The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-12-05
By ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, Dec. 3.-ESpecial.]-
President Taft's last annual message
to congress was not of such interest
as to hold the attention of all the
members in either house. While II
was listened to with respect and at
tention by those who took that meth
cd OF absorbing it, the fact that print
ed copies Of messages are now dis
tributed gives members an opportunl
TT to take them to their rooms and read
them at their leisure.
Message day has not the significance
that used to attach to it on the days
when the first intimation of what 1t
contained came when it was read IN
congress. Now there is such a wide
spread circulation Of the message be
fore IT is delivered that many persons
are pretty well acquainted with It's
main features.
Academic Discussion.
This year It is realized that the mes
sage. 80 far as it relates to general
legislation, is an academic discussion,
because it will be impossible to take
ND the recommendations and put them
into law even II there was a congress
inclined to do so. At present, how
ever, it is known that the Democrats
intend to postpone all important mat
tiers until they are in full control In
the extra session.
Who Arc Radicals?
| For q time after Woodrow Wilson
was elected there was talk about such
conservatives as Speaker Clark and
Leader Underwood blocking the pro
gressiveness of the new president
Then friends of Wilson began point
ing out some of his utterances, which
showed that, while he was a tariff re,
former, he was no radical even on that
subject. Later along come Champ
Clark and Oscar Underwood with state
ments that the pledges of the part,
| must be carried out .-.-
CLARK said tho tariff must be reduced
to a revenue basis. Then those who
were beginning to believe that there
was not going to be much tariff legis
lation, after all, realized there was go
ing to be real and effective action.
Canal Jan. I, 1914.
One of the engineers who have been
working on the canal zone for many
years says that the canal will be ope1
for ships Jan. 4. 1914. Various dates
have been suggested by Colone
Goethals. and the congressman who
have visited the canal say that it viii
be opened in about year. That viii
be much sooner than many Americans
anticipated. -
Quintet Of Eighteen year-olde.
When the extra session assemblies
! FIVE senator's who have been eighteen
years In continuous service will be
among those who will take the oath OF
Office for another six years. They are
Bacon of Georgia, Martin Of Virginia
Tillman of South Carolina. Nelson Of
Minnesota and Warren of Wyoming
These FIVE are In class by themselves
Warren was q senator for three years
once before, but he failed of re-elec
ton. He had also been governor o.
the territory. Nelson served six years
In the house and was governor. TIL
man and Bacon were governors.
John Sharp Lectures.
i A congressional reputation seems t.
be good for lecture engagement
John Sharp Williams is in demand as
q lecturer at different times. 1t has
been thought that when man gives
his time to lecturing he is apt to neg
lect his congressional work. Williams
will have time enough to lecture for
few months, however, for it will take
some time for the Democrats Of the
house to get tariff bill ready, and ii
Is not expected that the senate vii
have very much to do until the extra
session. ..
A Three Months' Worry.
| Where to held the inaugural ball Il
a question that haS begun to worry
Washington. It always does about
this time Of the year. The inaugure
baN is not ball. 1t Is jam of PEG
pie who pay a lot Of money for the
purpose of getting glimpse OF thu
new president and his family. Tht
100000 people Of the United States
would be just as well of If there was
ne inaugural ball. The men who
Finances an Inauguration would not b.
90 we'll of, as the ball is a money
maker. It ought to be, as 1t comes
nearer giving nothing for something
than anything that happens in Wash
ington. Just now there is talk o.
using the capitol for the ball. 1
would be quite start toward true de
mocracy Il the ball was omitted.
Bacon, Lone Defender.
The defenders of the constitution
are getting scarce in the UnAed States
senate. The retirement of Bailey ant
the death of Rayner limits the Demo
cratic side to Bacon OF Georgia. There
may be recruits among the new sena
tors, and with Bailey and Rayner u