The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-27
TAFT HAS OvERDRAWN.
His Allowance for Travelling Expenses
Is Gone and Then Some.

Washington, May 27-President Taft's
travelling expenses and the fact that al
ready he had overdrawn his allowance
of $4,000 a year, voted by congress,
has led to acrimonious debate in the
house, and to a refusal to permit him
to use the next years allowance to
meet the deficiency.
AS reported from the house commit
tee on appropriation the item of $4,000
for the fiscal year beginning July 1
next would have become Immediate
ly available except for the protests Of
Democratic members The words i'm
mediately available finally were
stricken out by the action of Mr.. Mann
of Illinois, the occupant of the chair, in
sustaining point OF order made by
Mr.. Macon of Arkansas, a Democrat. 1t
was the western and southern trip
made by Mr.. Taft last fall that ex-
hausted the White House travelling
fund. During the debate Chairman
Tawney, in charge of the bill, criticised
southern Democrats for their attitude
in objecting to an appropriation to de-
fray the expense of a trip en- which
they had been the presidents guest.
Representative Hardwick of Georgia
drew from Mr.. Tawney the admission
that Secretary Carpenter had furnished
him list of names of Democrats who
had accepted the presidents hospital
ity. In connection with the use of the
names of such Democrats Mr.. Bart
lett of Georgia charged that 1.-The presl-
dent has violated both the rules of hos
pitality and of decent conduct"
Speaker Cannon, in a speech from
the floor, defended the necessity of the
president meeting the whole people and
said that his long trips to various sec
tons of the. country were necessary.
Invited by Democrats.
President Taft, Mr.. Tawney ex-
claimed, had made his extended trip
through the west and south at the in
vitation of the senators. governors of
states and civic organizations.
"This trip Mr.. Tawney said, twas
not made for his own pleasure. Con-
gress was in session when delegations
from this house, from the senate and
from the different states visited by
him, urged him to make such trip
At the time, Mr.. Tawney said, there
was no appropriation to meet travelling
expenses.
1.-THE president informed the chair
man of the committee on appropria-
tion,'' Mr.. Tawney explained, that per-
sonally he would rather remain at his
summer home after adjournment than
to make that trip and that it would he
through congress giving him an appro-
priation which we failed to make at
the close of the Sixtieth congress. Now,
after the president has accepted the in
vitation of members of this house and
has visited their states, after senators
and governors invited him, and while
on that trip he accepted their hospital
ity, they criticise him.
This greatly excited the Democrats,
several of whom vainly attempted 70
interrupt.
"Is this southern hospitality" Mr..
Tawney shouted, looking towards. the
Democrats "Can there be a meaner
man than he who invites another to
accept his hospitality, than kicks him
because he accepted?"
Mr. Bartlett of Georgia demanded to
know what representatives had accept
ed the hospitality of the president on
that trip, as stated by Mr.. Tawney.
Mr.. Bartlett named Mr. Bartlett and
his colleague, Mr.. Hartwick of Georgia.
"That is not true; that is false Mr..
Bartlett exclaimed. The Georgian
added that he did ride in the presi-
dents car, but he paid his own fare.