Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-11
Determination of Congress.


tor Knox.
Determination Of Congress.
The evident determination OF Congress
to give practically no attention to the
reform recommendations of the Presi-
dent. as made known in his last mes
sage to Congress, naturally puts a stop
to many conferences. Last session. when
railroad rate legislation was under con-
the President had all the boys
on the hill jogging down TO tell him that
that IT was all mistake that they were
opposed to him. Since he got out of the
presidential race many Of these visits
have ceased.
With Congress falling. to interest it
self, as in the past. i'm the policies of the
President, conferences are few and far
between. The monotony Is occasionally
broken by Representative Hobson drop
ping in and sympathizing with the Presi-
dent on the greater navy proposition, or
by John Wesley Gaines discoursing with
the chief executive about how great
man Jackson was. OF course. there is
Senator Long of Kansas, Senator Gamble
OF South Dakota, or some of the other
let the President know that Taft has
dead cinch on the votes of those states.
Then. too, there are the thoughtful states
men who visit the White House with con-
make up the bulk Of thes days business
at the White House lately. But news
editors balk on columns of stun as to
how Senator Warner or Senator Depew
introduced Josh Perkins of Podunk or
Bill Smacks of Smithville. What these
news editors want is hot stuff. They don't
seem to think that such a live President
as Mr.. Roosevelt ever has dull days.
Some Little Things Done.
M xxyhiI &c fIa
dent issues a statement denying some Of
the things he is accused of, or suspends
a public printer. but none of this COM
pares to the days when he had Aldrich
ana Kean. and Crane and Foraker. even
Elkins and Scott, sweating large drops
thinking how best they could put as little
Of what he wanted in the rate bill as
possible. Those were great days compar-
ed to these. Now Aldrich has gotten
back into his old stride of making his own
legislation and not that Of the White
House and the result is that he pays only
an occasional visit to the Chief Executive
and then just long enough to put out his
hand and say howdy; Kean makes about
the same number OF trips. while Crane IL
50 busy thinking about whether he Will
take over the management Of a losing
presidential candidate that he can't keep
the White House on his itinerary for any
great length of time.
They do say, though, that the President
IL Matching some little schemes to put the
days. Anyhow. it can't go long this way.
Almost any day the President postpones
one Of his twelve-mile walks, which he Is
taking every twenty-four hours. he is
liable to spend the energy in stirring up
the animals. So long as he continues
to walk it Off newspaper columns will
surely prove dull from the White House
viewpoint.
A Sample Of One Day.
Just to prove it. notice the routine at
the executive Offices today. First here
comes Representative Fairchild of New
York. with a pink-cheeked English friend
who is visiting in this country. Nothing
to stretch words on that. Next comes
Senator Ankeny Of Washington, who, be-
cause he is to be fought in the primaries
in September by Representative Jones. is
hunting for all the patronage he can get
big or little.
And here's Mr. Bailinger, commissioner
Of the land Office. with friend from his
state, while the fourth man to walk out
Is Representative Lowden of Illinois, who
positively didn't know thing. Had SIM
ply called to pay his respects. Had been
sick with the grip for several days and
was about to get away to Atlantic City,
where he would change the grip for
something else. Right next came Senator
Clark Of Arkansas. with a lady from his
state; Senator Burkett of Nebraska, with
two ladies, and the youthful Senator
Bryan Of Florida, who has not been here
long enough to regard everything as con-
fidential he hears from the President.
AS these visitors get away here come
cabinet officers for the days cabinet
meeting, Attorney General Bonaparte
thinking SO hard that he takes up the
whole roadway as he comes along: Sec
rotary Root. with that quick. singing
gallop. goes in: Secretary Straus. serious
looking. but ready with a jolly for whom
ever he meets; Secretary Cortelyou, with
presidential ambition chased away and
his head full of financial thoughts: Post
master General Meyer. still wondering
whether he had lost any feathers in the
contest with Senator Foraker, and study
ing how he could best fix UP Taft post
master without anybody finding il out;
Secretary Metcalf, with the whole weight
Of the navy on his shoulders. and Secre-
tary Wilson. dreaming of how he can
best cross a rutabaga turnip with an
onion. Then all of them deliberate SOL
EMMY. soon leave the executive offices
and declare it was dull cabinet meeting,
without anything even looking like news.