Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-19
Influence Of Taft's Speech
Felt by. Congress,
with Issues Clearly Outlined
Work Is Easier.
Augusta Folks Visiting al The
sationa! Capital.

washington. H. c., Feb lS-tSun.
clad There is an unwontnJ hr;,i,,l,.,.
this week in official Wasl:irrton Tn.
machinery OF government j., whirring
WIN momentum. There is more snan
|h'' NN'irlly .hen ever around the
W hitc House offices Business Is look
ING up ut the Capitol. Tao President
h"S con" something toward getting the
right ,ren into tn" right places. The
SITUATION has been a little more clearly
dclin"d. 1t is now To be a long mil
and hard pull for two or three
months % wine IN the season with
achievements of importance which tho
country will approve
perhaps tho improved aspect NAV no
due /" the inspiration that the Lincoln
plrfhdaN orators brought back to
WASH nGton. Always notable aggrc-
CATION of orators from Congress and
the Departments go out from the Capt.
tai t. attend Lincoln dinners on Feb
ruary l.. This year it was an exccp-
tonal aggregation. 1t included Pres
!d"nt Taft. who sounded keynote for
fut Ire political and legislative action
before a distinguished audience in
man vas also one of them He went
out to a Lincoln day banquet at Grand
Rapids. Mich. where Senator William
Alden Smith for the last ten or fifteen
years has beer accustomed to collect
annually big GALAXY of capable tai
"nt Speaker Cannon was also a Lin
coin day orator. He accepted an invi-
ta'lon to Tittshurg, another populouS
center where Lincoln's birthday is gem
orally celebrated with enthusiasm.
These three eminent public officials
would not have gone forth at this time
OF year on oratoriCal missions. had they
not been possessed of some ideas about
the times ana the situation which they
We'll believe could we'll be put into cir
cuiatlon ut this junction. This vas
particularly true of the President and
the Speaker. Both have been toiiing
prayerfully on the winters tasks at
Washington. bearing up against much
criticism and trying to work out the
wishes of the party and the country in
concrete legislation. Both have had
severe trials with the insurgents. but
now feel that conditions have improved
so that action. instead of fractional
negotiations can be expected
Business interests. clamoring to know
what was in prospect. have added to
the Presidents embarrassment, as
they have to the Speakers embarass-
ment. This President has now spoken
clearly and probably the avalanche of
inquiries that have been coming down
upon him daily will cease in some
part. He has told them in his New
York speech that the law is to be en-
forced, but that the administration is
not planning to run amuck or direct
operations that would encourage bust
ness depression. What is probably
more important. he has explained in
detail the legislation he is pressing for
and made it plain what Congress is do.
ing toward enacting it.
While this was well understood by
few people at Washington and has
been much discussed in newspaper dis
patches, statement by the President
disseminates the information widely
and calls attention to the fact that the
administration is doing something
more than marking time. The Presi