The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-11
CONGRESS AND
 PRESIDENT ARE
 AT SWORDPO|NTS Congress Is Only Contest Between Legislative and
 Executive Now
WHY REPUBLICANS
 FIGHT ADJOURNMENT
At Home They Know They Will Have to Quit Straddling Fence and Either Go to Taft or
 Roosevelt
By (. E. STEWART

sion of Congress has become a contest between the legislative and the eX- ecutive branches of the government
 This has become clear since every bill regarding the tariff fought for by a democratic House and which they have had to compromise with the re- publican Senate in order to get even slight reductions in the tariff rates inn posed by the Payne -Aldrich bill has been a victim of the Presidents now celebrated veto.
 We have accomplished nothing in tariff legislation for the relief of the people, declare the democrats, but we have placed the responsibility for not doing so upon the President and have dispelled all doubt in the minds of the people as to his position. He has gone over to the reactionaries and must henceforth be counted as standpat in spite of his personal assertions that he favors resduction in the tariff
 Taft Disregards Opportunity
 The President has disregarded and thrown aside every opportunity to live Up to his repeated declarations of re- gard for the common people and their interests and his desire to do some thing to tighten the burdens imposed upon them by an unjust tariff law, and to aid the toiler In making his income spread over his expenditures.
 He still uses the tariff board as his excuse. He wants a tariff board that has shown conclusively that it's labors toward ascertaining the true differen ce in the cost of production in the country and abroad were not only amateurish but distinctly partisan as well, though the board Is supposed to be non-par- tisan, to decide tariff Legislation for the ways and means committee on which are some of the greatest tarin experts admittedly ever in Congress. This is merely a statement and an- other form of republican promise to reduce the tariff at some future time.
 The President is criticised for play ing poor game of politics. He has Joined the standpat crowd and they are in the minority; he will get the back ing of the protected interests" and it is charged that the President in his desperation and not being in touch with the political sentiment of the country is going on the assumption that, as in the past, the protected in- terests will win out. They have all ways won out. and he is taking pre- cedent for existing conditions and can not see the handwriting on the wall.
 The Battleship Matter
 
 cont oversy have hoiste1 the flag of truce, and everybody Is happy over the fact that We will have one battloshp-.he biggest what is-and there is no longer the least hope for tariff legislation getting on the statute books, there is very little excuse for this Congress to last day longer after next Saturday. the 11th, but it may. It may because there are senators who do not want to go home
 is bo Ia st tha4- loolx n for. Their political opi.iions and beliefs are, with the home folks nebulous if they have to go home and face the issues they will be forced to take a stand for the bull moose or for Taft and for the life of them at this writing they can not tell or which side of the fence is their meal ticket. Therefore they prefer to stay here in Washington and make speeches in the Senate on the parcels post, or any thing else that is mandy until they can arrive at something definite
 This is actually true 0f many republican senators and they are throwing every thing they can in the way to obstruct the few things remaining to be done by this session of Congress before adjournment. On tLe other hand many want to ger away and are going. Even now on a vote there is no quorum in the Senate they are paired-the absent ones. and on the vote of any question there are more pairs than votes.
 Demands for the political orators are coming in from many sections. Hehin will speak in Maine, at the urgent request of Governor Plaisted also National Com mitteeman Thomas has also asked him to speak in Vermont and the chairman of the committee in Indiana wants him. They have drawn on him for S001 copies Of his speech on u Q farmers free list bill to be used in the state campaigns of Maine and Vermont.
 Underwood. Clayton and Helin are all wanted by the national campaign com mittee and expect 70 render service.