The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-06
CLOSING HOURS Of
TARIFF DEBATES
Bill Is Finally Signed and Taft
Is In Merry Mood
SENATE AND HOUSE TIRED
Very Little Notification Occurs in Each
House of Congress as the Gavels
Fall Declaring the SEES
sion at an End.
SENATE AND HOUSE TIRED

sion of Congress has been brought to a
close. Both houses adjourned sine die
OFFICIALLY at o'clock tonight That is
the time entered upon the journals, but
as matter of fact the adjournment was
: taken in the house at 5:3S p. M. and in
the Senate at 5:5S D. M
The closing hours OF the session were
attended by scenes of a most uninterest-
Ing character. The revision had been
according to the desires of Senator Aid
rich and with the hearty disapproval of
others and the last two days had been
consumed by members of the Senate in
expressing their satisfaction or dissatis-
faction as the case might be.
The conference report on the bill was
agreed to by the Senate by a vote of At
to 81, when the vote was taken at p. m.
and soon afterward the concurrent resolu-
ton making certain changes in the leath-
er schedule was adopted by both houses.
President Taft arrived at the capitol
at 4:45 p. m. and entered the room set
aside for the occupation of the President
upon the concluding day of session of
! Congress
His appearance there the first since
his incumbency as President, caused
members of Congress to desert the cham
bers and form in line to be received by
him. There was a constant procession
of handshal1ing statesmen through the
room from the time of his arrival until
departure.
Bill Is Delivered.
Just as the hands of the gold clock in
the Presidents room reached minutes
past the Payne tariff bill, as the meas
ure will be known, was laid before tho
President. He picked up a pen supplied
by Chairman Payne of the House ways
and means committee and which had
| been used by both the Vice President and
the speaker in signing the bill. and at
tached his signature. After writing
William H. Taft" the President added:
Signed minutes after o'clock, August
5, 1909. w. H. T."
Bending over the President as he af-
fixed his signature were Secretary Knox,
Secretary MacVeagh, Attorney General
Wickersham, Postmaster General Hitch
cock, Secretaries Wilson and Nagel.
Standing about the table were Senator
Aldrich, Representative Payne and many
r.
Payne stood with hand extended, waiting
to receive the pen with which the bill
was signed. He took 1t with an express
sion of boyish gee overspreading his
| face. Another pen was handed to the
| President and he wrote the word APP
proved" and handed the pen to Represen-
tatiye Langley of Kentucky.
Farewell Incident.
| A number of interesting incidents oc-
| Cured in the Presidents room pending
the signing of the bill. As the senators,
one after another, filed into the room
| the President had something of a per-
sonal nature to say to each and good
nature appeared to be overlooking. Sem
ator Taliaferro of Florida, in a rather
| plalntive tone said: Mr.. President, sure
| ly you are not going to sign that bill
with that pineable paragraph in it?''
! He referred to the fact that he had
got the duty increased on pineapples
in the Senate, but the advance was
eliminated in conference. What would
you have me do? Shall l strike out
pineapples altogether, or just write i'll
a rate to suit you?" asked Mr.. Taft
| laughingly.
| Fletcher of Florida was telling the
President goodbye. The Floridian was
dismissed with goodbye, old pine
apples take care of yourself"
The President tried with his good
nature to mollify Senator Warren for
his disappointment over the abolition of
the duty on hides, and he greeted SEN
ator Hepburn. who said on the floor to-
day that no rate in the bill was too
high to suit him, with a How are
you, old high tariff?"
In like manner other senator's and
members of the House were twitted by
| the President on their predictions or
characteristics. In these Jibes some of
the cabinet members took part.
Delay In Signing.
When the committee of the Sena te
and House, appointed for the purpose
of informing the President tn at the ex-
traordinary session of Congress was
ready to adjourn, called at the Presi-
dents room, the tariff bill had not been
signed.
well, I have not signed the bill yet,
said the President. do you think that
l ought to adjourn Congress before I
sign it?"
The announcement had been made by
Mr.. Aldrich spokesman for the COM
mittee, on the theory that nothing
stood In the way of adjournment. There
having been great deal of talk about
| the possibility OF u veto, everybody IN
the room caught the significance of the
Presidents jocular query.
II certainly do not" hastily replied
Senator Aldrich. and he Joined in the
| general laughter.
The delay In laying the tariff bill be-
fore the President was due to Repro
sentative Payne's desire to personally
convey the document to the President
Mr.. Payne did not arrive at the Presi-
dents room with the bill until after
o'clock.
| Previous to that time the President
signed a number of measures of COM
paratively small Importance, and i'm
mediately after attaching his name tC
the general tariff bill he signed the
Philippine tariff bill.
The President picked up mother
of-pearl pen which had been sent him
from the Philippines to be used In
signing this measure. The President
knew at once that the measure being
placed before him was the Philippine
tariff. A smile overspread his face and
he wrote his name with a flourish
which was not in evidence when he
signed the general tariff bill.
Storm Comes Up.
When the President arrived at the cap
itol the sun was shining brightly Blu
shortly after he entered his room thu
sky darkened, heavy black clouds rolled
up and the electric lights had to be turned
on Peals of thunder and vivid flashes
Of lightning came from the sky Whel
members commented upon the brewing
storm the President remarked that the.
ought to be used to such manifestation
as the conditions outside were comparable