The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-20

mics, who predicted failure To Mr..
Bryan's creit 1t can be said he by no
word or act SO far has given the slight
est evidence that he is not loyalty itself
to the President and is doing all in his
power TO make the administration of Pres
ident Wilson all that it should be. When
Representative Henry broke out with his
money business avowedly opposing the
administration in its efforts tot secure cur
rency legislation this session, many de-
clared that Henry--a close friend of Mr..
Bryan-was inspired by the Secretary of
state There is not a bit of evidence to
support any such conclusion. Mr.. Bryan
is thoroughly in accord with the President
on the question of currency reform, and
probably has no sympathy with Mr..
Henry's scheme. tfts.
McReynOlds' Turn Next
Another victim of the gossips is At
torney General McReynolds Only a short
while ago it was published all over the
country that the President and the At
torney General had agreed to disagree,
and that McReynolds' would surrender
his portfolio forthwith The only foun-
dation for these stories was the Attor-
ney Generals famous plan for curbing the
tobacco trust, which created such SEN
sation at the time of its announcement.
The first story printed OF the scheme pro-
posed by the Attorney General had It
that his plan was the subject of a. two
hour cabinet session, and had received tho
indorsement of the President Promptly
at the next session of the Presidents
twice a week conference with the news
paper men he was asked about the plan
proposed by the Attorney General for
taxing the output of the dig tobacco con-
GERMS and he very promptly and prop
erly announced that 1t was not an admin
istration proposition, nor had 1t bean dis
cussed at any length by the cabinet. I'm
mediately the report was circulated that
the President had turned down Mercy
nold's pet scheme and that there was
'coldness' between them, and the next
thing was that McReynolds was out OF the
cabinet--in the papers.
AS matter OF fact. Attorney General
McReynolds did not ask the President to
put the administration. on record as fav-
oring his plan. He merely suggested it 20
the finance committee of the Senate as a
temporary arrangement to accomplish
something of the results which was hoped
would be accomplished when the tobacco
DEGREES were handed down..
Whether the President and his advisers
did not agree with the Attorney General
about the practicabiiity of the plan, or
whether they thought it the part OF wis
dom not to add anything further to the
Ulr1ff Dill winch might arouse OppoSition
and imperil the passage of that. measure
is not known. but certainly 1t was not the
cause of any disagreement between the
President and his Attorney General
Hitchcock Goes Further
AS a matter Of fact. Senator Hitchcock
took up the plan Of the Attorney General
and went step further. and now pro-
poses an amendment to the tariff bill
which proposes to levy an internal reve-
nue. tax on the manufactured products OF
all corporations which have capital OF
$loO, 900 0oO or more and which control as
much as 20 per cent of the total domes-
tic output of the article manufactured,
the tax to be graduated according to the
output and the percentage of the COM
modify controlled.
Senator Hitchcock's amendment will
probably be voted down. But separate
bill covering practically this ground, 1t
is believed, will stand an excellent chance
to be passed some time during the next
session of Congress.
So Attorney General MeReynolds' prop
ostion may bear fruit, and 1t may in the
long run receive the support of the Pres
ident In the meantime the report that 1t
was the cause of a breach between the
President and Mr., McReynolds may be
iaid aside.