The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-04-09
WILSON TO DELIVER ADDRESS.
PRESIDENT Il WILL APPEAR IN
HALLS OF CONGRESS.
First Legislative Message OF Demo-
cratic President VIII be Heard
Tuesday when Congress Begins its
Task OF Revising the Tariff.

Washington, April 6.-Setting aside
precedents of more than century
President Wilson will appear in the
halls Of congress on Tuesday to de-
liver his first legislative message in
person. He announced to Democratic
congressional leaders tonight that he
would go on the floor of the house,
when II convened Tuesday, and there
give that body his views on the tar
iff.
The decision of the president evok-
ed much comment among the con-
gressional leaders. He will be the
first president of the United States
to appear officially before either
branch of congress in deliberative
session since John Adams, In the
first few years Of the last century
An attempt was made exactly 100
years ago. in 1913, to revive the Gus
tom but President Madison declined
an invitation to discuss foreign re-
president has even suggested join
ing In the deliberations of congress-
President Wilson made his plans
known to Majority Leader Under
wood OF the house, Representative A.
Mitchell Palmer Of Pennsylvania, and
the other house Democratic leaders
that they might prepare for the
event
The president believes that he can
get in closer touch with the men,
bers OF both houses OF congress by
personally expressing his views to
them. In addition to his official
visits to the house. which will be-
come a matter OF White House pol
icy, the president will take advantage
Of these visits to hold conferences
with the party leaders in congress.
The president has been told by his
friends that such a procedure is
fraught with embarrassment unless
he tactfully keeps to his purpose
merely Of giving advice as the leader
OF his party and offering suggestions
to those with whom he confers. Those
who have discussed this with him
say he Is convinced that congress will
not misunderstood his intentions, that
he will go to the capitol in spirii
of friendly cooperation, so that there
may be at all time unanimity of
purpose between the executive and
the legislative departments of the
government
The president, it was learned to-
day, has read with considerable sur
prise reports that he had actually
written parts of the tariff bill or that
he had forced agreements with COM
mittees of congress. He declared he
simply had been asked to make sug-
gestions and had cheerfully done so;
that the bill is the work Of con-
gress and that his part in it had been
that of counsellor and adviser. 1t is
known, too, that the president Is anx-
ious TO give equal consideration to
the leaders in both houses of con-
gress in seeing that party pledges are
carried out.
Both houses of the Sixty-third con-
gress will get down to business in
extraordinary session tomorrow, con-
fronted by the task OF revising the
tariff. The Democratic tariff bill, COM
pleted by the Democrats of the ways
and means committees probably will
be introduced in the house shortly
after IL cOnvenes at noon.
The senate has already organized
for the new congress and it's session
will be a mere routine meeting. Inn
mediately afterwards, however,
Democratic caucus will be held when
the fight To revise the senate rules
to liberalize proceedings in the upper
body will begin. This matter will
occupy the senate during a part OF
the time that the house busies itself
with weeks of tariff debate.
When the house convcncs in its
changed chamber where benches have
taken the place o. the old-time desks
and chairs the members, including
hundreds OF new representatives elect
cd last fall, will be sworn in by Clerk
South Trimblc. who will be the pre-
siding officer until the seats have
been filled and speaker elected. The
Democrats. following their caucus de-
cision. will rcnominate and reclect
Speaker Champ Clark. The Republi-
cans Will nominate Representative
Mann Of Illinois and the Progressives,
the new party organization in the
house, will nominate Representative
Murdock Of Kansas.
The Progressives may precipitate
trouble at the first fall OF the gavel,