Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-12
Taft Telegram Changes Sentiment.

The telegram of Mr.. Taft to- Senator
Hale urging legislation TO make Senator
Knox eligible for the Taft cabinet has
worked d great change of sentiment In
the House. Even members of the judi
ciary committee. who had believed the
Senate bill ineffective in removing the
ineiigibility. expressed their intention to
vote for the Senate bill, since the Presi-
dent-eiect SO desired it. They said that
the House had 10 disposition to get into
a controversy with the incoming admin
islration. and that the responsibility for
the act rested upon Mr.. Taft.
House leaders favorab BILE to the adop
ton of the Senate bill have evolved
plan to avoid sending, the bill to the
House committee ON judiciary which was
regarded as opposed to the measure. The
division was said to be 10 to y. The bill
was not referred to committee when
the House met today. and in explanation
II leaked out that the committee the
election of President and Vice President
intended to report a bill covering the
same subject. This would make it pos
Eible to substitute the House measure for
that of the Senate and no reference to
committee would be necessary.
The bill before the committee on the
election of President and Vice President
was introduced just as the House ad
journed yesterday by Representative
Gaines of West Virginia. 1t was at once
referred to the committee of which he
Is chairman. y meeting of that COM
mittee was called for this afternoon, and
little doubt is expressed about d favor
able report being made upon it.
Objections Not Partisan.
The view among members of the House
that the Senate bill does net correct the
situation is held alike by some democrats
and some republicans The opposition is
not Il party question. Minority Leader
Clark said to a Star reporter today that
there Is no disposition on his part to
make party issue of the opposition to
the bill He said it was a question of
individual opinion alone for each man to
decide for himself. So far as he is con-
cerned lie intends to vote against the bill
because he does not believe it possible
by any kind of legislation to correct the
situation
Mr.. Clark was shown the telegram from
Mr. TAFT TO Senator Hale and read il
carefully. He had no comments to make
upon IL further than to say that no doubt
some men would hold the view EXPRESSED
In the telegram.
The Senate bill came to the House TODAY
aio VIII remain upon the Speakers table
until Monday.
IN any way whatsoever ON the action of
the Senate yesterday in passing the iudic-
larry committees substitute for the hill ne
Senator Hale TO remove the constitutional
Oar 10 MS entrance into the Taft cabinet
Bill Passed by the Senate.
Mr.. Knox was not present Yesterday
afternoon when the Senate Just a moment
before II adjourned until Monday. passed
The bill. In fact. there were very few
other senators there. Senator Bacon of
Georgia. who is member of the judiciary
committee and reported the substitute ID
the Senate. was the only democrat on
hand. There were about dozen republi-
cans. including Senator Hale who took
The lead and asked that the measure be
1nvIt N,l..
comment.
There was only viva voce vote and
there were not any noes" Some senators
are known TO have grave doubts about the
legality OF the proceedings as far AS
the question OF removing the bar to Mr.
knoXs acceptance OF a cabinet position
Is concerned. but they were not there l,
was rumored that they absented them.
selves purposely.
The bill as passed by the Senate is a,
follows:
THAT section 4 of the act entitled al
act making appropriations for the legsla
tive. executive and judicial expenses o
the government for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1905 and for other purposes
approved February 70 1907. fixing tn,
annual compensation of heads of execu
tive departments. be. and the same /:
hereby, repealed in 40 far as the sam.
relates to the annual compensation OF tn,
Secretary OF State. and the annual com
pensation OF the Secretary of State shall
be at the rate of s., 900.
Section =. That on and after March 1
1863. there shall be no emoluments at
tached to the Office of Secretary of Stat,
other than those which by the law IL
force on the LIST day of May 1904, be
longed 10 and were attached to sal,
office.
Section. ). That this act shall take effec
and be III force from and after March 4
1909"
II is more specific than the Hale bill
and at the same time prevents the pres
emf Secretary of State, Robert Bacon
from losing the increase now in force