Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-07
MESSAGE IS READ
TO THE CONGRESS
Conservative Tone Is Com
mented Upon by Members
of Both Houses.
NILDNESS OF DOCUMENT
PLEASING TO SENATORS
Great Interest Shown in Nicaraguan
and Tariff Paragraphs.
SOME CRITICISM IN HOUSE
Democrats-Section Recommend
ing Civil Pensions Is GEN
orally Endorsed.
Great Interest Shown in Nicaraguan
and Tariff Paragraphs.
SOME CRITICISM IN HOUSE

orally Endorsed.
Through his message. which today was
sent to both houses of Congress, Presi-
dent Taft has made known to the world
his wishes regarding legislation and his
opinion respecting many questions of pub
lie interest The message, which was re-
reived by both houses shortly after con-
vening ar noon had been anxiously an
hcipated. and general interest was mani
tested in its reading in the two bodies
The message was generally favorably
commented upon. The portions which at
tracted most attention were those relat-
Ing to the complication with Nicaragua.
the diminutIon of public expenditures. the
customs house frauds and the tariff act
The midness of the first part OF the
message dealing with routine European
matters led to the opinion that the new
president would be comparatively formal
IN his treatment of subjects.
One Rooseveltian Phrase.
one phrase which attracted attention
was round In connection with the Presi-
dents treatment of the Zelaya incident.
Of which he spoke as "the sad tale of
unspeakable barbarities'' His use of the
don with department expenditures was
also commented upon as Rooseceltian.
The message was received in the Sem
tte at ten minutes past noon and
minute later the reading had been be-
gun. simultaneously with the delivery
ef The official copy of the message in
leather binding to the secretary of the
senate by Assistant Secretary I.atta
copies in pamphlet form were turned
pver to the page boys and one was
placed on the desk of each member of
the upper house
Practically every senator In the cham
per picked up his copy of the message
and started to follow the reading. Ant
soon one member began to consult with
another. and five minutes after the read
ms began not third of the senator's on
tne moor were following the reading Of
the message. Soon after the senators
oegan leaving the chamber one by one
ana before the message had been half
read the attendance had dwindled to half
what II was at first.
Ihe reading of the message was fol-
fowed by some of the senator's without
reference to their copies. The last word
was read about 1:3O O'Clock
Pensions for Clerks.
That portion of the message DEALING
With the question of civil pension list
n
nent attracted general attention, and
:alled forth varying comment. favorable
and unfaVorable
Senator Carter of Montana was ont
spoken in support of the Presidents rec
ommendation.
Something ought TO he dome and 7
have no doubt will be done" said Sem
ator Garter, Ito solve the problem which
confronts every administration by the
,hcumoency or the faithful employees who
I'm tha
ernment. They are no longer able to
keep up their work. but humanitarian
reasons influence every administration to
keep them.
..As matter of fact. we now have
civil pension list by indrection, as these
employees are kept the rolls and
charged UP to every administration. We
Ought TO md way to do directly wha;
we are doing indirectly and provide for
these worthy people along humanitarian
lines, and Al the same time improve the
service in the departments.
It's Moderation Commended.
The conservatives among senator's and
representatives were very much gratifed
pver the conservatie tone of the mes
sage, ana they exchanged among each
cther congratulations over the moderate
Zone OF the whole document
Senator William Alden Smith of M,chi-
1T is strong. clear, statesmanlike doom
fnent. he said. '.and will take high rank
emons the American state papers was
especially gratified at the thorough man
ner In which the President dealt with
Foreign questions" Representative Rnt
Ter of Pennsylvania expressed his graft
hcation that the message was mild in
tone and would not alarm the business
interests of the country.
Fitzgerald as Critic.
Representative Fitzgerald of New York
said:
fhe message is as consistent as its
opening statement. In view of the situa-
tion In Nicaragua, it is somewhat of a
strain to believe that the relation of the
United states with foreign governments
mas continued upon the normal basis of
smity and good understanding
90 many important matters are to
De treated In special messages that the
country VIII have To await their prep-
aIaIion 20 ascertain the policy of the
snantins auasi,nis'ratson hf upon every important
1t Is quite evident that this messa se
Viii cause no Joy in darkest Africa
%nSesiraha naesxeT ITS effect may be upon the
factors of the Emitted States
Quietly Received in House.
After the reading of the message in the
House had been under way for an hour
sf so-and most members had completed
Their perusal of individual copies-it began
20 be apparent that the body as a whole
was not particularly enthusiastic over
the document OF course, some of the
conservatives. like Representative Rou-
teiie, who remarked that this messa ge
is the most sane. sensible and intelligent
I'm years. expressed their entire satisfac-
ton with the document, but the rank and
h'e OF the House seemed to consider II
rather tame.
There were also many comments to the
kfect that the message read as If yarious
portions of IT had been clipped from the
Presidents old speeches and pasted to-