The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-26
Members Are Fe|iCitated By
Taft Upon Carrying Out
the Party Pledges
DEMOCRATS SEE SIGNS
OF DISSOLUTION IN G. O.P.
Carrying Out Party Pledges Has Pro-
duced Some Misft Legislation BY
Which the Democratic Party
Hopes to Win Victory
BY wATTERsoN sTEALEY

BY WATTERSON STEALEY
Washington, June 5-(Special)-C
gress adjourned for the summer at II
o'clock tonight President Taft was
whirled to the capitol shortly before 10
o'clock in the big White House automo-
bile and was on hand for an hour, con-
graduating republican leaders in the ia
nous Presidents room adjoining the mar
BILE room of the Senate, upon their rec
ord of accomplishment" upon which the
party proposes to enter the coming cam
paign with a plea for votes on the ground
that 1t has made good"
fraction over five months hence the
third session of the boisterous Sixty first
Congress will reasremble after a national
campaign. during which the record of the
special tariff session and the present clos
ing regular session will be subjected to
the acid test of democratic criticism, so
that while the lawmakers went home to-
night ostenslbly for vacation and were
doubly glad to get away from Washing
ton, there will be little recreation for
members of either party standing for re-
election until after the November cleo
tions. More than half of the members
were on trains before adjournment came.
For fully a week a third of Congress has
been absent and many have been away
practically all the time since the close Of
winter. patching up political fences.
The continuous stream of legislation
good and bad-from the legislative hop
the greatest that has marked the end of
tration did not get what it wanted, the
way 1t wanted it, and upon this the re-
publicans will go before the country with
their claim that they have fulfilled party
pledges President Taft was especially
felicitous In congratulating them, and the
radiance of his smile momeatarily bright
ened their hopes for party success. The
democrats were jubilant and believe that
the failure of the republicans to make
good their promises of retrenchment, the
complaint against the tariff. and mary
other phases of the republican reco II
will land them in control OF the next
House of Representatives.
The staid old Senate in its closing hours
cung to its traditional dignity, decoruru
and precedent Neither demonstration nor
anything inspiring enough to elicit ap-
plause from the galleries broke the order
of its easy wind-up of exciting ses-
sion. Over in the House there were tho
usual popular demonstrations. songs and
boisterous enthusiasm, worthy Of college
boys ready for a summers rest. Natural
ly the demand for space from the gall
leries was heaviest on the House side
and the public joined in the general spirit
of jubilation enlvening the members.
In the afternoon of today the path to-
ward adjournment was easier than 1t had
been known In many years. With the
conference reports on the sundry civil
and general deficiency bills submitted and
introduced, the ticklish resolution carry
ing $2000o.000 for continuing the reclama-
ton projects, the fake publicity bit
agreed to in conference and approved
BY both houses, and the back Of the
Appalachian forest reserve movement
broken by the wgor of the Burton fill
buster, nothing Jfemained to prevent ad-
journment the moment a few smaller bills
were brought out of conference. Accord
ingiy, the customary resolution Of ad-
journment. fixing the closing hour at IL
O'Clock tonight was introduced early IN
the afternoon.
That DONE both houses took recesses.
90 that members might go to the bail
game-this being the day the Washing
ton tail-enders returned from their west
ern tour Congress could just as handily
have had the adjournment resolution read
., oclock this afternoon, but that would
have prevented the attendance of con-
gressional fans at the ball contest, and
the idea of recess was conceived to
accommodate these members. Adjourn
ment could easily have been postponed
several hours, but the ball game was
something that would not wait.
Closing Scenes In Congress
washington, June 2S.-(Special.) 1.-THE
ufxty first session of Congress came to a
peaceful close shortly before midnight to-
night. when Vice President Sherman and
Speaker Cannon brought down their
gavels and announced adjournment.
The Senate wound up sedately in ac-
eordance with tradition. while the House,
as always, was the scene of gaiety and
adjournment came in both houses with
cut anything approaching tension. The
coming campaign caused rush for home
and many congressman departed by trains
tonight.
The closing scene in the Senate was
without incident.
It was after 10 o'clock tonight when
President Taft came hurrying up 20 the
Senate chamber and took possession Of
the room set apart for his use. All Of
the cabinet members who were in the city
also were present upon the floor.
President Taft was plainly elated at the
success of his administration programme
and he chatted genially with senators
and smiled and laughed often. He had
never been seen in better humor and ex-
changed jokes and greetings with many
Of his friends. la@
Settling down to business President Taft
signed all the bills that came into the
room. Every time bill came in he turned
to the cabinet members interested In that
particular measure and inquired:
Isn't this bill all right for your"
As the clocks drew near tho time for
adjournment Senator Money offered the
customary formal resolution thanking
Vice President Sherman for the efficient
manner in which he had administered his
office as president of the Senate. Mr..
Barnard responded.
Immediately following his speech Mr..
Sherman thumped his gavel ana declared
the Senate adjourned. A frolicsome scene
ensued. Senators laughed and joked and
some indulged in the school boy lark OF
throwing spit balls. Not more than 30
lCONTINUED ON PAGE 81.