The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1909-04-15
WASHINGTON Letter.
(From our regular coJrespondent)
Washington. D. c.. Apr. s. 1909

Tue IItSltGDt viii FtGO tAO ttti III
bill. The Finance Committee, in
response to the demands Of the pro
tetted interests, is framing sub
stitute which cannot lie regarded as
in any sense as "fevlsion down.
ward" of the existing tariff, and
some of The leaders are apprehen-
sive lest Mr.. Aldrich has erred IL
! his estimate of the President, has
not assumed, in fact, that Mr. Taft's
calm and genial exterior argues a
pliability wholly unwarranted by his
real character. Those v ho know the
President hest realize that under a
smiling exterior Mr.. Taft conceals
great frmness and &c termination;
that, once convinced proposition is
right Or wrong, nothing can swerve
him; and while slow to make up his
mind and willing to weigh all the
evidence presented before doing SO
once in possession of the facts, he
decides for himself, and having
reached decision, any tffolt to in
duce him to change is likely to
awaken wrath from which those
who arouse it are only too glad to
seek cover. Some of the most
thoughtful men in the party coun-
ellis are asking if Mr.. Taft's charac-
ter is wholly understood by Mes RS.
Aldrich, Hale and others, and they
tremble to contemplate The result
should President Taft decide that
the party leaders in Congress have
not kept faith and are seeking to OBJ
tain his signature to q bill which
does not make good the promises of
the platform on which lie was nomi-
mated and elected. Much anxi ty
is felt by some of the men response
BILE for the tariff bill who realize the
chaos into which Congi ess, aud per-
haps the country, would be plunged
were the President to exercise the
veto power and who know Mr.
Taft's character well enough to re-
alize that he would be deferred by
no consideration of political expect
ency or financial exigency were l,e
to decide that it was his duty tc
veto the bill.
The announceme nt that the Sen
ate bill will be ready on Monday,
April II, is hailed with delight il
Washington. The touch of genuine
spring weather at the capital this
week has made the senators, repre-
sentatives and otheY who must re-
4ain in Washington until the tariff
Question is out Of the way, more
anxious than ever for an early aG-
journment. Night sessions have be
gun and from this time until the
schedules are completed both after
noon and night sessions of the Fl
nance committee. will e executive.
Presiden ut Taft favored MI.
Roosevelt's idea of having the off
GERS of the army tested in horseman-
ship and walking, and he has now
ordered that the commissioned men
in the navy do likewise. These en-
durance tests have been universally
criticised in both arms of the serv
ice, but particularly in the navy
where the officers say they fail to
get the idea Of their riding many
miles on horseback. It is under
stood that while the President will
not rescind the order, he may modi-
fly it's terms somewhat so as reduce
the distance to be covered, or the
time limit. v
The executive offices of the White |
House are to be remodeled this sum
mer and the work will begin imme-
diately after the President and his
family leave Washington for their
summer home. The plans were sub
mitted this week by the superin-
tendent of public buildings and |
grounds and were approved by the
President. The proposed changes
will affect the south side of the west
Wing, and the front of the building |
will not be altered, and when com
pieted the Office space will be about |
twice its present size.
A decision of considerable interest
has been rendered this week by the
General Land Office in which it is
held that, in order o enable heirs Of
a homesteader entryman to submit
communication proof of bis entry, they |
must show both residence on and |
cultivation Of the land for fourteen |
months by the entryman or the heirs
or partially by both; and the same
rule is held to apply in case where
communication proof is submitted by
the widow Of the entryman. Here
tofore it has been necessary only for
an entryman or an herr to show Ell
Their residence on or cultivation of
the land for fourteen months. Ac |
cording to anott er decision, if an
entryman sells his improvements on
the land and relinquishes his entry
in connection Herewith. he IS not