The Washington times., 1911-07-15
PROBLEM FOR TAFT +.
UNLESS REGULARS
j S|DETRACK BILLS
Senators Tell President He
Will Have to Sign or
Veto Wool Bill.
10 DO EITHER WILL
Be EMBARRASSING
Democrats Have Trap Waiting, and
How to Avoid 1t Is Worry
ing Executive.

Unless something can be done by the
Republican regulars in the Senate the
President soon will be face to face with
the most serious political issue of his
whole Administration.
This he realized today when two Re-
publican and one Democratic Senator
called at the White House, and told
him that the wool bill would pass the
Senate.
If this is true, President Taft will
either have to veto the wool bill, and
60 before the country with an apology
or else he will have to sign 1t and re-
pudiate his previous statements to the
effect that no wool revision to take
place until the tariff board makes its
report. ,
The Presidents friends no longer try
70 avoid the seriousness Of the situa-
ton as 1t involves Mr.. Tafts political
future. Should he veto tho wool bill,
they fear he can never explain the act
10 the country. If he approves Of it,
they say he will be in even a more awk-
ward position.
Senators Explain.
Senators Smoot and Crane. two OF the
Presidents closest friends in the Sem
ate, came to the White House this
morning, and told him frankly that the
insurgents and the Democrats would
probably put q wool bill over. And they
were not certain but that the farmers
free list and a cotton bill would also
pass.
Senator John Sharp Williams of Mis-
sissippi also called at the Executive Of
fees. He entertained exactly the same
opinion as to the legislation which
might be expected in the Senate.
Summing up what the three Senators
told the President the legislative situ-
alton is:
The Democratic wool bill sent over
from the House will be voted down.
La Follette's wool bill will then be
taken up and passed by the insurgents
and Democrats.
This action will throw wool into con-
frence and out of conference will come
q measure which the House and Senate
will pass.
The Senators who came to the White
House to talk over the matter today
thought there might, of course. be a
miscalculation about this proposition,
but they firmly believed at this time
that the session of Congress would end
Just as it is outlined above.
See Adjournment.
These developments the three Senators
agreed have strong bearing upon ad-
journment. Senator Williams looks for
the two bodies TO get away about ten
or fifteen days after the 9TH of August.
The 7th is the date set for the last vote
under the present arrangement
Senators Smoot and Crane were Of
the opinion, too, that adjournment
would be put off for a week or two fol-
lowing the 7th.
Speaking of the matter, Senator Smoot
said:
Il am convinhGd the insurgents and
the Democrats will pass wool bill 1t
will be the La Toilette bill, as the in
surgents will not, in my judgment, sup
port the Democratic measure.
Senator Williams held practically the
same view. He said:
IF the iusurgu v"+" do'.-~
Democratic wool bill the Democrats will
have to vote for the La Toilette bill.
They will have TO do it in order to get
a bill into conference. If the La Fol-
lette measure should be voted down,
too, there would be nothing left to con-
fer about and nothing left for the Presi-
dent to pass upon"