Evening star., 1911-01-28
House Members Approve Lo-
cation of Reformat0ry.
PRESIDENT TAFT INFORMED
Representative Gardner and Taylor
Call at White House.
DISCUSS LOCAL LEGISLATION
Cecil Lyon Urges Irrigation Along
With Cabinet Officers.

! Representatives Gardner of Michigan
aud Taylor of Ohio. who discussed Dis
trict affairs with the President at the
White House today, told him that the
Belvoir site. three and one-half miles
from Mount Vernon. where it is pro-
posed to erect the new reformatory. is
favored by the House DistSct commit
tee.
/ They secuted the objections recently
raised by several patriotic societies. and
said the Belvoir tract offered the most
advantageous opportunities to the Dis
| trict authorities. Inasmuch as the ma
tional committee of fine arts, to which
was referred the settlement of the mat
ter by the President, has already re-
ported in favor of Belvoir, the House
will likely support the Commissioners in
| their stand.
! Regarding the plan suggested in an
| amendment to the District of Columbia
appropriation bill introduced yesterday
! by Representative Peters of Massachu-
| setts to Supplant the board of education
| by the appointment of a superintendent.
both representatives expressed skepti-
ciSm.
President Interested in District
President Taft is interested in a num-
Der of District bills providing improve
ments for Washington. He urged the
House committee to expedite the business
pending before it and promised to lend
his support in clearing the District calen-
dar before the session ends.
John Chandler Cobb of Boston, presi-
dent OF the National Permanent Tariff
Commission Association, consulted with
Mr.. Taft today about the situation of
tariff legislation in the House He is
optimistic over the success of the Long
worth bill in the lower house, and while
he is doubtful regarding the success of
commission will be authorized before
March 4.
Representative Alexander, chairman of
the House committee on rivers and har-
bors. was summoned by President Taft
today to discuss the provisions of the
waterway bill reported to the Senate yes
terday. measure carrying $3O.OOO,00o
for river and harbor improvements is a
modest appropriation, according to Mr..
Alexander. The Senate increased the
amount appropriated by the House by
81, 100000 and Mr.. Alexander believed that
the new total will be approved by the
President.
Distinguished Mexican a Caller.
Special Ambassador Joaquin Casasus
Of Mexico, who several days ago thanked
the President for sending a commission
to represent the United States at the re-
cent centennial celebration at Mexico
City, called on Mr.. Taft again today.
The diplomat said his visit had nothing
to do with the proceedings against Juan
Sanchez Azcona, the Mexican newspaper
l roIo cod rh< ~ ~
Jail yesterday by order of Justice Cla-
baugh.
Representative Dwight of New York.
republican whip of the House, was sum-
moned to the White House today for a
conference on the status of the reci-
procity agreement. Mr.. Dwight declined
to discuss the matter following his talk
with Mr.. Taft, but intimated that the
committee on ways and means would
report q concurrent resolution in a short
time to assist Mr.. Taft in his program.
THE President told me that he would
like to come out to my district and run
for office on the free wheat PLATFORM >
laughingly remarked Representative
Steenerson, following a cosference With
Mr. Taft. Mr.. Steenerson, voicing the
sentiment of his constituents in Mime
sota said the addition of grain and other
commodities to the free list is apt to be
vigorously opposed by the farmers of the
northwest
Urges Irrigation Plan.
Col. Cecil Lyon, republican national
committeeman from Texas. again called
on the President this morning. He is en-
deavoring to have the executive take an
active interest in the plan to have a
system Of irrigation established along the
Rio Grande river. Col. Lyon said thou
sands Of acres of land along, the river are
being sold to innocent purchasers. and
that unless the stream, which at various
seasons of the year is dry, is improved,
the land will be worthless. He wants
the President to urge Mexico to coop
crate in a movement to dam the Rio
Grande so that the valuable land on both
sides may be cultivated.
Delegates to the convention of the
American Association of Master Mates
| and Pilots called on the President to-
day and submitted to him a resolution
advocating the appointment as super
vising inspectors men taken from their
branch of the shipping service. They de-
clare that engineers are almost always
selected to serve as inspectors, and they
deem this state of affairs an injustice.
John II. Pruett of New York, who in
troduced the delegates, told Mr.. Tart
that most of the accidents on inland
| waterways were caused by poor piiotage
| and that pilots in the role of inspector are
best qualified to correct any evils.
Senators Stephenson of Wisconsin
| Warner of Missouri, Brown of Nebraska
Bankhead Of Alabama and Foster of Lou
| Aiana and a number of representatives
who visited the White House today were
| inclined to "go slow in discussion of the
reciprocity agreement, all of them saying
| that the subject required more study
Cabinet Officers in Conference.
Secretary of War Dickinson, Secretary
of the Treasury MacVeagh and Attorney
/ General Wickersham were in conference
with the President early this morning
i The rumor was current that they were
discussing the issue of Panama cana