Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-19
CONGRESS AND
THE PRESIDENT
Indications of Better Feeling
Between Them.
NO FURTHER MESSAGE
General Impression of Friction
Waning.
MANY MEASURES WILL PASS
In Others Proposed by the Presi
dent There Is Wide Diff
ference of Opinion.
MANY MEASURES WILL PASS

II is said at the Capitol that there are
indications OF better feeling between Con-
gress and the President over legislation
for the remainder of this session and as
to non-interference of the executive. The
understanding is that President Roosevelt
is to refrain from attempts to light fire"
under Congress and that Congress in its
wisdom and its own time will pass such
legislation as 1t may deem expedient and
practicable recommended by the Presi
dent.
Several of the Presidents friends are
said to have pointed out to him Recently
that he was pursuing somewhat unusual
course. which threatens TO have very
bad effect upon the republican party. II
was suggested to him that in the early
part of the administration he was accus-
toned TO taking congressman into con-
ference over questions of legislative poll
Cies.
Very recently. however, it las appeared
from the public prints that the President
in formulating his own ideas of legislative
policies was ignoring in large degree the
men who would have TO put those poll
cies through Congress. He was represent
ed as holding nightly conferences with
people outside of official life and was TAX
ing the advice of the kitchen cabinet.
the tennis cabinet and other frst-aid
institutions of that ilk.
Public Impression of Friction.
But the serious feature TO the congress
men was that the public seemed to be get
ting from this course of procedure the i'm
preston that the President was at odds
with Congress; that he was engaged in
great works of reform to which he was
summoning the aid of outside influences
and that a recalcitrant and stiff-necked
Congress was opposing his righteous eff
forts.
Some of the politicians at the Capitol
saw how this state of affairs could re-
dound TO the political prestige of the
president and his campaign. If the
country should get the idea that the Pres
ident was fighting single handed for great
reforms urged upon him by the self-ap-
pointed reformers of the various civic
ganizations the country of course would
rally to his support and to the aid of
those whom he supports and pronounce
anathema upon Congress. That would be
fine for the President they realize, but
somewhat rough on Congress.
There was another political side TO the
situation however, 'as. they. saw il. The
presidential nomination is not the only
thing at stake in the future. \ republi-
can President has yet to be elected after
the candidate has been named. \ republican
House of Representatives has to be
elected, and everybody admits that it will
take a fight to do 1t. Republican legis-
latures to choose senators in doubtful
states will have to be elected. How would
republican prospects be affected then. these
congressman asked if the impression
got abroad. even if permitted for tenn
porary factional effect, that there was
split between the President and Congress
and that Congress was all wrong and the
President all right?
These suggestions. it is said. have been
made to the President. and it is reported
at the Capitol that he admitted their
cogency. The result is said to be that the
Presidents enthusiastic friends who have
been going about talking of building fires
under Congress have ceased their threats
and have been called down rather sharply
by the President. Another result is that
pending propositions of legislation are
being discussed more freely with the leg
1slators and that a spirit of cooperation
is being engendered. all of which is very
gratifying to republicans at the Capitol
who are concerned in the party's welfare.
Several Measures Will Pass.
There is thought to be no question that
several of the measures proposed by the
President will be passed this session.
though not all of them. A currency bill is
assured. That is not merely because the
President wants il. but because the neces-
sity for IT is recognized on all sides The
House leaders are just IS determined as
the Senate leaders to pass some kind of
currency legislation although no man on
the top side of earth can at this time say
what II will be
An employers liability bill to correct
the constitutional weakness of the last
measure is certain Of passage There has
never been any doubt about that and ii
needed no squirting from the executive
10 remind Congress of the necessity for
such an act.
As TO bills relieving labor unions Of
the responsibility for boycOtts to author
lZe pooling by railroads and TO amend the
Sherman act, there is wide difference of
opinion. This divergence OF views is Just
AS pronounced aBIpas congressman as il
Is said TO be - 'nc the outside coun-
Selors of the President and he; ween him
and some of these CounselorS.
But congressman have contended that
no good end would he subserved by MAX
ing or appearing TO make issue between
q republican President and republican
Congress over these questions. Indica-
tionS now are that this view is shared by
the executive. and that from now on there
will be team work between the White
House and the Capitol, rather than the
spectacle of supposedly divided admins
tration.