Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-18
President Opposes Delay in
Amending Sherman Law.
WILL VETO A COMMISSION
Wants Legislation on the Matter at
Present Session.
SETH LOW AS A PEACEMAKER
Part of President Pierce's China Set
Added to the White
House Collection.

President Roosevelt declared unequivo-
cally today that he will veto any bill pre-
scented to him providing for a commission
TO study the question of amendments to
the Sherman antitrust law. The Mer
chants Association of New York and sew
leral other influential organizations at
work along the lines of deferring legsa-
ton until commission has had time to
investigate and report to the next Con-
gress what is advisable.
The association seems to think that
longer and more serious consideration
should be given to the subject of tamper-
ing with such an important law The
Congress and the country fully understand
the subject and that a commission would
simply delay legislation and leave the
whole thing right where it is now. He
favors legislation at this session and
fully indorses the Hepburn bill, which
was prepared by the Civic Federation.
headed by Mayor Low of New York and
Ralph NJ. Easley chairman of the execu-
tive council.
Mr. Easley had a conference with the
President today. and made known the
views of the White House. The Hepburn
bill is one of the measures which Repre-
sentative Watson, republican whip of
the House. has indicated to the President
cannot get through Congress at this ses-
sion. The President has accepted this
judgment as more or less final. but he is
perfectly willing that the question of
action or inaction shall be put up to
Congress at this session, postponement
not being in line with his wishes.
Seth Lows Efforts.
Former Mayor Seth Low has confer
red with the President several times
lately and has gone from the White
House to the Capitol, seeking to clear
the atmosphere there and secure the
passage of the Hepburn bill, If possible
Whether the opposition of the President
to the proposed commission also extends
to a commission to consider the currency
needs of the country, as is now under
consideration by House students of
finance. is not known. The President
has said. however. that he has never
seen much good come out of COMPRESSION
al commissions. The industrial commits
sion, which sat for three years and cost
the government large sum of money,
is one Of the bodies he has in view. No
known benefit has been derived from the
work of this commission. according to
some views. Representative Hill notified
the President some weeks ago that he
found that sentiment in that body favored
currency commission and he was sure
that would be the eventual outcome of all
the talk.
A Massachusetts, Marshal.
The President announces the appoint
ment of Guy Murchie of Boston ais United
States marshal for the district of Massa-
chusetts, to succeed Charles X Darling,
resigned. This is personal appointment
of the Presidents, in which the two SEN
ators acquiesced. Mr.. Murchie is a law
yer.
Saturday is rarely day of statesman
ship or of important business at the
White House. 1t is nearly always a day
of visitors. and today was no exception.
Senator'S and representatives not only pre-
sented constituents who are in the city
but also sent large delegations of visit
ors. and the President was kept busy
shaking hands most of the day. Repre-
sentatives Hayes Madden, Richardson.
Needham, Beall. Granger. Mcmillan, Law,
Gardner, Madison and Senators Piles and
Beverage all introduced friends
Secretary Taft called early in the day
and said that he would leave at II o'clock
this morning for New York, where to-
night he is to address the Sphinx Club
of that city. The club is composed of
Addition to China Collection.
The White House collection of presiden-
tial china, which has come to be great
attraction Of the home of Presidents, has
received another valuable addition this
time of several pieces of the state dining
Set of the Pierce administration. The
newly acquired china is among the rarest
of this historic collection. and for a long
time it seemed impossible to find any of
it except a few pieces in the hands of
wealthy curio collectors who did not wish
to part with it. Two years ago Mrs.
Abby g. Baker. who is in charge of the
presidential ware, went to New Hamp-
shire to see Frank Pierce, the nephew
and one of the few remaining immediate
relatives of President Pierce, but found
that there was none of the famous china
IN his family, although authentic records
describing 1t had been preserved.
Some months ago friend of Mrs.
Roosevelt. through a curio dealer, secured
a teacup and saucer of the Pierce set and
china. and these she presented to Mrs
Roosevelt. who turned them over to the
White House collection.
Through the dealer of whom the china
was purchased it was learned that Will
liam T. Crump. who was steward of the
White House under Presidents Hayes,
Garfield and Arthur, now a resident of
Washington. had some of the most val
liable White House relics in the country
Mr.. Crump was seen. and through the
generosity of his daughter, Mss Harriet
3. Crump, to whom he had given the
china. the collection is enriched by four
pieces of the Pierce set gift which adds
inestimably to the cabinets.
When the China Was Bought.
Mr.. Crump's account of the china is
most interesting. When President Hayes
came into the White House there were a
great many odd pieces belonging to state
sets of china which dated from almost
every administration fro m jefferson day
and the old original kitchen in the base
ment the present boiler room. was stored
with cracked nicked and nured table
ware and other discarded articles of the
house. These things continued to accu-
mulate until President Arthur came In
and then. as the dining table was we'll
supplied with the many pieced set which
iZing their historic worth discarded the
odd pieces i'm the china closets
He directed that they should be sold
and that the rubbish should be dis
posed OF in the old kitchen. At that sale
Mr.. Crump purchased many pieces of the
historic ware and 1t is the pieces O. the
Pierce set which were thus secured which
| his daughter has now presented TO the
White House. They consist of q covered
vegetable dish. All exquisite fruit com.
pote on standard. q breakfast plate
and ii small sauce dish. Each piece is
banded with the we'll known red border
and outlined with gold The bowl of the
| fruit CONT Ote Is of open work and hears