Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-21
AT THE white HOUSE
Tentative Agreement With
Leaders in Congress.
FIVE LEGISLATIVE ACTS
Before Congress Adjourns to Be Put
Through Both Houses.
CONFERENCE THIS MORNING
Some of Those Present Not Confident
That All the Goods Can
Be Delivered.
CONFERENCE THIS MORNING

| A tentative agreement has been reach
| ed between President Roosevelt and re-
publican leaders of the House and Senate
| that Congress shall not adjourn until
| there has been placed upon the statute
books of the country the following legis-
Iation:
Amending the currency laws.
| An employers liability law that will
stand the test of the courts.
| Reasonable anti-injunction laws.
| Revision of the Sherman antitrust law.
! Some provision for gathering facts and
| aking classitications preparatory to re-
vision of the tariff.
IF President Roosevelt can not get an
underst standing that is definite upon these
points he will make his views known to
Congress i'm a special message or in other
ways, but the opinion now prevails that
| the leaders will do all they can to. carry
out this program. They desire to do SO
as much as the President, but the ques-
| ton is open whether they command the
power.
Long Conference Today.
There was a long conference at the
White HOUSE this morning. Senator AL
drich representing the Senate and Repre-
sentatives Payne and Dalzell the House.
After they had talked with the President
they would say nothing except that they
discussed with him legislative program
for the remainder of the session. That
there was at least a tentative agreement
as stated. is now well understood. and it
remains with these leaders to bring their
party colleagues into line, If they can
Can They Deliver the GoodsP
Can or will the leaders deliver the
goods? That is the question that was
put to several prominent republicans of
Congress as they were going away
from the White House today. At least
one Of them expressed doubt whether
this program could be put through. and
was almost certain that it could not.
He doubted if there would be anti-in-
junction laws, revision of the Sherman
antitrust laws along the lines wanted
by the administration and preliminary
tariff revision arrangements.
He predicted that 1t would require ter
rifle pressure upon the Senate and House
to carry out any program Of that kind.
The House might be forced into line, he
thought, as pressure was more easily ap-
piled there. but he doubted If Senator
Aldrich or any other man. even the Presi-
dent, could whip the Senate into line for
such a definite number Of propositions.
The Senate, he declared, was desirous OF
enacting legislation demanded by the
country. and will attempt to do so in its
rection.
Tariff Revision Part Of It.
The arrangement for preparatory plan
for tariff revision by the next session
of Congress is one of the stumbling
blocks of the proposed program. VIII
the anti-revision House leaders be in
duced to yield to such legislation? The
President has received information from
various parts of the country that the
demand for tariff revision is growing
stronger and that If something Is not
done to prepare for it the democrats may
reap an advantage that will be dangerous
to the republicans In the election next
fall The President had important con-
western business men. who have repre-
scented to him the feeling in that section
of the country for revision. One of these
men is J. E. Smith, president Of the
Business Mems League of st. Louis. The
visitors absolutely declined to say any
| thing about their call, and Secretary
Loeb would say nothing except that
statement will be made public this after
noon.
President for Revision.
The definite alignment of President
Roosevelt for tariff revision by the mex:
session Of Congress will attract wide
spread attention. He has no particular
method Of preparing for this revision es-
cept that he thinks some provision
should be made for a commission Of ex-
perts to gather facts and mako CLASH
fications for the benefit of Congress when
1t assemblies in extra or regular session
in 1909. Congress will not then be re-
quired to lose further time gathering
data upon which to proceed in It's work.
A number of congressman are opposed
| to this body of tariff experts BEING
| made up wholly Of government employees,
| and desire representation of unofficial eX-
perts.
About a Message to Congress.
| The Star has heretofore stated that the
| President has had under consideration for
some time the question of sending to
Congress another message setting forth
| his views to what ought to be done in
the way of legislation before Congress
adjourns. The message is still under
consideration, and it is believed now
| that its coming to light will depend upon
| the outcome of conferences between Sem
ate and House leaders as to legislation
While these conferences are pending the
President will probably withhold a mes
sage, uut al dL IQelr conclusion n6 Is leo
| to understand that do-nothing policy
is to be pursued to the end he will get
into action In vigorous fashion.
Mr.. Beveridge Is Confident.
Senators Beveridge and Crane represent
ed two types of senator's at the White
House during the day. The Indiana SEN
ator expressed pleasure at the introduc-
ton of Senator La Follettes tarif COM
mission bill. Il find a number of features
in the bill that are better than those Of
my own BILL he said. "The aeitation for
revision of the tariff is stronger Through
out the country than most people think.
and / am confident, as I said some time
ago. that this Congress will not ad iourn
without making provision leading to ac-
ton by the next Congress l am pretty
sure also that there will be important leg
islation on other matters before the SEES
sion ends. especially on currency, en-
ployers' liability. anti-injunction and
Sherman antitrust amendments
Senator Crane is not so sanguine that
| everything that is wanted by the admin
istration and its friends will go through.
believing that when the five subjects men
toned are taken up there will be discus
sion lasting so many days and weeks as to
prolong the session far into the summer
and run 1t right up to the eve Of the pres.
idential campaign.