The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-20
CRISIS IMMINENT.

have at heart the best interests Of their party
and the American people, they viii exert theh
utmost endeavor toward the speedy ratification
of the reciprocal tariff agreement with Canada
and the passage of a number of important appro
rriation bills. SO to obyiate the necessity OIL
an extra session Of Congress.
President Taft has served his ultimatum on
Congress through Representative Mccall. who
stood as patron OF the reciprocal trade pact III
the House. The Chief Executive says he has
gone too far in the matter of reciprocity with
Canada for this country TO abandon the project,
and that in fairness to him, the United States.
the American people and Canada. the program
should 20 through lie 10 determined to call an.
extra session Of Congress and force ratification
of the pact by sheer executive might and main
In this decision President Taft Is entirely
right While the trade Pact was not approved
by President Taft and The Canadian representa-
tiyes until several weeks ago, and the measure
has been before Congress but a short time. there
are few men in this country who do not know
its full import and meaning. and are not CONVEX
SAINT with the fact that ii is worthy If not nee
essary step in the right direction. Although the
present pact is comparatively new. reciprocity
with Canada has been seriously discussed and
contemplated for ten years, and every public
man should be well acquainted with the idea
nov
The members OF the House saw their duty,
performed it. and sent the measure to the Senate
with their approval. Dilatory tactics in the
upper house of the national legislature have been
resorted TO with a hope of killing the measure.
but 1t is too big for the weapons of the Senate
While President Taft would i'll serve his
country IL he did not call an extra session of
Congress to ratify the reciprocal agreement,
from a Democratic standpoint this is not to be
desired 1t therefore pehooves the Democrats
In the Senate to get the measure out of commit
tee at the earliest possible moment, limit inane
debate on it when it comes up for passage, and
rarffy it Immediately. The measure has been
thoroughly threshed out by President Taft po-
Iitieal economists in the United States and many
European countries. IN democratic caucus in the
House and on the floor of that body. 1t is
doubtful if any member of the Senate can dis
s4iss the proposition from any new angle or en-
uUASiEE ANY UoiHt tttdi HIS lAoL b'N MAUI anu
met before. There is practically no logical. fair.
or sane reason for further delay in ratfying this
treaty. which means SO much TO the consumers
Of s necessities af !4azin4 &Ris, country and tha
trade of the nation.
An extra session OF Congress would not only
mean vast and unnecessary expenditure of
public money but would put it up to the Demo-
cratic House aud democratic Senate, which
world ,Synv1He after alaveh 9TH co. begin tinker.
ing with the tariff. The Democrats went before
the country last fan decrying high tariff and
pfomising. if elected, 10 revise the schedules
downward at the earliest moment
The earliest moment will present itself as soon
4 as the extra session couvenes for. the Democrats
will then have a majority in the House, Speak
err chosen from their ranks, and almost an even
break in the Senate so far as numbers go they
win be equipped TO enact any legislation they he
lieye necessary and set out to pass, Numbers do
not mean all By a great deal in the matter of
tariff revision. and as President Taft has indi.
Gated through Representative Mccall, an extra
session would mean an extemporaneous tariff
measure from the Democrats, which he would
promptly veto
More than the dread IF exercise OF the veto
prerogative by the Chief Executive. however
would be the upsetting ri business all over this
country, for IL is known throughout the length
and breadth Of the land that the Democrats will
make radical changes in the tariff schedules and
that these diminutons viii greatly affect the
industries and commercial interests of the entire
nation. II matters not how strong the determi-
nation OF the Democrats may be 10 revise the
tariff downward for the benefit of the American
public, the schedules must be handled carefully
ana iudiciously. Tnkering with the tariff OF
this nation is one thing in which snap Judgment
cannot play any part.
Should the Democrats in the Senate fail to use
their every influence toward getting the trade.
pact ratified. and forestalling an extra session,
~he Democratic party and this country will face
a crisis which twere better TO obviate than view
In retrospect
MIR. LTTTLEToN a CANDIDATE.