Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-27
Mr.. TAFT'S SWING
AROUND CIRCLE
BITTERLY SCORED
Democrats of House Denounce
Speech-Making Tour as
Expensive Junket
APPROPRIATION is EXCEEDED
Speaker Cannon and Representa-
tive TaWney Defend President
During Heated Discussion
Associated Press1


WI TASHINGTON, May 26.-President
w Taft's travelling expenses, and
w the fact that he had already
overdrawn his allowance of $4,000 a
year voted by congress, led to acri-
monious debate in the house today 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 appropriations, the item of $25,-
900 for the fiscal year beginning July
1 next would have become "imme-
diately available" except for the pro-
tests of Democratic members. The
words Immediately 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,
Democrat.
1t was the western and southern trip
made by Mr.. Taft last fall that eX-
hausted the White House travelling
fund. Representative Hardwick OF
Georgia drew from Mr.. Tawney, In
charge of the bill, the admission that
Secretary Carpenter had furnished hlin
a list of names of Democrats who mad
accepted the presidents hospitality.
In connection with the use OF the
names of such Democrats, Mr.. Bartlett
of Georgia charged that "the president
had violated both the rules of hospital
ity and of decent conduct"
TAWNEY DEFENDS
President Taft, Mr.. Tawney ex-
plained. had made his extended trip
through the west and south at the in
vitation of senators, governors OF states
and civic organizations. At that time,
Mr.. Tawney said, there was no appro-
priation to meet travelling expenses.
1.-THE president informed the chair
man of the committee on approprla-
tions," Mr.. Tawney said, that per-
sonally he would rather remain at his
summer home after adjournment than
to make that trip, and that the only
way he would be able to make 1t would
be through congress giving him an ap-
preparation, which we failed to make
at the close of the siXtieth congress.
Now, after the president has accepted
the invitation of members OF this mouse
and has visited their states, after SEN
ators and governors invited him and
while on that trip he accepted their
hospitality they criticize him."
This statement greatly excited the
Democrats, several of whom vainly at
tempted to interrupt.
Mr.. Tawney said nine Democratic
governors invited the president to visit
their states. rs this southern hoSpl-
tality?" Mr.. Tawney shouted, looking
toward the Democrats. "Can there be
a. meaner man than he who invites an
other to accept his hospitality, then
kick him because he accepted?"
BARTLETT ANGRY
Mr.. Bartlett of Georgia demanded to
know what representatives had ac-
cepted the hospitality of the president
on that trip, as stated by Mr.. Tawney.
Mr.. Tawney named Mr.. Bartlett and
his colleague, Mr.. Hardwick 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.
Mr.. Tawney said three Democratic
senator's had been guests of the presl-
dent on his western trip.
Mr.. Fitzgerald said that when the
president exhausted his appropriation
for travelling expenses he should have
had strength of character either to
decline some of these invitations or to
pay his own expenses"
Speaker Cannon took the floor and
defended the president in his desire to
meet the people of the country. He
said he would be glad to make the
presidents salary 100000 annually, and
he wanted not only the president to be
able to travel but said he would favor
a requirement that every member of
the house should see the country for
which he was to legislate before TAX
ing his seat.