Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-10
TAFT SIOESTEPS
FIRST PROBLEM
LOMATICALLY D0DGES AN
IMPORTANT POINT
INSURGENTS ENDEAVoR VAlNLY
TO SECURE AID
New President Declared by Gardner
of Massachusetts, to Favor
Change in Rules Of
Lower House
LRv Aasoclated Press. ]

WASHINGTON March 9,-President
Taft was given an opportunity today
to declare himself on the insurgent
movement to revise the house rules.
Diplomatically he sidestepped an
nouncing how he stood, but in doing
so he missed luncheon and about hall
of the concert of Nine. Eames, which
he was scheduled to attend in COM
pany with Mrs. Taft and their guests
Representative Payne of New York
chairman of the committee on ways
and means, sought the support of Mr.
Taft for the existing order of Things
and the insurgent case was advocated
by Representatives Gardner of Massa-
chusetts, Madison of Kansas and Mel
son Of Wisconsin.
The visit of the "insurgent' delega-
ton consumed most of the afternoon.
The three insurgents heard it charged
that Mr.. Taft intended to join hands
with the house organization in the In
terest of getting the tariff bill through
quickly. Greatly>d disturbed, they hur-
ried to the White House to urge Mr..
Taft to take q neutral position and
leave the fighting to them.
When they came out of the execu-
tive offices, Mr.. Gardner declared with
an exhibition of confidence that the
insurgents" were no longer in COM
promising mood.
Taft Not Opposed to Change
1--WE are firmly impressed that Mr..
Taft is not opposed to change OF
the rules" said Mr.. Gardner, but is a
little fearful that a contest now would
interfere with the passage of the tariff
bill"
Mr.. Madison tried to show the presi-
dent that there was no such danger
in the fight they were conducting. he
said he had told Mr.. Taft that he and
his colleagues were not disposed to IN
terfere with the continuance of the
present ways and means committee and
that he thought he could promise that
no objection would be made to the
continuance of the old committees on
any subject which the president felt
inclined to ask for legislation at the
present session.
The insurgents also promised they
would not filibuster against legislation
IL they made their fight and lost. BY
these conciliatory promises Mr.. Madi-
son said he did not mean that the-fight
would be abandoned If lost now. He
said the insurgents would wait until
the proper time to renew 1t.
Mr.. Payne was with the president
only q few minutes. When he left he
said he had told Mr.. Taft the tariff
bill would be ready to report on the
first day of the session, but he could
not prophesy what would happen II
the present chaotic conditions in the
house were to continue.
Several times during the conference
Mrs. Taft sent word that she was
ready to start for the Games concert
and she was finally compelled to leave
without Mr.. Taft.
No announcement was made at the
White House about the conference, and
nothing was given out about the first
meeting of the cabinet today.
New Census Bill
The passage of new census bill
during the special session to take
the place of the measure vetoed by
President Roosevelt is confidently pre-
dicted by its friends in congress.
Representative Crumpacker of Indi-
ana, chairman of the census commit
tee of the last house and author of the
bill disapproved. approves the new
measure. He believes it will not meet
with the approval of the special ses-
sion of congress nor will it receive
the signature of President Taft.
The plan for the selection of clerks
non- competitive examinations as pro-
abandoned. Judge Crumpacker has
sought to apply the merit system of
selection, modified to meet the exigen-
cies of the census work.
The new bill provides for Especial
test examinations prescribed by the
civil service commission. The selec-
tion would differ from the ordinary
selection under the civil service in that
the director of the census might, when
the exigencies of the service required,
give preference to eligibles Immediately
available instead of selecting the APP
pointees according to rating, as is 9TH
erwise provided.