Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-16
FIGHTING PLANS
FOR BATTLESH|PS
Leader Of the House Says He
Will Oppose Vigorously the
Presidents Program.
ROOSEVELT IN GREAT DEMAND.
Hundreds Of Cities and Towns Have
Invited Him to Visit Them During
The Summer

Special Correspondence.
Washington, Feb. il.--"An extra SEES
sion Of Congress or an authorization
Of battleships in the naval bill" is said
to have been the way the president dis
cussed the subject with members OF
Congress. II hear that Is what he
said" remarked one OF the Republican
leaders OF the house, land 10 far as
am concerned we will have an extra
session, for l viii do all | can TO pre-
vent any more battleshIps or cruisers
being authorized at this time. We have
nine OF these vessels on the ways now
end have more ships completed than
we can man. II will take three years
to complete the vessels already author
iied, and II we refuse to make pro-
vision for ships this session II win not
interfere with the building OF the navy
or cut down work In the shlpyardH.
There il enough work on hand without
pny more ships" That kind OF talk,
coming from congressional leader
Of prominence, indicates a determine
tlon to cut off naval expenditures. IL
may not be successful, but II shows
that there Is trouble brewing for the big
battleship advocates.
WANT THE PRESIDENT,
The president has accepted many in
Nltations for next spring and has many
more Under adyisement. Hundreds OF
towns and cities have sent delegations
here to ask the president to visit them
during the spring and summer In
fact, II has come to be joke here that
there may be few places In the coun-
try which have not yet invited the
president to visit them but there Is no
reason why they should not do So
Aside from his official work, the presi-
dent Will have a great deal 10 do next
summer as a visiting statesman.
POWER OF PUBLIC OPINION.
There are many ways OF bringing in
fluance 10 bear on Congress. but be-
You'd all question publicity Is the great
est weapon that has ever been used
A paragraph stating that the chances
were against the passage OF river
and harbor bill at this session was
widely circulated. Then pressure was
brought upon members OF the house TO
such an extent that the committee on
rivers and harbors was compelled to
yield The leaders Of the house were
against the bill. 1t was believed that
the condition OF the treasury did not
warrant river and harbor expenditures
at this session. Members of the COM
mttee became very much perturbed
| and talked dlscouragingly Then the
country WAS heard from, and the COM
| nttee decided to go ahead with a bill.
DOUBTFUL ABOUT CONVICTION.
Very few persons believe that the
senate viii convict Judge Swayne on
the impeachment charges voted by the
house. The partisan turn which the
case took IN the house indicates that
the senate probably will reject the ar
ticles The Republicans are nearly
two to one In the senate A like pro-
portion In the house would no doubt
have prevented the vote for impeach-
ment,
CHALLENGES sENATE's ADMIRA-
TON.
Senator Morgan Of Alabama does not
speak as often In the senate as for
merly, but when he does talk he has
| something to say, The senator does
rot speak extemporaneously now, but
reads from manuscript. He Is very
old man and does not care TO trust en-
tirely to his memory In making his
speeches. While the senators do not
| listen 10 him--and, In fact, they would
| have to gather about him very closely
In order to hear him--they do read hls
| speeches In the Record and speak high
ly Of them. This refusal TO listen TO the
venerable Alabama senator was Illus.
| trated the other day when he was
| speaking and another senator started
TO leave In a way not to attract atten-
! ton. Don't stay on my account"
| said Morgan, II am not talking to the
senate, but to the country"
ELKINs PHILOSOPHY.
Senator Elkns Is one OF the principal
| men In a company which Is trying to
secure a franchise for another street
| railway In Washington and which has
| met with very vigorous opposition, II
| became evident recently that the bill
] could not pass the senate this session,
as a score of prominent senators were
| determined TO defeat II. "Oh yes"
said Elkins, they will beat the bill
this session, but they will have to beat
us ten or a dozen times, We only have
to beat them once"
a LONG LOOK AHEAD.
Senator McLaurin Of Mississippi and
| Senator Foster Of Louisiana are elect
| ed for u longer period than any other
two men. They have certificates en-
| tltling them TO serve until March 4.
1918 The legislatures OF their states
| meet but once IN four years, and
| therefore they III all senatorial vaoan-
| cies that occur before any other ses-
sion can be held. The legislatures OF
these two states will not meet until
| after the present terms Of Senators
McLaurin and Foster expire on March
4, 1907
AN AGED MESSENGER.
b. s, Russell OF jamestown, n. D.,
| brought the electoral vote OF his state
! to Washington. There would be moth
| ing strange IN this save for the fact
that Russell * elghty-three years old
ana the Oldest Of all the messengers
delegated TO bring election returns to
| the Capitol, He Is hale and hearty and