Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-24
President Wilson to Confer on
Subject With Ways and
Means Chairman.
HOPES COMING MEASURE :
WILL PLEASE HIS PARTY
Dr. Eliot Unable to Accept the
British Ambassadorship-Gossip
Regarding Appointments.


, WOOD chairman OF the ways and means
committee of the House. will start a
series of consultations with his 'Iegisla-
| 1--WE colleagues" that will end in an adj
ministration tariff bill-a measure that
VIII nave, the President hopes and be-
neNes, the backing Of every democrat in
| the country
| The President frankly admits that he
mas no fixed ideas as to what the tariff
phi shali contain in the way OF definite
| rates On each schedule, but he does have
! pretty clear ideas as to the general lines
such Dill shall follow. AS to these gen-
erai lines he and Representative Under
wood and most of the democratic advisers
who have talked with ,im are i'm agree
| ment But there will be long discussion
over The rates of the scheduies and how
| they will carry out the promises in the
! democratic platform maze at Baltimor,.
IL the cost of living can be reduced
| by lowering or entirely removing exist
! ing rates on many schedules this will
! De done The interests of the people are
to be first, and then wil follow serious
consideration of the effects of each rate
| upon the business industries of the
country The President pledged himself
| broadly and emphatically, before and
since the November election. to see that
| a tariff bill becomes law that will harm
| no legitimate business. although it will
| attempt TO carry relief to the masses
and give to the workingnan a greater
! participation in the prosperity it is
| earnestly hoped will follow final
| vision of the tariff for some years At
| least.
| The President and the democratic Lead
| ers have only two weeks to come to
thorough understanding if the House corn
1 mittee on ways and means s to be ready
| to report a bill April Z. There must be
many consultations. probably several cab:-
net sessions, before the administr alton
stamps its @. h. on a measure. Ine-
President conferred number of times
| with Representative Underwood at Tren-
ton, and, generally speaking, as stated.
| they understand the line along which they
Will work. That is, the outlines of tire
tariff structure have been decided upon.
but the hnishings, the trimmings ali the
interior work. are yet to be developed.
/ The democratic architects must work
out all the finishings to have a house
that will be attractive. The President
Is candid in not posing as the only
tariff expert i'm the world. His job
will be that of master architect The
plans and specifications of all the ex-
perts and artists will pass into the
central architects office. and there the
final work will be done.
/ Seek to Reach Agreement.
4 As nearly as possible the President
and the leaders in the House and SEN
ate wish to agree upon bill that
| will stand the test in the Senate, al
though the President Is not the man
to commit himself absolutely to the
House bill, as it will be introduced to
that body. His plan will be to put "A
temporary .. X. on it and quietly
use his influence to push 1t along
through the rocky roads of legisla-
| tion, all the time holding his mind
| open for developments that may or
may not confirm the original view that
\ akA6
Even after the bill goes to the Senate
and has the appearance of being almost
| a finished affair SO far the White
| House and the democratic leaders of the
House go, the Presidents mind will still
be free to make corrections along the
| lines he has in mind. Mr.. Wilson will
/ absorb, and absorb speedily, at every step
| In the tariff game. When he has gathered
/ together all the viewpoints he will know
what he wants and what he thinks is
I best for the country, and that is what he
will most likely get, according to demo-
4 cratic leaders.
Mr.. Underwood. with lis vast and intri-
cate knowledge of the tariff, will exert
immense influence with the President
throughout the consultations on the tariff
bill not only because Of his level-headed-
ness, 1T is stated in high quarters, but
because his knowledge cannot be dis
pensed with at a time when mistakesE
must be mighty few if the democratic
party is to escape the criticism that ~
Eliot Says He Cannot Accepts
| The White House today made on1cia2
announcement that Charles w. Eliot.
president emeritus Of Harvard University.
cannot accept the ambassarodship tQ
Great Britain. The reasons given by DR..
Eliot are not announced at the Whits
House. They were stated In q long pri-
| yats letter to the President. and are re-
Rarded as confidential. While Presidents
Wilson has another man in mind for tho
post the name is not known. Former
Gov David II. Francis has been regarded
as standing an excellent chance for the
honor but the information Is thar he Is
not the man the President has in view.
Former senator Obadiah Gardner OF
Maine is to be named as collector or
the port at Portland, his home state.
and will accept the position. Presidens
Wilson has desired to honor Mr.. Gard
ner, who did not relish the idea OF l.
position below the cabinet in Washing
ton He does. however. like the idea
of going to Portland. which is near his
home. and where he will have oppor-
tunity to look after his personal affairs
to some extent Former Gov. Plaisted
Of Maine was said to have desired the
Portland collectorship. but he will be
given some other position.
John A. Thayer. former representative
from Massachusetts. ts to be boosted &C
the White House for the judgeship va
cancy O.. the Court OF Claims. The demo-
cratic members of Congress from Massa-
chusetts are signing request that the
President give Mr.. Thayer a place on
that bench. and this request will be pre-
sented by Representative Peters
Receives Princeton Ball Team.
The President today received the Prince
ton base bali team. besides number OF
other visitors. including Senator-elect Con
of west Virginia Judge Goff wants to
see important changes in the practice in
the fourth circuit. from which he resigned
+n come to the Senate, and he is to have
q conference with the President in shors
time as to the peculiarities OF judicial
procedure there.
Farmer Senator Crane OF Aassa chu-
setts and Charles d. Hilles, citsirman
n the republican national counI.ittee.
Maid their respects to the President.
Mr. HilIes is in the city for a day or
two. and will then go to New York to
enter upon his business duties. Mr.
Crane has been south for several
weeks and said he felt fine.
Senator RanSdell Of Louisiana Sena.