Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-06-07
From Washington.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette.


cratic member OF the House 10 the lobby
of the Willard To-Day. 'But Taft wont
veto the measure" retOrted a republican
member who overheard the remark.
Giles going to sign the bill no matter
wba. it provides or what it doesn't pro.
vide. He Knows that the worst possible
thing that could happen TO the cCuutry
would be to have us fellows stick here
ali summer. Better for him and for the
county to have poor bill settled and
signed, then better bill hanging fire
for months to come and the business OF
the nation at a standstill." The repub-
licsn member thus quoted voices the be-
lief of President TAFT if those close to
the executive may be credited with
knowing his attitude in the matter. All
that prosperity is waiting for now, ne
believes, is the adjournment of Congress.
Good times will return aud remain for
long while if the law makers will pack
heir speeches in their grips a0d leave
he capital. 1t is the uncertainty that
hurts business, and IS long as Congress
remains 10 session, just so long will the
capital refuse to venture into new fields,
and Just so long will labor be idle. Those
who have talked with the president
about the tariff bill within the last few
DAYS assert that there is "not the ghost
Of chance" Of his vetOing the measure.
He'll sign the bill within twenty-four
hours of the time it is placed before
aim" exclaimed one of Mr.. Tait's
friends. "He would sign it the moment
it reached his desk but for the fact that
it would look like precipitation on bis
part. He'll call in two or three MEM
bers of his Cabinet in consultation,
they'll look it over for few hOors, and
then he'll announce that he will afiix
bis signature. The members of the ways
aud means committee of the House aud
the foauce committee of the Senate will
be invited to attend the ceremony aud Mr.
Payne will get the pen with which
he presidential name Is affixed.
10 signing Ahe bill the president will
be very likely to make brief announce
meDt for public consumption. He'll
say that as a whole the bill is a good
one, step in the right direction. OF
course it falls short here and there of
what he, the president, would have
chosen to place upon the statute books,
but his is the executive and not the
legislative function and it is not his
province to crilicise the action OF the
Congress. 1t merely remains for him
TO approve, veto, or ignore the bill, and
he believes that the best interests OF the
country will be subserved by his appro-
val. Congress will convene sgaln in
regular session within six months aud if
at that time there is an insistant demand
for further legislative action on the tsrifi
schedules it can be taken up and dispOs-
ed of without disturbance to business"
In the very remote contingency of the
president vetoiDg the tariff bill, num-
Der of interesting events might take
place. The first effort that would be
made, of course, would be to pass the
measure over the presidential veto. |!
sufficient strength could not be mustered
for this action, Congress might start all
over again to frame new tariff bill, or
might, if it was in 3 sulky mood over its
humiliation, decide to adjourn and 60
home without settling the tariff troubles
at all. II it adjourned in this fashion it
is safe to say that President Taft
would bring the senators and members
back in double quick time by re-
converting them 10 extraordinary session.
He would probably issue the proclsms-
ton as soon as the gavels fell that ad-
lourned the present extra session, so
that no matter how much they wanted
to 20 home aud cool off, the lawmakers
would not be able to leave town. With q
wrangle like this started between the
Capitol and the White House, no active
imagination is required to see q four
years war over the tariff Bat trouble
OF serious sort between the president and
Congress is ss remote as Mars. Mr..
Taft does not WELD the Big Sick very
often and will not take it up to beat the
tariff bill into shape. He Is as anxious
to leave for Beverly as the members aud
senators are for their summer bonner.
The good of the republican party as we'll
as the good of the country's business will
prohibit any seemly differences from
arising.
Whisky ia whisky if it's made from
grain. II it's made from potatoes,
apple pesls, corn stalks, chips, or any
other old thing, the liquor so derived is
not whisky. This ia the gist Of the
decision rendered today by Lloyd w.
Bowers, solicitor general of the De-
partmeut of Justice, to whom the presi-
dent referred the puzzling and very inn
portspt question. Bowers, in his opin-
ion, which consumed q pages Of closely
typewriter manuscript, goes to the
very bottom of the still 10 his i1vest-
estigstion and fEds that whisky can
be straight, blended, mixed, or can be a
product of practically pure new spirits
aud still be whisky as long as it is made
from grain. The president announced,
after receiving The opinion, that before
rendering his decision ia the matter,
be would give the attorneys for the
whisky people who may wish to contest
Bowers opinion, an opportunity to be
heard in reply. Not until after he
hears both sides, will he render his
final decision,
Bills introduced in the House today
included the following: Authorizing &C
ceptsnce by Congress Of the invitation
to visit the Alaska Yukon Exposition
and empowering the speaker to appoint
q committee of fifteen to attend. Also
appropriating $500, 900 for psrticlpa
tion by the United States ia the Inter
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