
4 sIdera ton of the subject. his fulfilment
!, OF that threat within two hours of ad-
journment was an actual surprise TO
many members OF congress.
n 1t was especially so in the senate. AS
: late as an hour before final adjourn
ment yesterday, leading senators made
bets there would be 10 extra session.
Pressure, nothing less than tremen
dous. has been brought 10 bear on the
|admInistrat tion and members OF congress
Ito prevent the calling OF the extra ses-
sion. Until the last moment rumors were
lncessant that a way would be found TO
avoid il.
i One OF the mos; persistent was that
there were in progress negotiations be-
I government looking 10 the withdrawal of
/ The agreement by one party or the other
so as 10 give excuse for Withholding the
Especial call
Il An Alleged Understanding.
Another rumor was that there WAS an
Understanding between the president and
the Republican leaders in congress that
ono OF more Of the appropriation bills.
preferably tho general deficiency bill.
was IN be lost In the shuttle. so that
The spccial session would be unavoidable.
I. Still another WAS that the leaders had
.determined To hold up some appropris
|tion In which the White House was espe-
4 |cially interested. and at the last moment
make its passage conditional upon the
abandonment OF the extra session pro-
ject The blockade OF the appropria-
+ lion bills in the flihusters in both houses
yesterday tended To give color to these
stories. Some go so far as To say that
'if certain senators had believed the
president would actually make good his
.fhrcat. they would have made strenuous
efforts TO pass the reciprocity blu.
II Whatever may be the truth. there can
|be no doubt that the presidents extra
Session proclamation met scant welcome
Eress who. after the stress of the last
session. will barely have time TO 20 home
for a brief respite to adjust their af
fairs for another session which many
Think will extend far into the summer.
May Last Until December.
There arc those who believe it Will
h lie so long as TO leave only a "construc-
hive recess before the regular session
begins in December
ANY prediction OF the length Of the
Special session must he sheer specula
|tion. The Democrats Of the house who
will initiate tariff legislation, have had
mo time 10 inaugurate plans. ANY pro-
.eramme prepared now or at any time
within the next few weeks would be sub
1eci TO sweeping changes dictated by
contingencies. and which the admins
;ration. the IDcmocrattc house or the
Republican sbnate. neither could foresee
nor control
The best informed leaders OF both par
lies realize that whatever may be the
.sentlment throughout the country there
Gan he no sudden reduction of customs
.duties
Democratic leaders OF the house will
have many conferences in the coming
|sessiou with members of their party in
ths senate This fact became known
today. when il was announced unofficial
\ IS that expenditures will be considered
4 I'm connection with revenue.
Actual Work for Committee.
IL was suggested that work will he
given TO the committees on expenditures
/ IN the various departments. which in the
pest nave been empty assignments in
thereof extra allowances for clerk hire
and similar perduisitcs. The same con-
ditloh Of affairs has existed in the SEN
ate
Some Democratic leaders have come TO
the conclusion that they have before
lnem greater work than revision of the
tarin. They realize that the executive
departments are called upon TO eNpend
great sums of money as the result OF
public sentiment and that congress must
supply the means for these expenditures
or else cut the expenditures.
confronted with the responsibility OF
lnluatinS amy revision of the tariff which
s,"y pe attempted following dCllOu upon
ine Canadian reciprocity agreement, the
Democratic leaders are already giving
thought 10 the dilemma They realize
mat II tariff legislation should be passed
by The house which would provide in
suHicient revenues, the senate probably
T would at once amend IL.
Veto Is Possible.
In the event of supremacy of the house
~ conference. which is not improbable
N ylcw Of the fact that the senate will
ne barely Republican and Il portion OF
its majority comprised OF insurgents who
may act with the Democrats, it is not
n doubted that President Taft would use
the veto. In fact, he has strongly inti-
mated as much.
elany PERSONS think therefore. that few
hctual l1rin changes VIII result from the
|eFtfaordiuarr session.
some conservative Democrats are al
Ichdy arguing that their party was in
no Wise responsible for the extra session.
hiiu lhat had IL not been called by the
preslcent. the tariff question would have
pccn postponed until the regular session
Epeg,hning in December.
Ihesc will try 10 have the question OF
reduced import duties considered next
glhter in connection with radical re
AUCTION Of expenditures.
II ~ this course were followed tho Spe-
cial session OF congress might not last
Inore than forty-1yc days II the vicwr
81 y, members who favor general tariff re-
VISION prevail. nobody can forecast tn,
|'ehsth OF the extra session.
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