Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-07
VETO CAUSES HOUSE TO PAUSE
PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS
NOT PLEASING EPITHET.
Resentment and Talk of Passing
Census Bill Over Presidents Op-
position Expressed in Private.

professional politicians" latest cpl
thet applied to congressman by the Presi
dent. has brought forth many express
sions of indignatiOns at the Capitol
! There were many bold talkers-but no.
body would talk out loud. That is, they
had nothing to say for publication
The President for the moment seems
| to have them on the hip. His charac-
teriZation of those who favor. the census
bill in its present shape goes to the
country. and the professional politicians
are played up in the public press The
congressman retire to the cloakroom and
sputter eut their resentment exchanging
fierce incentives with each other about
the President.
Joblike patience under their affliction
however. seems to mark their temper
for the moment 1t is yet question
wheeh her the worm will turn. 1t seems
that every fellow wants the other one
TO do the talking.
Next Tuesday will tell the tale The
committee census will then report
back the Presidents veto message with
some kind o. recommendation.
Easy to Answer
1t was said yesterday that there will be
no difficulty in presenting an answer to
every one Of the objections urged by the
President in support of his veto. 1t was
poin ed out that all these considerations
had been taken into account by the com
mittee. by the House. by the Senate COM
mittee and the Senate itself, and that a
majority had registered the views OF
Congress. Members claim that the Presi-
dent did not present any material new
argument to Offset the action of Con-
gress.
There is still strong feeling in favor
of passing the bill over the veto. Those
who feel this way, however are pro-
re"ding cautiously. desiring to ascertain
whether the ground Is safe before they
venture upon il. 1t is essential, it is de-
clared, that before the House oyerrides
the veto it shall be assured that the Sem
ate will take similar action. The House
does not want to be made ridiculous by
opposing the President and then have
the Senate manifest spasm OF civil
service righteousness and uphold the
President.
Lively Speeches in Prospect.
There is talk of some lively speeches
in the House when the committee makes
its report next week. Some radical MEM
bers are talking about making an in
quiry to ascertain whether the President
himself has lived up during his admins
tration to the spirit of civil service
There are those in the House who con-
tend that the President has been Z, per
sistent. consistent and fragrant violator
of the letter and the spirit Of civil serv-
ice to the extent to which he has raised
the bars to make appoint tments.
Statistics upon this allegation are hard
to obtain. however. Nobody wants to
run tilt with a weak lance unless we'll
armored with facts.
Friends of Mr.. Taft are still insistent
that Congress should settle this affair
with President Roosevelt and not pass
it up to the next administration. They
say that such plan would not be COM
plimentary to Mr.. TAFT. because it would
require one OF two things, either that he
be less friendly to civil service reform
than the present occupant Of the White
House or that he be more amenable to
the desires of professional politicians
One of Mr. 'raft's friends said that IL
Congress lodges this issue with Presi-
dent Roosevelt and hands the problem
over To Mr.. Taft 1t is Il practical GER
tainty that he would veto the bill for his
own dignity.