The citizen., 1909-06-17

COUc w -OuF WccNtr
Letter.
Washington, ID. c. June II, 1909.
President Taft seems likely to earn
the right to the title, "The Great
Compromiser," as fairly as Henry
Clay. 1t is said that in the Philip
pines and as Secretary of War this
knack of bringing about compromises
was often noticeable, but no one ex-
pected an exhibition of il so soon in
Washington. His proposal is that
the "insurgent" Republicans in Con-
gress rejoin the party leaders on con-
dition that the latter consent to a
tax on corporations. The Aldrich fac
tion is willing to consent to this tax
for a two year term only. The re-
form element has not yet decided
whether or not to accept this sub
stitute for its long fought-for income
tax; but the chances are that suffi
cient number of them will decide to
accept the compromise SO that the
measure will pass.
The truth is that the Republicans
who have been attacking their lead
ers have never felt very comfortable.
President Taft is said to fear that
their action in unison with the Demo-
Gratis would result in some legisla-
ton for which the Democrats could
claim credit. Another consideration
is the fact that the Democrats are
by no means staunch in their sup
port of so-called Democratic policies.
On the iron ore vote IL Democrats
voted for protection, and 10 Republic
cans against 1t. The factions which
are opposing Aldrich and the Finance
Committee are unable to get togeth-
er. and therefore must fail. Ii Is
true that Bailey aud Cummins have
finally come to an agreement on an
income tax bill which both will sup
port, but their followers at best on
ly numbered enough to give them
majority OF two on the income tax
proposition; and now 1t is thought
that unquestionably several of Cum
Minis adherents will go back into
the machine and vote for President
Taft's suggested corporation tax.
On Friday the income tax proposi-
tion will finally come up for decision
and if the Aldrich forces win
the bill will be passed as a whole
by the Senate shortly after that time,
The final struggle on the tariff
will come in the conference between
committees of the Senate and the
House as to whether the bill as pass
ed by the one or the other body
shall be the final law. There will
be many concessions made on both
sides. For instance this week Aldrich
has had the 10 per cent protective
tax put back on hides. from which
the House had taken it; and this is
not because he expects TO have hides
taxed in the final bill but because he
wants something to "swap" to the
House for concession on their part.
1t is now universally admitted that
President Taft will be one of the
arbitrators throughout this confer
ence between the two houses. Since
this conference is the most important
Of all the steps in the tariff making
it seems evident that the President
has had the good judgement to simp-
ly await for the decisive time to
come before stepping in. But it is
not expected that he will endeavor
to lower the rates unduly, as the
Senate rebels" had hoped.
one pleasant feature of the weeks
news here has been the cutting
down of Government expenditures in
many Of the Departments. The Navy
is to save large sum, by removing
the sailors from many of the battle
ships, retaining merely enough to
form skeleton" crews which can be
quickly expanded in case of need
The Army is making similar reduc-
tions. II is thought that these &C.
onomies of Mr.. Taft will alone make
up Tor the deficit of the passing year,
and will ensure the absence of de-
fi;ir Eext year.
Tho House Of Representatives fin
ally passed the Porto Rican Bill this
week. apparently merely to have
over with it. The bill provides that
IA ease the Porto Rican Legislature
refuse to vote appropriations Tor
carrying on the government, the last
years appropriations shall be
renewed automatically. so that the
adm 'strators of Porto Rico can con-
tinue work unhampered by delay.
President Taft presented medals oil
honor to the famous Wright brothers
Of Dayton. Ohio, inventors OF the
American flying machine or aeroplan'