The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-07-23
TARIFF DUTIES
AND TABLE TALK
Stories That Raised Laugh and
STAYED OF Argument.
INCIDENTS OF CONFERENCE.

President Taft and Congressman Ford
ney Did Not Get Down to Business
Legislation Regarding Water Power
Sincere, if Not comPIimentary-Talk
of Capital.
Some interesting gossip is heard re-
garding the efforts of President Taft
to argue tariff schedules with the adj
vocates of high rates of duty. Mr..
Taft invited a number of the Repub-
licanS Of the senate and house to take
meals with him at the White House,
and while refreshing the inner man
this business was discussed. Repre-
sentative Fordney Of Michigan is gen.
orally regarded as a "stand patter"
from away back. No rates of duty are
too high for him, and he has through
out the contest labored industriously
for stiff tariff on lumber and other
commodities. Fordney was invited to
breakfast with the president. 1t is
said that when Mr.. Taft got on the
subject of the lumber rates this lum-
herman would begin to relate some
side splitting anecdote about his ex-
periences in the woods, and the exec
utive would have great laugh. Soon
the rate on some other commodity
would be brought up, and Fordney
would get off another story, the result
being that the Michigander did not
yield his views to any alarming ex-
tent.
Legislation Regarding Water Power.
Numerous water power bills are be-
ing introduced in the senate and
house. and during the coming session
it is thought the committees to which
they have been referred will give seri-
Gus consideration to the question of
legislating upon a subject of so much
interest to commerce. Heretofore most
of these projects have started in the
south and west, but now New Eng
land senators and representatives are
offering bills affecting rivers in their
section. Former President Roosevelt
had rather pronounced views on this
question and claimed that the govern
ment should exact heavy rental charges
from power companies before giving
them the right to use the waste water
of the streams.
Not Discouraged by Delay.
Representative Brownlow of Ten
nessee is credited with being the most
enthusiastic member of the house
when it comes to committing the ma
fp ha M
improving the roadways of the coun-
try. For nearly ten years he has at
the beginning of eaef session intro |
duced bill on the subject. The fact |
that no action one way or the other |
ever has been taken does not dismay
him in the least. He just keeps ham,
mering away on his pet hobby and |
will tell you smilingly that sooner or
later Uncle Sam will go into the road |
building business and that there
would be no Jolt for the constitution
If he were to join the states and coun-
ties in improving the roads.
Congressional Trip Held Up.
Congressman Robert Bruce Macon
of Arkansas is never so happy as
when he can knock out bill or resolu-
ton that he thinks ought to be nipped.
And he fairly bubbles over with de-
light if he gets a chance to knock out
a Junketing scheme. The officials of
the Seattle exposition invited a COM
mittee of the house of representatives
to attend their big show this summer
Rodenberg of Illinois
tried to have the invitation accepted.
As ii has not been passed upon by
Macon objected, and the
game was blocked.
Sincere IL Not Complimentary.
Senator Money of Mississippi is so
dim of vision that his affection occa-
sionally gets him into embarrassing
situations. When the senate was hold
Ing night sessions recently Mr.. Money
was chatting In the Democratic cloak
room with Senator Overman of North
Carolina. whose face always is clean
" shaver. Senator Stone of Missouri
was making a speech In fact, ii was
one of a half dozen he had been guilty |
Of that evening. The Misslssippian
left Overman for a few minutes and
to the chamber to see how
Stone was getting on. Later Money
to the cloakroom and went
over to where he supposed Overman
was still seated and commenced to
criticise Stone severely for the posi-
ton he had taken I'm his speech. His
illusions were anything but compli-
mentary. II was Stone and not Over
man to whom Money was speaking
The second time. and the Missourian
greatly enjoyed the embarrassment Of
he Mississippian when he discovered
MS mistake.
Accomplished as Well as Rich.
Mr.. Guggenheim of Colorado is not ,
)nly the richest man in the senate,
Dut also is ranked as the most accom-
Dlished linguist in that branch Of con- I
yress. He is credited with being COM
llete master Of four or five languages,
having as a youth been sent abroad to
'pecially study foreign tongues. He
'peaks French, German. Spanish and
italian and. having knocked about so
much In the far west. Is said TO under
itand tolerably well several Of the In
Ian dialects. He is yet in the prime
II life, being only forty-one years Of
Ige. CHARLES W. ARTHUR.