Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-11
Washington Bureau of
The Ottumwa Courier,


Washington, D. c., March 10.
Now that the sixty-first congress has
wound up the session and gone into
history, it is to be noticed that the
collisions between President Roose-
welt and the legislative body were not
nearly so numerous along toward the
end of the session as had been freely
predicted and quite generally expect
ed. The end of the administration and
of congress was much more peaceful
than it seefed likely it would be.
For instance, the Hon. Benjamin
Ryan Tillman, senator from South
Carolina did not unloosen his batter
les on Roosevelt as he threatened to
do for time. About the time the
president exposed Senator Tillman's
alleged relations to certain Oregon
land Senator Tillman made speech
on the floor in defense of himself and
gave notice he would make another
later. He went to work to prepare a
mass of data about some of the doings
! of President Roosevelt. 1t was prom
| ised the searchlight would be turned
on the president in a. way that would
be at once entertaining and edifying.
| But the promised speech of Senator
Tillman had not been delivered up to
noon of March and is buried deep
In the pigeon holes of the South Car
DINA senator's desk. 1t was doubtless
owing to the opposition OF many Of
his colleagues that Senator Tillman
did not flare forth along toward the
close Of the session and lambast the
president. Senator Lodge proposed a
change in the rules which was calcu-
lated to prevent a repetition Of the
first attack Tillman made on the Pres
ident and this rule had, the backing of
many senators, most of whom were
not moved by liking for President
Roosevelt but felt that an attack on
the chief executive was unseemly.
The effort to stir up trouble over
the presidents course in permitting
the steel corporation to absorb the
Tennessee Coal and Iron company
came practically to nothing. In the
last days Of the session, report was
Forthcoming from the senate judiciary
committee which was to the effect the
absorption was in contravention of eX.
listing law. This was signed by seven
members of the committee, a major.
ity, but several expressed individual
views the effect Of which was to tenn.
per the report as a whole and leave
whatever Of rebuke to the president
there was in the report without much
sting. The president had certain ad.
vantage in the Tennessee Coal and
Iron company situation which made it
difficult for the senate judiciary com
mittee to assail him. Undoubtedly a
majority Of the committee wanted to
shy brick at him, but on the other
hand representation was made to the
senators that vigorous attack on the
United States steel corporation such
as would be followed by action OF the
department of justice, or would Stir
up the business world with fear that
an attack was coming, would be harm,
full to business conditions. Also the
president is credited with having won
over Senator Clarke of Arkansas, one
Of the Democrats on the committee,
by important concessions to him in
the way Of Arkansas patronage, ac-
cording to democratic cloakroom Cos
sip.
For time there was talk that the
president would take occasion in a
farewell address TO set before con-
gress once more his views as to a
large number Of public questions and
that he would rake congress fore and
aft for its sins of omission and COM
| mission. But this was another advance