The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-26
NO CURRENCY
LEGISLATION
Speaker Cannon Is FIat-footed
Against the Scheme.
INTERVIEW WITH ROOSEVELT
PAYNE PREPARING TO GET OUT
OF CABINET.
INTERVIEW WITH ROOSEVELT
Especial to The Herald)

I con-
siderable speculation in Washington as
to the attitude of Representative Can
non towards such financial legislation
as is proposed by President Roosevelt.
The last time Mr. Cannon was here he
declared in his characteristicalIy en-
phatic manner that he was opposed to
any such scheme of rubber currency
as had been proposed, and, in fact, to
| any currency legislation at all 1t is
I believed that he talked the matter over
| with the president and convinced the
| latter that it was not wise to advocate
! a permanent increase in the currency
issue Of the banks, that he and others
! believed such scheme to be more in
/ the interest of Wall street than of the
! people of the country as a whole
1 Should the president include currency
! matters in his call for an extra session,
as well as the Cuban treaty Mr.. Cam
non, the speaker-to- be, will find himself
/ placed in rather an awkward position.
! The last national Republican platform
/ calls for some legislation to depress
rates OF interest by increasing the mon
/ ey supply in times of need. Strong in
| tereSts are in favor of such legislation
/ and should the president voice this SEN
/ timent and urge some such law, party
policy would demand that the speaker
should waive his objections. Doubtless
/ Mr.. Cannon would oppose currency leg
islation up to a certain point and then
allow some measure to go through
which might be termed a compromise.
Senator Lodge, after his visit to Oys-
ter Bay, suggested a larger issue of
currency to carry a tax of per cent.
This, of course, would not issue unless
rates for money were higher than this,
and when interest fell this extra circu-
lation would be called in. It is too
much TO say that Senator Lodges
statement represents what will be
found in the presidents fall message.
1t is looked upon in Washington as a
distinct ''feeler" for public opinion. II
it falls fiat, it will probably be aban-
doned, and if received with approval
I throughout the country as we'll as in
New York, the plan outlined. or some
thing based on the same idea, may be
found in the administration sugges-
ton. A tax of per cent is held to be
too high by many bankers and a rate
Of per cent may be adopted.
Any financial legislation means a pro-
longed and acrimonious debate in CON
gress. While the free silver following
is now small, there are many members
who are suspicious of any attempt to
put more power in the hands of the
banks. which, in their opinion, are
| largely owned or controlled by "A linn
tied number of great financial interests.
Successor to Payne.
The health of the postmaster general
does not improve. But for the critical
condition of affairs in his department,
he would undoubtedly have retired ere
this. His physical condition will pre-
vent his remaining much longer in the
cabinet and rumors of his successor are
afoat. Hermann A. Kohlsaat of Chi
cago formerly owner and editor of the
Chicago Times-Herald, has been visit
ing President Roosevelt at Oyster Bay
and seems to be in the lead among the
possibilities. Mr.. KOhlsaat has been an
earnest and influential friend of the
president for some years past and has
strong backing. For friends he has
Senators Hanna and Gage. His bust
ness experience is not confined to news
papers, and he inspires among those
who know him a warm devotion which
speaks well for his character.
How Root Dodges.
Elihu Root has a way Of lodging en-
barrassing questions. All manner of
inquiries have been made of him at va
rious times to make him give up"
news, but never with any success.
During the Chinese troubles he did
who wanted information.
rs it true, Mr. Secretary" a news
paper man asked him one day, that
Minister Conger has been instructed to
demand the execution of Prince Tuan?''
mo; that is not true" the secretary
replied, but General Chaffee has been
instructed to send the poison cup to
the empress dOwager."
Never were newspaper men so non
plussed as when the decision of the
Supreme court on the insular cases
came out. Everybody read the deci-
sion, or heard It read. and then every
body looked at everybody else, and all
the world opened its eyes at the Su-
preme bench. The Supreme bench
smiled and looked pleased, all be-
cause it had puzzled everybody and
most of all puzzled itself. At the War
department a delegation OF newspaper
men put a lot of useless questions TO
Mr.. Root Finally one man said:
Mr.. Secretary, tell us this much:
Under these decisions does the consti-
tuition follow the hag?"
The secretary reflected. Then he
said slowly, with a peculiar infection:
''As near as I can make out from
hearing the different decisions read.
think the constitution does follow the
tiag-but it doesn't catch up with it."
Artist Whistler.
There is one phase in the life of the
late James Abbott Mcneil Whistler.
the famous etcher. which is little
known His departmental life in
Washington is interesting as showing
the incidents that shaped his career.
de was an employee of the Coast and
Geodetic survey, at that time known
as the Coast survey. His life with his
father while the latter was engaged in
the construction Of a railroad from ST.
Petersburg to Moscow, gave him a
taste for Bohemian life which deep
ened while he was at West Point. His
drawing at that time was more re-
markable for its eccentricity than its
perfection. though it was never
faulty He would draw shadow
first t1,ar, tho hoIvr r,-1,s,l,