The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-24

GOSSIP AT
THE CAPITAL,
Members Of Lower House
Loafing.
MEETING TWICE A WEEK
Congressman Now Thinking Of
Sentiment Of People.
ssnator ohsaneey DeSew says tks Pub
Nc Is NOT TaIsfns the sIishtest
Interest I'm the Tariff
Ddsesssisns.
nv ALrRrD ). sT0Fnn.

washington. May 2s.--(SpeciaL)---A
half dozen or more OF the Members of
the House were clustered together q
few minutes after that body had held
one Of the briefest sessions on record.
AS 10 wen known. the House ever
since the tariff bill was sent ever to
the Senate. has been meeting only
twice week. and then more as for
mality than anything else. As q con-
sequence q majority Of the represents
tives have been absent from Wash
ington. They have been coming ana
going as II suits their pleasure. Speak
ef Cannon and the other Republican
leaders OF the lower branch Of Con-
gress have not insisted upon their re-
naming here, for in reality there has
been nothing requiring their presence.
It goes without saying that the ave-
erage member of the House 10 becom-
ing weary OF sitting around and doing
practically nothing. The group of
statesmen referred TO above got to dis
cussing what the people were probably
saying about this extra session. the
chief business Of which IL to place a
new tariff law on the statute books.
We have practically been away from
our districts for six months" remarked
one member. Il often wonder IL we
know what the viewpoint of the peo-
pie Is"
my idea Is that through the news
papers. they are keeping o pretty close
watch on things at Washington" said
smother member. &
somehow my own correspondence
does not seem TO indicate that they
care very much what IL being done
here" answered the frst congressman.
Probably not in some districts =
said another. But you can depend
upon II the Senate would not be DELHI
Grating so long over the schedules In
the bill II large number Of the Re-
pubiicans Of that body did not know
to certainty that the people are
legislation"
A MovinE Question.
After further talk on the subject.
most Of these members agreed that In
one section OF the country at least the
revision Of the tariHf In the direction
Of lower duties was q moving question,
or certain Republican, senators from
the west would not be making such a
determined fight In that direction. 1t
is true. however. that so far they have
not been able to secure any amend
fnsnts worth speaking of, owing to the
fact that Senator Alrich and the COM
bination behind him are too strong
for the Republican progressives and
: the Democrats TO stand up against
over the Legislative situation IL Sem
ator Chauncey ~. Depew fyew York;.
In a carefully prepared speech the
other day he took special pains to en-
phasize the point that the public waa
not taking the slightest interest In
these tariff discussions. ami II the
truth were to dawn upon congressman
they would discover that the people
would be delighted to hear that Con-
gress had closed up shop and the men,
bers had scattered to the four quarters
Of the globe.
But 1t IL pretty well understood that
Mr.. Depew Is talking from the stand
point of his own comfort. He Is In
the habit OF making an annual trip to
Europe. Indeed, for the past thirty
years he has been crosaing the At
lantic even II he remKined away only
4 few weeks. And nearly every one
acquainted with Senator Depew knows
that II goes much against the grain
for him to contemplate that perhaps
he may have to remain in Washington
until late In Julysif he waits until Con-
gress adjourns. Really some Of the
veteran congressman talk as IL they
fear the session will run into August
IL the Senate does not make greater
progress.
In political circles the prevailing be-
lief is that Mr.. Depew Ia serving his
last term, ana for that FeAson most
people think he could afford to for
sake the halls Of legislation and take
his trip to Europe Just as II Congress
was not framing new tariff law. He