The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-05
CONGRESS SHES AT MESSAGE
NOT LIKELl TO ADOPT MANY or
THE PRESIDENTS 81 QUESTIONS.
But Hes tanning for the Future and Hopes
the Next Congress WIN Do something.
Especially Toward an inheritance or
Income TaN-Iltuc Comment Made.

the Next congress VIII 10 SOmethink.
Especially Toward an inheritance or
income TRN Little Comment Made.
WASHINGTON. Dec. a visitor of in
oulring mlnd who went TO the White House
shortly after the return Of the President
from Panama and Porto Rico asked Mr..
Roosevelt many questions as 10 matters Of
public interest, aud to each received the
answer that he would nave to wait until
the Presidents annual message was laid
before Congress. The visitor asked about
the Presidents views on the inheritance
tax.
II shall have 10 refer yon 10 my message. "
or words ~ that efert. said the President.
The visitor made mention of a tax on in
comes and got the same answer. He spoke
If the ~ feeling in Japan over the treatment
of Japanese in California. Same answer.
60 II vent on down the list and tho visitor
went away from the White House with an
idea in his mind that the annual message
~ the President covered q multitude Of
subjects and as IN voluminous As an una
hridge1 dictiorsry.
When the self-ssme visitor obtained 4
copy of the MESA ~ to-day he found that
he was not Tar wong in his conclusions "a
20 w. Comprehensiveness. " fully iusti-
fled. in hi nipd, the laughing assertion Of
a friend ~ tho President who had accom-
psnied the visitor, that race suicide. lynch
ing. capital and labor, child labor, com
pulsory arbitration Of labor troubles. cor
porstions. inheritance and income tax.
teaching target shooting in schools. peace
and righteousness all these and more
topics are treated at length in the latest
production OF Mr.. Roosevelt pen.
1t was IN account Of the very compre-
llensiveness Of the mes age that Senator's
and Representatives were chary Of COM
menting on il. Many Congressman have
not hesitatei hcret fore {, give ~perflnctory
interviews about annual MESA yes of Pre.i-
dents. Those Of the same rarity as the
President who were willing TO be quoted
pronounced the document a masterful
treati q thar could not fail to be approved
by tho yeople, &c, while those Of tine OPP
posite party declared that it was fill of
-ophis,rv and faile - meet the Issues
presented with more etcpteraS.
To-day. however. there was no general
disposition among those whose opinions
are really worth knowing 10 talk for pub
lication about what the President had ~
nay lINo NoN RollAN'AhHlll iNhF W hF-kNlt'll-
cans who were afraid they could not commit
themselves to approval Of any one phas.
Of the Presidents views without being
obliged To decline to comment on others.
The most striking feature OF cunv"rsa-
tons with Republican leaders in Congress
was the development of a strong opinion
thai there was no immediate prospect that
the national Legislature would pay anv
attention 10 the Presidents suggestion ron
corning the imposition Of "a tax on inheri-
NaHan. and fannVnA. The aI.. Ial -.
taken of the inheritance tax proposal
by the Presidents muck rake speech de-
livered last April at the laying of the corner
stone of the Office building for members OF
the House and his references to cnrtailhg
the accumulation Of great wealth in the
speech which he delivered al Harrisburg
in October.
There was a furry of m after the
smuck rake" speech and then discussion of
the Inheritance tax suggestion passed away.
Prominent Congressman who We're cues
rioned on the subject expressed the belief
that while many bills seeking to carry out
the Presidents ideas would be introduced
this session, there would be nothing done by
Congress.
IL can be said emphaticslly, however.
that the President is by no means content
10 let what he has TO say about taxes on
incomes and inner ances pass into history
with The reading Of his message. He does
not expect 10 accomplish any thing at the
DIfEclb NNSNlDIlt WHICH VIII ldSl lOI Three
months only, but ne has not lost sight of the
fact that his views in favor Of a law giving
the Interstate Commerce Commission the
right TO fix railway rates were put forward
in a tentative wsy at a short session in order
that before the next long session was begun
the country would have a chance 10 express
its sentiments on the subject.
Az a result of the development Of that
sentiment the recent railway rate leeis-
lstion was placed upon the statute books.
Mr.. Roosevelt has the same purpose in
mind in suggesting that a tax on incomes
and inheritsnces would be a good thing
for the United States. He hopes 10 zee the
sentiment grow in favor. and when the
Sixtieth Congress assemblies in ! ecember.
1917. 10 have enough backing to secure the
enactment Of "A law.
The other features Of the message. with
the exception Of the emphatic statement Of
the Administ ration's position with refer
ence 10 the exclusion Of japanese from San
Francisco white schools, caused little com-
ment.
1t was said by some Congressman that
the message was so long they had not had
opportunity to read it carefully and for
that reason were unwilling to predict what
would he the outcome Of the Presidents
recommendations. The Philippine tariff
bill will rave careful consideration. The
Rbsence of any reference to tariff revision
was received with Joy by the standpat
element in Congress. But the Massachu-
sets delegation and others are not asleep.