The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-07-25
TARIFF DUTIES
AND TABLE TALK
Stories That Raised Laugh and
STAYED OFT Argument.
INCIDENTS OF CONFERENCE.

ney Did Not Get Down to Business.
Legislation Regarding Water Power.
Sincere, If Not compIimentary-Ta
Of Capital.
Washington. July 22-ESpecial. J.
Some interesting gossip Is heard re-
garding the efforts of President Taft
to argue tariff schedules with the ad-
vocates of high rates of duty. Mr..
Taft invited number of the Repub-
leans 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 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-
perienees 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
tional government to the policy of
improving the roadways of the coun-
try. For nearly ten years he has Mt
the beginning OF each session intro
duced a bill on the subject. The fact
that no action one way or the other
ever has been taken does not dismay
him III the least He just keeps ham,
mering away on his pet bobby and
will tell you smiIingly 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 10 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 il he gets chance to knock out
a junketing scheme. The officials of
the Seattle exposition invited com
mittee Of the house of representatives
to attend their big show this summer.
Representative Rodenberg of Illinois
tried to have the invitation accepted.
As It has not been passed upon by a
committee, Macon objected, and the
game was blocked.
Sincere If Not Complimentary.
Senator Money of Mississippi is so
dim OF vision TINT his affection occa-
sionally gets him into embarrassing
situations. When the senate was hold
ing night sessions recently MIR. Money
was chatting in the Democratic cloak
room with Senator Overman of North
Carolina, whose face always is clean
" shaven. Senator Stone of Missouri
was making a speech. In fact. it was
one of a half dozen he had been guilty
OF that evening. The Mississippian
left Ovesman for few minutes and
returned to the chamber to see how
Stone was getting on. Later Money
returned to the cloakroom and went
over to where he supposed Overman
was still seated and commenced to
criticfse Stone severely for the posi-
ton he had taken in his speech. His
illusions were anything but eompli-
mentary. 1t was Stone and not Over
man to whom Money was speaking
the second time, and the Missourian
greatly enjoyed the embarrassment of
the Mississippian when he discovered
his mistake.
Accomplished as Well as Rich.
Mr.. Guggenheim of Colorado is not
only the richest man in the senate.
but also Is ranked as the most accom-
plished linguist in that branch of con
gress. He is credited with being conf
plete master of four or five languages.
having as II youth been sent abroad te
specially study foreign tongues. He
speaks French, German. Spanish and
italian and. having knocked about So.