The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-11-12
TO PUSH REFORMS
Taft SOrely Disappointed at
Election Results.
STARTS FOR TRIP TO PANAMA
The President Plans to Carry Out
Goodly Part of His Legislative
Program at Short Session
of Congress.

Washington. Nov. 10. - President
Taft left here for Charleston, 5. c.
where he will board the cruiser Ten
nessee for the trip TO Panama
Mr.. Taft win be away about two
weeks. His trip is one strictly of bus
mess. and he will make a complete
study of the situation on the isthmus
upon which to base recommendations
to congress at the coming session.
Disappointed as is the president az
the loss of the house OF representa-.
tives to the Democrats. his political
advisers are pinnlng their hopes to The
fact that a three months session OIL
the present Republican majority in|
both branches OF congress is about to|
begin. 1t is known that into that
brief period the administration intends.
to crowd as much of its legislative
program as there seems to be the.
remotest chance OF enacting.
viii Push Progressive Measures.
Much Of the proposed legislation.
which will be urged upon congress in
the presidents forthcoming messag
will be Of progressive character and
it is said in Washington that the pros
poets are excellent for harmony in tie.
Republican ranks. An effort Will Dc.
made in the short session to pass ar
much progressive legislation as pos j.
BILE because OF the effect such meas
ures would have upon the fortunes oi.
the present administration two years
hence
Interesting as promise TO be the
events OF the short session, the assem-
bling Of the new congress and its con
duct with a Democratic house and a
Republican senate, serving under a Re.
publican president, will attract far
wider attention.
The first session oil the new cor
gress, which will convene in a It'll
more than a year hence. is practically
committed to an effort at tariff revision
by reason Of the election results
arm Revision ak IS Ncc"'
All through the special tariff session
at which was passed the Payne Al
drich bill the Democratic minority con
tended that insufficient effort was be
ing made to revise the tariff down
ward. On this question and the high
cost Of living. for which the Demo
Greats generally held cost of necessi
ties to be responsible. the Republican
majority OF the house was overturned
Many Of the lnsurgent Republicans
who have been returned to the next
house hold the same views. and even
administration speakers, including the
president, have expressed willingness
to heed what seemed to be a general
demand for the reopening Of certain
schedules.
The important question that is be
ing asked, therefore is what VIII
be done about the tariff when the
hybrid congress convenes and ii be
comes necessary TO reconcile differ
ences between chambers of opposite
political faiths.
Such a situation is not without pre-
cedent. but in the past little attempt
was made to pass more than the ne.
cessary appropriation bills and such
measures as were necessary for the
continuation OF the government.
II is not believed that the Demo.
Gratis will care to undertake to
force tariff revision under a Republi.
can president Yet tariff measures
must originate in the house, and in
asmuch as the Democrats will be in
control of that branch and in charge
Of all OF It's committees, 1t would ap
pear that the taking Of the initiative
could not be eyaded.