The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-05-22
HARRIS WASHINGTON LETTER
Closing Business Of Present Session
OF Congress

Closing BUSINESS OF Present Session
Of Congress
Editor OF the Banner:--Along about
next Friday you will be able TO cir
culate the glad tidings that congress
has adjourned. Thursday is the date
fixed this morning, but something may
possibly intervene to postpone the
closing exercises to Friday or even
Saturday An agreement on the fin
ancial bill between the two houses Is
the only stumbling block that Is pos
sibly appreheIrded now, and very like
ly that is being settled as write.
Ever since the damned up legislation
broke loose last Wednesday both
houses have been falling over each
other In their haste to clear the decks
for final adjournment What they
wanted passed through as the devil il
said to have gone through Ireland,
and what they didn't want passed has
gone into the waste basket with
whoops OF ghoulish glee. Half the
bunch already have their trunks and
suitcases packed and train reserva-
lions taken 80 they can 60 straight
from the capitol to the railroad, sta
ton as soon as the maui falls on the
desk. What the harvest of the SEES
sion is to be Is too early yet to state.
When II Is all over we will analyZe
the net results and strike balance.
The insistent and continuous cry
for revision Of the tariff Is well met
by the action OF both houses I'm the
closing hours. The senate has adopt
ed resolution authorizing It's COM
mittee on finance to sit during the
summer for the purpose of gathering
the necessary facts and information
for a basis for thorough revision of
all tariff schedules at the session be-
ginning December 9th next. II is en-
powered to employ experts for the pur-
pose. to the end that the next con.
gress will have good working basis
to proceed on without loss of time. II
is also to prepare maximum and
minimum scale OF duties on certain
foreign products, to the end that they
may be adjusted as is advisable In
case OF rate war or discrimination
OF foreign countries on our products.
This will enable us to play the game
OF tit for tat" as Il were. The
House has also instituted n like com.
mission OF that body, It's Ways and
Means committee. to work with the
senate committee In this matter, and
much good is hoped for and confid.
emily expected.
The final delegate to the Chicago
convention was elected last Friday,
and the next day the Taft cohorts
promulgated this bulletin as to the
preferences Of the delegates: Instruct.
ed for Taft, 43l. Preference express.
ed In convention for Taft. 46. Unin-
structed but favor Taft, 81. Instruct.
ed for Hughes, SO. Contested by Taft
and Hughes, a. Instructed for Can.
non, Sc. Contested by Taft and Can
non, 2. Instructed for Foraker, z.
Contested for Taft and Foraker, 4.
Instructed for Fairbanks. 35. Con
tested by Taft and Fairbanks, 4. In.
structed for Knox. IS. Instructed for
Roosevelt, 10. Instructed for LaFol.
lette. 25. Contested, So Uncommit.
ted, 10S. Total committed to Taft.
55S. Instructed or claimed for others
than Taft. 24S.
At the same time the anti-Taft com.
bine came promptly to bat with these
figures: Pledged or committed TO Taft
1853. Pledged or committed to others,
1921. Uninstructed. 22S. Contested,
liza.
There you have II. According to
the Taft figures he is sure OF nomi.
nation on the first ballot. According
to the other fellows. he Is very far
from II. Nevertheless, an impartial
lobseryer today is constrained to ex-
press the opinion that Taft has, or
VIII have, enough when the time
comes to nominate him. Regardless
of the claims Of the opposition, this
Is generally admitted. II Is In the air,
so to speak. Many able politicians
who have all along been opposing
Taft are now working for him. Not
that they are any more favorable to
the man, but they would take him TO
prevent the nomination OF Roosevelt.
As between the two 1t is Hobson's
choice and they shut their eyes and
swallow Taft. Meanwhile, the insis-
tent and ceaseless clamor for Roose-
welt is going up from every direction
with increasing volume. This Is par.
ticularly noticeable since the conyen.
ton OF governors last week. The
masses are bowling for the strongest
man, the only Teddy, and they refuse
to be comforted with anything Just
as good
However, II this thing can be chok.
ed on or suppressed. which Is yet in
doubt. Taft will most probably win
without much trouble In the conven.
ton. However, again he must hold
his line steady. Efforts will be made
to break H. but II is more than likely
that his voting strength will increase
rather than diminish with time. The
prestige OF being ahead will help him.
The great American public likes a
winner. 1t will always scramble for
the bandwagon which Is In front and
makes the most noise. II prefers
calliope to flute. II likes to do as
Roosevelt commands. Hence Taft.