Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-11
Peaceful Close of Sixty-First Congress

notice of trouble between the presl-
dent and congress that was not borne
out by the performance. The presi-
dent said some sharp things in con-
nection with the signature of the sun
dry civil bill but he did not take oc-
casion to vent his opinion of congress
in a general message or address. Pre-
sumably Mr.. Roosevelt will wait until
he gets fairly into the editorial bust
ness to do this.
For a brief while, there was talk
the president might veto the sundry
civil bill. But while there were fea-
lures in the bill he objected to, such
as the limitation on the secret SER
vice and the restriction on the COM
missions named by the president with
out authority of congress, it contained
some provisions he did not want to
veto, and hence he signed it, Had the
president vetoed this bill, there would
undoubtedly have been a fine outburst
of feeling from congress.
The census bill, which the president
killed with Veto did not get up to the
point of resurrection 1t was found to
be impossible to get enough votes, to
leaders dropped it. An effort will be
made at the special session to pass
the bill. The house leaders are not
disposed to retreat from their posi-
ton as regards the spoils system fea-
lures of the bill and if they have their
way the same question will be put up
to Mr.. Taft which was put I'D to Mr..
Roosevelt. It is quite generally be-
lieved the results will be the same
and that Mr.. Taft will veto the bill
unless 1t provides for competitive
civil service examinations for persons
who seek appointment as additional
census employees
The closing weeks Of the session
saw congress, as Senator Dolliver put
it, in an attitude of "petulant criti-
cism" of the president The presi-
dents commissions, the forest service,
and his secret service recommends
lions called forth in house and senate,
especially in the house, plenty Of criti-
cism. Two speeches were made in the
house. the propriety Of which was
questioned. But on the whole, the
feeling of antagonism against the
president as March approached be-
came less acute than it had been ear.
lier in the session. Some Of the men
who had been fighting the president
did not hesitate to say good things
of his administration as a whole as
they saw MIN about to leave office.
A lot of the controversies between
Roosevelt and congress will not be
heard from again in this administra-
ton in all probability. For instance,
the Tennessee Coal and Iron company
matter Is probably permanently de-
funct. No indication is given now that
it will be revived in the senate. The
Brownsville controversy is settled. 1t
is expected Mr.. Taft will proceed
more conservatively in respect of
commissions than did Mr. Roosevelt.
Probably the last has been heard of
the secret service controversy
For time there was promise Of a
bitter outbreak in the senate just at
the close of congress over the type Of
canal. The sea-level advocates threat
ened to become highly active. This not
only came to nothing but it is likely
the end Of serious sea-level canal agi-
tation has been reached for a time,
with the passing from the senate Of
such advocates Of it as Senators Kit
tredge, Teller and Foraker, and with
Taft In the White house, backed I'D in
! his consistent advocacy Of the lock
canal by a recent report of engineers
Of great eminence.
j. c. Welliver