Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-04
Doubtful About Harmony.
President and insurgents
No Closer Than They We're

President Taft and the republican in
surgents in the Senate are not a bit
closer together. it can be stated on the
best Of authority. as result OF yester-
days conference between the chief execu-
tive and Senators Cummins and Borah.
Senator Bristow Of Kansas. who was also
over. couldn't get there for some reason
or other and will have private audi
ence with the President tomorrow.
The sole significance Of the conference
OF yesterday. so far as it's possible imme.
diate effect on the situation Is concerned.
seems to lie in the fact that the insur-
gents in both branches Of Congress accept
it as an indication that the President is
in q pacific mood, that he has rendered
the olive branch to the radical wing OF
the party and is anxious to have har-
mony. This. from a progressive stand
point. Is encouraging and that is about
all.
No Pledges Given President.
are understood to have met the President
half way In yesterdays conference, 1t
can be stated positively that they made
Ai4A4 ~ uCuultC- VtVuasSCS d. 10 IuclI COu.
duct. In effect they told him. it is un-
derstood that they were not looking for
trouble Of any sort. that nothing would
please them better than to labor during
the coming .session-and for the re-
mainder Of Mr.. Taft administration for
administration. But they couldn't sac
rihce any principles, they pointed out.
merely for the sake OF renewing the
harmony which received 80 severe "a jolt
during the tarin session and the last
regular session of the Sixty-first Com
gress. So long as the administration
stood behind the progressive legislation
that they favored they would be with
the administration. But they didn't pro-
pose to agree to any program in advance
or to bind themselves for the future in
any particular. And the President, it Is
understood. had to be content with that
Ship Subsidy Approved.
The President and the two insurxent
senator's discussed the prospects for the
coming session in considerable detail
There were found a number of matters
On which there was no material diff
terence or opinion between them, and
others on which the administration and
the insurgents in the Senate will be as
widely separated as the poles. For in
stance, Senator Cummins fatty told the
president that he would oppose any at
sSsnPt W OhdSt SHip SUBSIDY lcR18AatlOn
at this congress. This rs a proposi-
tion to which the President is com.
United. and which some Of the Senate
and House leaders have told him dur
few matters of legislation, outside of
the regular supply bills. that had any
sort of IL chance of being enacted into
Law.
the Presidents tentative program TO
which Cumrnins and Boran are under
stood to have objected just as strongly.
Another matter that came up for dis
rassion mad TO do with the selection Of
inen To NIL vacancies on the bench Of
the Supreme Court OF the United States
Senator Bristow is understood to have
written a letter TO the President protest.
ing against favorable consideration be-
ing given to the name OF John C. Pol
lock OF Kansas. who has been men
toned in connection with one Of the va
caDcies in question. Senator Bristow's
objection to Pollock Is believed to be
grounded on his belief that he is too
much OF a favorite with the railroads.
Not Much Accomplished.
There were other propositions on which
the President and his progressive callers
failed to agree but these citations are
deal was accomplished By the confer
ence. on which both regulars and I'm
surgents In the party had built so man,
hopes OF harmony.
II is now believed By those familiar
with the situation that IL anything is to
ing regulars and progressiveS into suffi-
GENTLY close touch to result in the SPEEDY
and efficient enactment OF administration
measures this winter, q great many more
pow-wows between the chief executive
and the radical leaders will be essential
TO the accomplishment OF this result.
There were only few Of the House in.
sursents discoyerable In the city last
make any comment OF importance upor
the conference Of yesterday and its pos
sibie effect. 1t was manifest that one oil
Two of them were disappointed at the re.
IL was quite apparent, they had expected
great deal.
An Insurgents Announcement.
1t is not quite the time for us to max.
any announcements" said an insurgen
leader of the House. who has been talk
ing OF late OF the possibility of tn,
President "harmonizing' the party, ''bu
j do not believe that at this time Their,
are any irreconcilable differences between
President Tafts tentative program ant
a program to which We could lend GU,
undivided support. But he must make n,
his mind to scratch several things. nota
bly, the ship subsidy proposition. OF hi
list. There must be compromises on boil
sides, but as we have the whip-hand O
the situation just now, notwithstandin,
what some people may say to the contra
that must make the bulk Of the sacri
fees. We are inclined to be reasonable
but II the President and those Of us VIII,
are called insurgents, or progressives, ar
TO walk along in peace and harmony thi
session. then he must walk In our direc
1ion not We In his