Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-24
Vain Efforts to Dissuade Presi-
dent From Calling Session.
DOLEFUL WARNINGS GIVEN
Receives Many Letters and Tele
grams Approving His Stand.
RELIES ON POPULAR SUPPORT
Question Of Date of Assembling Of
New Congress Will Be Set
tied Next Week.

Gloomy forebodings Of disaster to the
republican party. Of the sinking OF Tafts
political sun, Of commercial revolution
and general depression, in the event OF
an extra session Of Congress. are being
unloaded with persistent regularity at the
White House In the last few days.
Coming. as some OF 1t has, from per-
sonal admirers and supporters OF the
President in the Senate, House and else
where, the effect might ordinarily be that
President Taft would hesitate in his open
~ announced course Of calling Congress
together after March 4. under certain
contingencies. But as it is 1t has not
pl,ased him In the least.
AS opposed to these dire predictions
from politicians and leaders he is receiT-
ing letters and kilograms by the hum
dreds assuring him that he has almost
solid backing from the masses of the peo-
pie. The notable exception to this nearly
universal commendaton Is the absence
Of support from the agricultural elements
OF the northwest and the Canadian bor-
der, both cast and west. directly touched
by the proposed trade agreement with
Canada.
Firm as Gibraltar.
With unprecedented political chaos in
and out Of Washington, with the shrewd-
est politicians of regular or insurgent
type cropping in the darkness, hesitating
what course TO follow, the one figure
looming up with the firmness or Gibraltar,
White House visitors today said, was
President Taft Not for one moment.
he has frequently told those who hinted
at his own possible political extermina-
ton, will he falter in his purpose to
convene Congress Immediately after this
session.
The cleverest political leaders in the
country. attached to the regular repub-
lican camp, have pointed out to the Pres
ident, it has become known, that in an ex-
ira session he will give the democrats
sufficient campaign material In revising
the tariff to insure their success, and
have predicted that the democrats will
take advantage of every opportunity in
this direction. The President is told that
the democrats will probably not touch
the reciprocity agreement in extra ses-
sion-simply. ignore it altogether-and
proceed to embody many of Its features
in their proposed revision OF the tariff.
claiming the credit for just what the
lie Is told, that the democrats VIII
adroitly appeal to the farmer and turn
that popular parsonage away from his
lifelong fondness for the republican
party. The farmer has now found out
that he has been protected in the past.
but that much of this protection has been
withdrawn. The democrats will tell him
fif3t lneS VIII even up scores Dy IcIUClIS
much OF the protection that the manufac-
turer has had. Between the 6iscontent of
the farmer and the depression in the
business world generally republicans Will
no ground to pieces: every vestlge of hope
for return to power In 1912 Will be gone,
and Taft will be done for.
Relies on Popular Support.
The picture is painted. in no doubtful
colors to the chief executive; no funereal
qualities are left out, but he is unshaken.
He is confident that the country is with
him. and that it will remain with him.
He sharply makes known that II the
democrats in extra session try to play
politics: II they blast business and mis-
represent what they really are doing for
political capital, he, too, can do some
thing by vetoing what the opposition
puts out. leaving the situation just as 1t
is. and letting the country judge as be-
tween the White House and the demo-
Gratis.
The President is now SO certain that an
Extra session is imminent that he is being
consulted by visitors as to the date for
IS generally considered sufficient time be-
tween the issue of the call and the as
sembling. which would make the date
around March 10. The suggestion has
been made, though. that March % would
be better. falling upon q Monday. Men,
hers of he present Congress would have
two weeks in which to get ready and
newly elected statesmen would not be
rushed in coming to their seats.
The question of date will be taken up
and settled next week.