The Washington times., 1910-02-16
Fears for Fate of White
House Legislative
Program.
SENATE OPPOSED
TO MANY MEASURES,
Root Amendment, Statehood Bill,
and Others PERHAPS
in Danger
By JOHN SNURE

President Taft has been informed
that much Of tbe legislation he has
been urging on Congress is IN dan
ger and today there were hurry calls
TO the White House for a number
of Senators in consequence
The President has been told that
the Alaska legislative bill cannot
pass Congress and that the Senate
viii not stand for the Root amend
ment 10 the postal savings rank bill
and viii turn II down.
LUKEWARM ON STATEHOOD BILL.
The Root amendment embodies
the proposition the President sup
ported Ms 4+ev--FssEL speech and
provides in effect that the money
collected in the postal savings banks
shall be Invested IN Government ,
per cent bonds
The Statehood bill, the President
has also been told, is received with
such IUkewaTmness in Congress.
especially in the Senate, that il
has proven impossible latterly TO
get a quorum of the Senate Terri
tories Committee together TO con
slider IL
President Alarmed
The President IS becoming alarmed
about the shape into which the IegisIa-
ton ne wants Is getting He Is begin
ming TO wonder whether the ASSURANCES
he has received from the leaders that
his bills viii be put through are entit1ed
20 be regarded with entire confidence.
and whether the end Of the session IS
not likely 20 witness the placing on the
statute books OF little or nothing of
the important measures ne has urged
Bright aid early today the President
called in Senator Carter, who has charge
OF the postal savings bank bill. and Sen
atCr Beverage, wEo has charge Of the
bill 70 provide for a governor and CoU1-
ell IN Alaska and the Statehood bill
The President wanted 10 know. why u
was that the postal savings bill and the
Alaska and statehood bills could not
be pushed through
President Gets Information
Just What took place Is not disclosed
but there Is good reason 10 believe the
President was told of the storm OF OBJ
lection the Alaska biu has stirred Up,
of the fact that the majority OF the
Senate would not stand for the propo-
sitIOn 10 take the postal savings bank
funds OUT Of the localities where col
Iected. and OF the IUkewarm feeling N
the Senate On Statehood
The outcome was that Senator Bever-
idge agreed 10 give way with the Alaska
-
er would be enabIed 10 90 aRead with
the postal savings bill Senator Carter
thought this would enable him 10 get
vote on the postal savings bill this
week
On leaving the White House, Senator
Carter said the Root amendment TO The
postal savings bank bill would be beaten
IN the Senate and that the b5ll would
pass the Senate.
Fate In House In Doubt.
be would not predict what would
happen 10 the bill in the House OF
whether the President would sizn Il.
But II IS understood that the President
viii not veto 1t If the Roof amendment
is omitted, although ne has strongly
urged IT.
As to the Alaska bill, the sight on it.
stirred Up by Delegate WIckersham and
others IS based on the ground thar
the effect OF il would be TO enable the
Gussenheims TO set their grin solid On
the minerals and railroads OF the Ter
ritory.
The President sent for Senator Borah.
who IS one OF the strong opponents Of
the bill TO try &c mitigate his opposi-
ton Other Senator's who oppose rhe
bill VIII be called in Senator Reverfdse
VIII Try TO press the Statehood biIl TO
hnal disposition in his committee.
Speeches to Be Made
Probably half a dozen important
speeches win be delivered for and
against the postal savings bank Dill n
the Senate before that measure comes
to a vote It is not now believed. de-
spite Senator Carter-s prediction TO-DAY.
that a vote VIII be taken before the
middle Of the next week as Senat Car
ter VIII not press the Senate for its
verdict until all Senator's have had IN
opportunity 10 address the body.
Senator Bailey is preparing an ad-
dress attacking the constituuonaiity OF
the bill, as 1t stands at present lie re-
turned this morning from South Caro-
lima, and Il was stated at his Office that
he would hardly be prepared to speak
on the postal savings bill before the
first of next week Then Senator Owen
has announced that ne VIII attack the
measure. and Senator Root probably
viii speak at some ienth TO his amend
ment which he designed with the pUr-
pose of making the bill constitutional
IL is stated also that Senators Dolii-
yer and CummiuS viii discuss the meas
use Then Senator Hepburn EiII insist
upon being heard on some OF the pro-