The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-10
Taft Declares That His Pet
Measure Has Not Been
Very Badly Chopped
PASSAGE Of STATEHOOD
BILL ALSO PREDICTED
Some Fear Is Expressed BY Congress,
Says the President. of the Fact That
the Two New stntes VIII
BE Democratic

before the Passaic board of trade to-
| night, in which he discussed the legis-
lative situation at Washington, Pres
ident Taft declared with a great deal
of emphasis and amid an outburst OF
applause that the railroad bill has NOT
been emasculated in any vital way
and predicted that a satisfactory law
would be passed.
1.-THE bill,' said the President, "sts,i
retains its important features and I
am hopeful that within the next few
weeks we shall see the passage of the
bill in both houses, the adjustment OF
he differences between the two houses
and it's final enactment
The President declared that the news
paper reports of tho crippling of the
bill had been greatly exaggerated. He
said he hoped the provision WHICH
mits a road owning so per cent OF tho
stock of a competing road to acquire
the remaining stock would be restored
and told why.
| In his review of pending Legislation,
Mr.. Taft expressed the belief that ths
following measures will be enacted into
law:
| Statehood for Arizona and New Mex
leo.
| Postal savings banks.
| Anti-injunction.
The so-called validating bill of the
conservation measures.
| Publication OF campaign expendi-
lures.
The railroad bill.
| In his comment on the delay of pass
ing the statehood bill, the President
acknowledged that there is a ''hes-
tation' on the part-of the republicans
In the Senate to pass bill VIII y
so likely TO add four demos -
the senate"
"Or If not democrats he adj in
taking what was regarded as asJIttle
passing references to some insurgents,
republicans of that radical type ths
are entirely out of sympathy with the
more conservative notions of the east
| In spite of this the President said
he was very anxious that the party
sh ould carry out its statehood pledge
and he did not think he would be
disappointed.
The President come to Passaic this
afternoon from New York where in the
afternoon he had attended the actors
fund fair.
| lie returned to Washington tonight.
The Presidents Address
The President said:
You have been doubtless advised by
your newspapers that there is certain
legislation pending in Congress in
which the administration has very
intense interest growing out of the
fact that it was promised by the plat
form of the republican party and has
! been recommended by the President to
Congress and l feel as If 1t might nor
be without some use to say what
the condition of the legislation Is and
| what the prospect is of it's passage
In the first place. the bill granting
statehood to New Mexico and Arizona
passed the House some months ago,
but it is still pending in the Senate.
| Objection was made to the bill as il
passed the House in regard to certain
provisions as to elections which dis
franchiszed Mexicans not speaking
English who had therefore by length
of residence ecquired under previous
| laws the right of suffrage.
There is some difference. too. betweAn
the houses as to the provisions made fnA
reeIect to the public lands and the pay
| rnent OF the debts of the territories
| There is hesitation on the part of re-
publicans in the Senate to pass a bill
which is so likely to add four demo-
Gratis to the Senate, or If not demo-
that are entirely out of sympathy with
the more conservative notions Of the
east Still there is promise in the
platform. distinct and clear that this
bill shall pass. and | am very anxious
that the party shall meet its obligation
il, this regard and nact the necessary
Legislation, I do not think | shall be
disappointed
Conservation Bill
he
to the public domain and the disposition
which the government shall make OF the
ls nds gives II a power for readjustment
tho same as In water-site lands. coal
| lands, and in phosphates. The plans are
not In a very advanced state. The con-
ditions are such as to make imperative,
In the interest of conservation the pas
sage OF only one law That law has
passed the House and I am very hopeful
it will pass the Senate II ratifes all
the Withdrawals of public lands hitherto
made amounting to upward OF e0.0o00o0
acres, and It specifically empowers the
President to make other Withdrawals
when he desires to ask Congress to pass
laws varying the existing laws for the
disposition In class Of public lands.
s'"The. absolute necessity of this act
arises from the very grave doubt wheth-
el. the reservation of e0.000.0O0 acres, IL
subjected to the test OF legality in the
CCurtS, cOuiu Stdnu II. II is II very grave
question whether the executive has the
power to make reservations thus IN ex-
tense merely to avoid the disposition OF
tie land under existing congressional
enactment. and there are those In tho
west who. taking advantage of the doubt
In question and assuming that the with
drawals are without authority. are TAX
ing out claims with view to testing
their validity in the courts. Should the
courts hold that the executive authority
has been abused in this regard. then it
will leave the public domain in a mess.
For this reason I sincerely hope the
status quo will be maintained by the
speedy passage of the act in question
through the Senate.
-t Land and Power Sites
There are other acts-one with refer
IN oil To- wit