The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-08-12
IN WASHINGTON
Tariff Bill Passed and Signed-Taft
Wins in House-Pians for Winter
Session.
Washington, d. c.
August Z, 1909.

Tue OtdTBduJ at ATmS OIL the House
to turn the clock ahead thirty minutes
whereupon 1t being apparently 600
p. m. the First Session of the Sixty
first Congress came quietly to an
end, as to the House. A few minutes
later Vice President Sherman left
the chair of the Senate for five min
utes while a few words of compliment
on his qualities as a presiding officer
were being spoken; at five minutes
before six he resumed his place
acknowledged the kindness of the
speaker, tapped the felt topped desk
with the gavel and announced that
the extraordinary session Of Congress
was adjourned without day. A few
hours later Washington was practi-
cally empty of Statesmen"
The vote on the Payne Bill in
the House was very close-so much
so that few hours before it was to
be taken the House leaders sent Rep
resentative Dwight, the House whip
to the White House with a list of 81
Republicans who seemed then certain
to vote against the Bill, and thus de-
feat 1T. President Taft Immediately
summoned each of the members in
question to call upon him, and sue
ceeded in converting more than half
Of them, so that the Bill was passed
by IL votes. If six men had voted
otherwise the bill would have been
rejected. This shows that the House
organization is demoralized, and in
need of help; also that the President
did not hesitate to indemnity himself
with the Bill in Its present form. 1t
appears also to show that the Presi-
dent might have forced further re-
auctions If he had thought it wise to
do so, although possibly some of the
high tariff men would in that case
have voted against the measure.
The vote in the Senate taken at
two o'clock Thursday afternoon, was
decisive,-47 to 81. Seven Republican
'insurgent" Senators voted against
the law. Doubtless If reductions had
been made to a point which would
have satisfied these men there
would have been a larger number
who would have voted against the
Bill as being a free trade and I'M
Republican one.
1t must be borne in mind that the
tariff is a compromise. AS President
Taft says, the Payne Bill is mot a
perfect tariff bill, nor a complete
compliance with the promises made,
strictly interpreted" but a bill free
from criticism when the matter in
volved so many articles could not
be expected. Senator Aldrich also de-
tends himself on the same grounds.
While it may be true that the aver
age voter would, like President Taft,
have preferred more downward revi-
zion, still the opinion of those VINO
were familiar with the conditions In
Congress cannot but recognize that
the final Bill represents honest and
able endeavor to reform the tariff.
No previous tariff bill has been sub
jected to so much publicity. Probably
the result of the next tariff legisla-
ton will be more satisfactory.
President Taft came to the Capitol
with the members of his Cabinet at
five O'Clock on Thursday afternoon,
and the party occupied the Presiden-
tial Chamber in the Senate end of
the building. At five minutes after
five, In the presence of the leaders
Of Congress, Mr. Payne, Mr.. Aldrich,
and others of the conferrees and in
fluential members, the President af-
fixed his signature to this most i'm
portant political measure since the
pingley Bill. Tho pen with which he
wrote his name was handed by him
to Representative Payne, the author
and effectual supporter Of the act, as
a memento. d.
Mr.. Taft remained in Washington
until Friday evening, when he went
tc Beverly, Massachusetts, which. is
- NC Ills SuhihhCA SdpiIdig anu Will
correspond to President Roosevelt's
country home at Oyster Bay.
The prospects for next winters ses-
sion are somewhat hazy. 1t appears
trat the financial legislation, in re-
gard to the currency system. which
had been expected to furnish one CT
the principal subjects of the regular
long session, will not be brought up
until a year from this autumn, be-
cause the Senate Monetary Commits
sion, of which Mr.. Aldrich is Chair
man, will not be ready to make its
report earlier than that time. It is
expected that the Commission will ad-
vocate central United States Bank,
end that this will be bitterly opposed
ty western interests who believe
that the eastern financiers would have
IN undue share in the control of such |
al institution, and by persons who
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