Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-02-17
TAFT DECLARED
PRES|DENT-ELECT
INTERESTING CEREMONY OF
COUNTING ELECTORAL VOTES
PERFORMED.
wlscoNsIN's CERTIFICATES ARE
aLUNoLED BY TANGLE-FIN-
ALLY STRAIGHTENED.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE ever in
teresting ceremony OF counting the
electoral vote was performer yester
day by the senate and house IN joint
session William H Taft of Ohio
was officially declared elected presi
dent and James Sherman of New
York, vice president, the CONN DIS
closing 32l electoral votes for.fhe re-
publican candidates as against 1862 for
Bryan and Kern.
Wisconsin Certificates 5ungled.
During the counting of the electoral
vote. Mr.. Bailey of Texas, one of the
tellers, called attention to the fact
that the certificates of Wisconsin, read
that the vote OF that state was for
William H. Taft of New York and
James S. sherman of New York.
Mr.. Bailey said that "of course under
the constitution it is not permissible
for a state to vote for candidate
for president and vice president from
the same state. but your tellers per
fectly understand that this is a cleri-
be authorized to report the vote of
Wisconsin as having been cast for
the William H. Taft, for whom all the
other electoral votes were cast.
There was no objection and the vice
president directed that the vote be
recorded for William H. Taft of Ohio
To Help Knox our.
II the house there was general ac-
ceptance of the suggestion for the re-
peal of the law standing in the way
of Senator Knoxs transfer to the
state department, but it was not ac-
cepted by all as feasible. Some
members raised the question as to
whether even after repeal he would
not be prohibited inasmuch as the
constitution forbids the appointment
to an office, the salary of which had
been raised during the appointee's
term as member of congress, nothing
being said about the subsequent re-
duction of salary.
Following the refusal OF unanimous
consent for consideration of the reso-
luton appropriating $1,250,00O for the
Lincoln memorial in Washington and
j the passage of several bills of minor
Importance, consideration of the agri-
cultural appropriation bill was re-
sumed The effort of Mr.. Lever oil
South Carolina and his followers to
abolish the board of referees of the
/ department of agriculture failed.
The bill was pending when the
khouse adjourned.
Senate Considers Postal Savings.
The postal savings bank bin was
before the senate during most of the
session yesterday and Senator Hey
burn of Idaho spoke In opposition to
it, But little progress was made.
Following close upon the discovery
that Senator Knox of Pennsylvania
could not, without violating the pro-
visnons OF the constitution OF the
United States. accept the state port.
folio in the Taft cabinet. the senate
! took prompt action to remove the
constitution objection,
Senator Hale introduced a resolu-
tion which was referred to the com
mittee on judiciary providing that
the salary Of the secretary of state
! be reduced from $4,000 to $4,000 the
figure at which it stood before it
was increased. along with those of
all other cabinet officers of two years
y ago
IN view of the resolution, Assistant
4 Attorney General Russell, to whom
the resolution was referred, informal
H. FOR an opinion, held that if con-
gress restores the salary to what it
/, was before Mr.. Knox entered the sen
ate the case falls outside the pur-
pose Of the law and is not within the
law
President Signs Bills.
The president has signed the wg-
ent deficiency bill and the resolution
appfopriating $16.0 900 for the expenses
OF the Inauguration of President-elect
Tat