The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-08
THE PRESIDENT pzapqLExED.
Gains of Beet Interests and the op-
 position of House Leaders Check Plans.

position of House Leaders Check Plans.
 Washington Special to Chicago Record
 Herald.
 President Roosevelt Is discovering that the Presidential ofiice has Its trials and tribulations as well as its joys and tri- umphs. As the case stands today the sugar beet has defeated him in one of his fondest plans, though of course there is 10 telling what changes a day may bring forth. Today the President was warned that 1t would be a mistake to send in . message on the Cuban question at this juncture. It might add to the ugii- ness of the feeling now prevailing among the Republican, members of the House, and indeed might hopelessly' split the party.
 Tn addition to this obstacle to his pro- gram the President Is confronted with a serious differences of opinion in his cabi- net. It ts now asserted on good authority that Secretary Shaw and Postmaster General Payne have joined Secretary Wil- son In advising the President to accept a rebate scheme as the best compromise that can be obtained. The remaining members of the cabinet sustain Secretary Root in his claim that the rebate device ts unconstitutional and unsatisfactory even if constitutional. No serious trouble Is looked for in the cabinet owing to this disagreement, as the dispute, so far as the President's official family is concern ed. is of pleasant nature.
 At this moment the outlook is that the only thing which can be put through the House Is q rebate plan. and many of the best lawyers say the Supreme Court would declare 1t unconstitutional on the ground that the, Government has no power to pay rebate to a foreign country. It Is further declared that the beet people are aware of the probability that the Supreme Court would upset the law If passed and that this explains their ea- Eerness in presenting it.
 There are many complications in this question. and the feeling is not pleasant one in any quarter. President Roosevelt Is confronted with very difficult prob lem.
 Meanwhile the Republican members in the Northwest who are taking an active part in opposing a direct reduction in the duty on Cuban sugar are in a most cheerful mood. They understand that the President will not attempt to force mat ters by a special message. and that there Is to be no conflict between the Executive and the House. They are confident that If Congress is permitted to work out solution of the Cuban problem they will control in shaping legislation in such a way that the sugar beet interests will not befnjured.
 President Roosevelt Is not popular with goodly number of Senators just now, all on account of that permanent census bill Every Senator has a lot of retainers in the census office, and Is anxious to keep them there. The bill provides for their retention. But the President, being a civil service reformer all the time and not merely when it is convenient to be- does not like the bill. While he does not say. he will veto it. he is withholding his signature. and 1t is supposed he intends to let 1t become law without his O. K.
 Meanwhile the poor census office peo- pie. between the devil and the deep blue sea. are pestering the life out of their friends and champions. the Republican Senators. and the Senators spend half their time sitting about the cloakrooms saying nice things about the President and wondering why he can't be comfort able and easy going and why he wants always to be stirring up trouble They think he ought to veto the bill or sign 1t without delay, and end the suspense.
 More trouble Is brewing in army cir cles. Secretary of War Root will tomor- row begin his campaign for the new army bill. The distinctive feature of the meas ure is that 1t creates a general staff, to be created by appointment by the Presi- dent as commander in chief. The actual head of the army in time of peace is to be the chief of the general staff, and this officer may be whomsoever the Pres ident chooses. serving of course at the Presidents pleasure. The lieutenant general or senior major general would not then be at the head of the army unless the President chose to name him chief of the general staff.
 Of course General Miles objects. and fl is understood that he will go up to Con. gress and use his influence against the bill. The advocates of the measure say the head of the army should be like a cabinet officer, to be selected by the Pres. ident and serve at his pleasure, and that 1t Is false system to keep at the ton oI the organization the officer who has hap. pened to arrive there by the rule of sen. iority. "by drawing his breath and his