The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-12-09
THE ECONOMY PLEA.
President Taft Urges Curtail-
ment of Expenses in
all Departments.
SOME SUBJECTS OMITTED.

SUME SUbJELIo VNhA ILL.,
Presidents Message a SuTprise-He
VIII Probably Send Special Mes
.ages to Congress to Cover the Inn
portunt Subjects Omitted In Regu-
lar Message-The Sugar Trust
Frauds-Strongly Urges Establish
ment of Postal Savings Banks-TO
Change the Date of Inauguration.
Especial to The Caucasian.)
Washington, D. c., Dec. z, 1909
Both Houses OF Congress assembled
yesterday, but adjourned promptly
out OF respect to the memory Of Sen
atOr johnson of North Dakota and
representatives Lassiter of Virginia
and De Almond of Missouri, all Of
whom have died since the adjourn
ment of the special session last sum-
mer.
It was announced that the Presi-
dents message would not be sent to
Congress until to-day. There was not,
however, the usual expectant inter-
est as to what the message would
contain, because the members of
Congress as we'll as the people Of the
country generally felt that the Presi-
dent had outlined in detail the sub
stance of the message in his many
speeches made in his recent long
swing around the circle through the
North, West, and South. Hence, the
conversation between members Of
Congress was in fact directed more
to the remarkable political situation
in England than to our own affairs.
The astonishing action of the
House of Lords in rejecting the bud
get passed by the House of Commons
was the uppermost topic of conversa-
ton, the general opinion being that
the House Of Lords had committed
rash and dubious action which might
threaten the overthrow Of that here
ditary body.
The Presidents Message q Surprise.
But this evening the one topic of
conversation among members Of Con-
gress is the Presidents message,
which is being discussed more for
what 1t does not contain than for
what 1t does contain.
The interest as to the Presidents 8
message, 1t may be said. centered
chiefly around how far the President
would go in his recommendation for
advanced legislation on the three
great cardinal policies of the Roose-
welt administration, namely, the
trusts, the railroad control, and the
conversation of natural resources.
The extreme conservatives were hop
ing that the President would touch
lightly On these questions, while the
progressives were hoping that he
would come out at least as strong
along the Roosevelt lines as indicated
by the PRESIDENT speeches in the
West. But to the surprise of every
one, the message contains no recon-
mendations on these three great
questions. A Western Congressman
said it is a case of Hamlet with
Hamlet" left out.
The friends of the administration
are pointing out that the President
will take up these three questions
and deal with them more effectively
IN special messages, while others take
the position that even If he should do
this, that much valuable time will be
wasted, and that il such messages are
not soon sent to Congress it will be
too late for any effective legislation
along these lines to be enacted at the
present session. It Is understood that
the Presidents reasons for omitting
these most important domestic ques-
tions were that he was not able to de-
eide upon a middle course between
the views urged upon him by the re-
dictionaries on the one side and the
progressives on the other. But it is
certain the President will speak out
on these questions later.
Foreign Questions Chiefly Dealt With
Nearly half of the Presidents mes.
sage is devoted to foreign affairs. Ot
course, the situation in Nicaragua Ii
discussed, but most of the message or
foreign affairs deals with the Fal
Eastern situation.
The Sugar Trust Frauds.
A number Of members Of Congress
had prepared resolutions looking to 6
Congressional investigation of the
enormous and multifarious frauds
perpetrated upon the Government b!
the Sugar Trust, to say nothing o
the robbery of the public. These arr
much disappointed that the Presiden
IN his message should ask Congress
not to Investigate these frauds, but t,
leave the whole matter to the Attor
ney-Generaps Office. However, it i
thought that the Presidents reques
Will be aceeded to and the Attorney
General will be given time to prose
cute the criminals with the belle
that the higher criminals will not b
allowed to escape
The Economy Plea.
The President strongly urges i
his message that expenses of the Gov