Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-10
STRENUOUS DAYS
For President Taft in These
Last Weeks Of Congress.
Some Of Lame Ducks" Taken
Care Of by 0Verworked Chief.
reciprocity the Great National
Question Of the Hour.

Washington, D. G., Feb q fSneoio,,
The White House is the nosi,;ra
electric pole in the current of federal
activity as the end Of the sgssio,
nears The President has moro h,,s;.
ness on his hands Just now than h.,
mas had at any other time. since no
was inaugurated. There is business
that crowds IN upon him and also
BUSINESS which he originates himself.
Ihere are multitudes OF Congressman
VINO are after something. Unless there
should be an extra session of Congress.
the Senate will not meet again for nine
months. This brings the patronage
question right up to the front. An
other condition has a like influence.
Ihat IS the fact that so many Repub-
lican Senator'S ana Representative are
soon to quit office and want to have
matters of appointment to office dis
posed OF.
Some of Them Of course. are seeking
offices for themselves. They and their
friends come Early and often to keep
in touch with the prospects and to
urge that the eager ones be not over
looked. And yet, While these seekers
after place as a consolation for defeat
at tie polls or in the primaries, are
numerous, they are by no means as
numerous as those who want no office
and are asking no office. The seekers
take mp n deal of the Presidents time
but the fact remains that most of the
senator's and representatives, who will
be on the eX-list after March 4 are
centert 20 proceed to their homes and
take up their accustomed occupations
once more.
The President, however. is taking
care Of some of these people. that are
irreverenuy called lame ducks" He
has Just appointed To a lucrative fed
cral office i'll the customs service as
surveyor of the port at San Francisco
Representative Duncan r. Mckinley,
who was in the Maine campaign last
year and in almost every other state
campaign all the way across the .coun-
try He travelled to the Philippines
with Mr.. Tafts party. when the latter
was secretary of war. ard the Presi-
dent depended upon him much in n
political way to sound conditions in
many states during the early months
OF the campaign.
There is always . erist of cases of
scntalives want To take up with the
President personally, rather than with
the postmaster general. Many a Wis
itor to the White House these days.
fs Oh an errand of that character. In
less the nominations are agreed
ulr1n before March. a trip to Wash
ington in the spring or summer
may BE necessary. The President
balks ut patronage work but none
the less is interested to have
these matters out Of the way, as far
as possible. before Congress adjourns.
4 thousand and one other matters,
however. are pressing for his attention
these Turbulent February days. Fore
most are matters of legislation. Some
are matters IF legislation, where SEN
ators ard representatives come to en-
list his aid and others are matters OF
legislation, where he is trying to en-
list the active and aggressive coopera-
ton of senators and representatives.
First OF al. is his Canadian recipro-
city agreement. 1t is the one big
thing that the president wants of Con-
gress in the shape of an enactment
that Will ratify the work Secretary
Knox accomplished with the Canadian
ministers. The president is pounding
away on that day by day, calling men
into conference as to methods and to
obtain recruits.
In many ways he is doing his utmost
10 persuade the Senate to ratify that
sgrccment before this Congress adj
journs. He is encouraging public sem
timent for the treaty and is planning
to get away from Washington in few
days for Il little trip, during which he
will take occasion 10 make a speech
or two before audiences in the Made
West in behalf Of the agreement lie
mas already fought baltlc for the TAR
If commission. So that II has passed.
the House and been faTorao iA feporte"
out OF the Senata committee on IL
nance Apparent. he hauaFr'ed the
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