Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-30

number of citizens of a state, excluding
indians not taxed, shall be counted as
basis of representation. but it is silent
regarding the manner in which the
count shall be made for purposes Of
levying direct taxes.
On the whole. the question is fine
one, and has two distinct sides. tt
would be a remarkable state of affairsN
were the supreme court to decide some
day that law levying direct taxes
should contemplate a negro as only
tnree-fifths of citizen.
A Compliment to Clay
The creation by the senate OF a COM
mittee on expenditures is a compliment
to Senator Clay, of Georgia, who has fire.
uuently advocated such a committee on
the floor of the senate Indeed, Mr.. Clay
made a strong argument in favor OF the
creation of a commission to inquire into
the expenditures of the government on
the very last day of the sixtieth con-
gress-March 9Th. 1t was then that he
called attention TO the enormous growth
of the expenditures. and declared that the
senate should take steps to prune down
the expenditures of the government.
The new committee will be known as
the committee on expenditures. or bud
get and il will be its duty to inquire into
all of the estimates submitted by the
various departments and bureaus. It is
believed the expenditures will, in this
way be considerably curtailed.
Public Shut Out
President Taft is showing very little
consideration for the public, and it is free
Iy predicted here that he is paving fast
road to unpopularity for himself Even
senators and representatives experience
great trouble in getting an audience with
the new president, and already grumblings
are to be heard on capitol hill because
of the scant courtesy the president shows
statesmen in this direction.
Mr.. Taft is the most affable of men
when one gets to him-and there is no
complaint about his treatment OF the SEN
ators and representatives on this score.
The complaint comes from the fact that
he sees people only by appointment.
Colonel Roosevelt, during his term OF
office, received the public between the
hours of 10 and II each morning in the
cabinet room. Senators and representa-
tives. accompanied by constituents anx-
ious to "see the president were ushered
into the cabinet room with little formal
ity. and promptly at 10 o'clock the big
doors to the presidents Office would fold
back and in Mr.. Roosevelt would step.
It is true that he devoted very little
time to a single individual. but he saw
everyone, and had hearty hand grasp
for each.
President Taft too. is supposed to re-
ceive the public between 10 and II O'Clock
each morning, but he doesn't do il. As
a rule he devotes this hour to keeping
special engagements. which have been
previously made by his secretary. or
course the public is admitted to the cab
met room. usual, when accompanied
by a senator or representative. But once
inside the room, the public waits and
waits while Mr.. Taft receives the cali
ers who have appointments. They enter
by a side door. A
Frequently senators and representatives
have been known to wait patiently for =
two hours to see the president. and final
" depart never having laid eyes on him,
which, it must be admitted. is not calcu-
lated to increase their influence in the
eyes of their constituents who have gone
to the white house with them to "see the
president"
OF course. senators and representatives
are learning that one must make an en-
gagement two or three days ahead il
one expects to see the president, but few
men realize what two days will bring
forth in the way of curious constituents.