Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-06-04
IN ITS DYING HOURS,
Scenes as End Of Congressional
Session Approached.
SONGS AND SINGERS OF PAST
In tho Days Of the Mills Bill Congress.
Speculation on Secretary Tsft's Sue
cessor-How Laborites Turned a
Neat Trick,
ny CHARLES w. ARTHUR

ny CHARLES w. ARTHUR
Washington. June 3.--LSpecial.l The
closing hours Of a session Of congress
are hours Of song and general merri-
ment for the members Of the house.
Frequent recesses are usually neces-
sary In order to enable conferees on
beiated bills TO make their reports
And there is always wait while q
Joint committee of the senate and
house calls upon the president at the
White House 10 inform him Officially
that the lawmakers are about to quit
and would like to know If he has any
thing further to communicate to con
gress. It is during these waits that the
members Of the popular branch break
forth in song The house this year is
a little shy on songsters. In the old
days they were more plentiful The
late Speaker Dave Henderson Of Iowa
was a good warbler. and in spite Of the
fact that he was the presiding officer
he could not help going out into the
lobby during the lulls in the proceed
ings and having a rollicklng time with
the boys" General Henderson had n
famous song with words Of bis own.
entitled There Is Hole In the Bot
tom Of the Sea" which was invariably
sung 10 the tune of I'm the Sweet BY
and By" Speaker Cannon isn't much
of singer. but when there is any
wnrbling going on he likes to go
through the motions with his lips and
body Chairman Tawney of the ap-
preparations committee Is in the front
rank OF the stngcr The first session
of the Fiftieth congress. which had be.
fore It the Mills tariff bill. was the long.
est in the history of the government.
It lasted until Oct 20. 1898 When II
ended one Of the newspaper CORE
spondents started the long meter dox-
ology. Praise God. From Whom All
Blessings Flow" and II was taken up
by the mem bers with genuine JUNCTION.
Easy For Fairbanks.
Vice President Fairbanks had dur.
ing the recent session very smooth
path. There were no difficult points
for him TO decide by having to cast a
vote on account OF tie. and he was
not even called upon for a ruling on
account 81 serious differences between
the Republicans and Democrats. When
Levi F. Morton of New York was vice
president the force bill was up. and he
had to make several delicate rulings.
Laborites Turned Neat Trick.
I,L
cations are smiling over the cute man
ner In which they got a resolu,l,
through the senate during the closing
days OF the session directing the de-
partMent of commerce and labor to in
vestigate the telegraph and telephone
companies doing interstate business.
The bills ting to this subject, which
were introduced by Senator La Fol
lette and Representative Cary, were
smothered in the com mittees Of both
senate and house. La Toilette was
threatening fllibuster against the
emergency currency bill. and to smooth
him down the opponents of the tele-
graph bill permitted a resolution to go
through without opposition which the
labor people thought was dead one
for the session.
Speculation on Taft's Successor.
The cabinet smashers are hard at i,
again. Their last announcement is tina I
Secretary Taft will certainly resign by
July /. but they are somewhat stump.
ed In the selection of his successor.
1t is assumed. of course, that Taft
ia to he the Republican nominee for
president Some of the prophets have
fixed upon General Luke E. Wright of
Tennessee as Mr.. Taft's successor re-
gardless of the fact that Wright Is a
lifelong Democrat, But those who fig
ure II this way seem to think it would
be a great political stroke to call him
into requisition 10 fill the gap.
President Seldom In Capitol.
President Roosevelt has used less
perhaps than any OF the executives the
gorgeous room in the senate wing Of
the capitol set apart specially for the
head Of the nation. Presidents go to
that room only for the purpose Of sign
ing belRted bills ct the close Of n con
! !
has bean fortunate in having all the
measures reach him mt the White
House in time 70 attach his signature.
Tracks to Station.
Temporary tracks are being laid to
enable the street car lines to carry pas
sengers to the entrance Of the big new
Union railway station. The absence OF
such tracks has caused people from all
parts of the United States inconven-
fence and additional expense and
doubtless has also caused much un-
Necessary profanity on the part of irate
men. 1t will push the companies to
have the permanent system installed
BY the time the next president Is in
augurated.
Satisfied With Brief Service.
Four members Of the senate do not
expect to be members OF that body
after March 4 next Two are Repub-
Ncans and two are Democrats, They
are all filling unexpired terms and sp
pear to be satisfied with short service
The Republicans are Stephenson Of
Wisconsin and Stewart Of Vermont.
The Democrats are Gary OF South Car.
olina and Milton Of Florida The leg
islatures In all of these states will elect
senator's next winter. the understand
Ing being that none OF the four men,
toned will be q candidate.