Evening star., 1909-06-17
President Assured of Support
by Congress.
HOUSE LEADERS WITH HIM
Opposition in the Senate Said to Be
Largely Superficial.
CENSUS PATRONAGE HELD UP
Awaiting Action on Pending Bill.
Chief Executive May Give Di-
plomas at Normal School.

Definite assurance has been given to
President Taft by the leaders Of the
House organization that his program for
downward revision of the tariff. a tax on
the undivided net earnings Of corporations
and the submission to the states of an
amendment to the Constitution giving
Congress power to tax incomes will go
through that body with comparative ease.
In fact. as represented to the President
comparatively little opp osition has been
discovered In the Senate. the President
is told. the talked-of opp osition Is largely
superficial. and there remains little doubt
that the whole program will go through
there with ease.
Prefers the Payne Bill.
One fact Of importance must not be
misunderstood in connection with the
Presidents attitude. While he is pleased
that his plans for taxation OF corpora
tions and an income amendment have been
well received in the upper house. he Is
not committed to the Senate program
of raising the duties In the Payne bill. at
least upon some of the articles. AS be-
tween the Payne bill and the prospective
Senate bill the President is for the House
bill, although he will not interfere either
way, at least not now. The understanding
is pretty general that the President mas
the promise of Senate leaders supporting
the work of the finance committee that
at the proper time the Senate Will yield
to the House upon certain Scneouies.
With such an understanding the Presi-
dent is not worrying about prolongation
of the session. Reports brought to him
indicate an increasing desire to get away
from Washington and to complete the
work for which Congress was called. The
Presidents message Is generally pro-
nounced timely and as coming at a time
when the acceptance of its provisions
is more certain than il sprung earlier.
Representative Serene e. Payne. chair
man Of the House committee on ways
and means; ex-Representative Watson OF
Indiana and Representative Dwight, the
present whip of the House, were with
the President today. but Mr.. Payne said
that he had called to Introduce friends
and did not talk tarin. Mr.. watson saio
encouragement on the corporation tax
Il just wanted him to know that had
come from out in Indiana, among the
him. said Mr. Watson. This proposition
he has put forward is going to have the
support Of the masses. OF course, the
law may hit some corporations that are
not able to stand 1t. but all laws pear
heavily upon few. 1t may be well to
limit it so as not to tax the corpora
tions whose net earnings are below a
certain amount.
Some Unwritten History.
Speaker Cannon has been for the Presi-
dents proposition since before the extra
session was called. 1t is matter Of un-
written but interesting history that Mr.
Taft, before he became chief executive.
conferred with Speaker Cannon and the
two agreed upon the corporation tax pro-
gram. Mr.. Cannon laid 1t before the
ways and means committee, where 1t was
given consideration. The tarin Dill nad
been practically prepared, however, and
the dominating influences OF the commit
tee decided that II was too late to insert
the proposition before reporting the bill to
the House. The Presidents quiet persist
ency In presenting his views so that they
would be accepted by the Senate. at the
same time offending none OF the leaders
Of his party, becomes noticeable.
Census Service Patronage.
Senators and representatives on the
hunt for appointments in the census Of
fee have been told by the President that
he will do nothing about appointments
there until Congress has acted upon the
bill now before that body or until II
fails to act at all. Southern congress
men are especially interested in the pros
them have candidates for supervisors and
these candidates would naturally like to
get upon the pay rolls at the earliest
possible date. Mr.. Taft does not feel
like doing anything SO long as congress
is wrestling with the problem. He is rep
resented by some of his callers as favor
ing the House bill and desiring little
more freedom from civil service re-
strictions than Is given in the Senate
bill.
May Present Diplomas.
President Taft was asked today to pre-
sent the diplomas to the graduating class
of the Washington Normal School at the
exercises June e In Franklin School
building. The President was SO pleased
with the committee Of young ladies CIV
ing him the invitation that he said he
would see il he could find time to attend.
The committee consisted of Misses Egbert.
Gessford, Sprightly, Schneider and Tom
lin.
Other White House Callers.
Representative Bingham of PennsyI-
vania introduced to the President Judge
Charles B. McMichael Of Philadelphia, in
whose offlce Attorney General Wicker
sham studied law.
Northern. Northern Pacific and three or
| four other roads. called at the White
House today with j. H. Carroll. chief
counsel of the Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy road. Mr.. Hill said that his visit
was not political and that he dropped in
| for a friendly greeting to the President
Mr.. Hill's railroad corporations will pay
pretty large amounts to the government il
| the corporation tax plan becomes law.
Most of his roads pay large dividends to
| stockholders. and some Of this money
would 60 into the United States Treasury.
But MIR. Hill had no criticism to make as
to the outlook.