Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-16
CONGRESS LIKES
WILSON METHODS
His "Cutting Across Lots" Is
Making Hit With Democrats
on Capitol Hill.
SIMPLICITY HIS OBJECT;
NOT EXCESS OF DIGNITY
President Has Only Amused Scorn
for Conventions Carried to
the Extreme.
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

| BY N. O. MESSENGER.
| Congressman say that not in the
| memory of their oldest colleagues has
there been such a remarkable spirit
of understanding and responsiveness
between the official occupants of the
Capitol and the White House as now
exists between the legislative branch
and President Wilson. They give en-
tire credit for this condition to Presi-
dent Wilson's initiative.
The President has explained to
friends, in private conversation, why
ne mas pursued a course which has
been characterized as unconventional
ana which In some quarters has been
criticised. His explanation gives to
MS action exactly the reverse of the
motive which has been attributed to
it by some.
Instead of being an assumption of
dignity. reversion to the form and
ceremony of bygone age the intent
at least was to seek fellowship in the
most democratic manner possible with
men engaged with him in a common
duty.
Cutting Across Lots.
He calls it cutting across lots"
Ihat is homely phrase conveying a
meaning of neighborliness, of visiting
without ceremony and hobnobbing on
the front porch. And that is precisely
the spirit in which he visited the SEN
ate the other day to talk with the
democrats of the finance committee
about the tariff.
President Wilson has convinced
everybody who has come in contact
with him that he was sincere when he
said upon his entry into Office that he
wanted to learn the job" of being
President Yes, that's the way he put
it. and he used "job" in the vernacular
sense.
He admits that he does not know it
air and is frank to say that he is
eager to learn. According to his idea,
to talk with other men who are en-
gagged upon the task in hand, which
for the moment happens to be revision
of the tariff.
He has told his friends that he de-
sires to get the viewpoint of the
not to lead them. but to go with them.
He feels that he must know their
minds to understand their course in
legislation. He is unable to compre
when his motive is so plain.
Is Not Dictatorial.
There is no complaint by congressman
of dictatorial attitude on the part of
the President. Only in a few instances
did he. suggest changes in the tariff bill
and his suggestions were accepted with
cheerfulness.
The tariff bill. as Oscar Underwood took
it to him, provided for free sugar imme
diately. President Wilson conceded the
cogency Of the Argument that abolition
of all duties at once would cause finan-
cial losses. Millions upon millions of
dollars, he was told. are invested in ma
chinery on the Louisiana cane planta-
tions for extracting the sugar from the
cane, and other millions invested in build
ings and machinery of the pefiners in the
wall and Porto Rico, both American ter
ritories. wherein is employed capital OF
residents of the states. He proposed a
gradual REIMBURSEMENT of duties to a lower
plane and the committee acquiesced.
Oscar UnderwoodS bill provided for
duty Of Is per cent ad valorem~ on raw
wool. The President said that as duties
on wooden goods were to be lowered, it
would be more equitable and in the in
terest of the consumer to lower the cost
woods plea for a duty was based origi-
nally on the grounds of revenue needed.
and as the revenue problem Is to be
solved by the income tax, he could not
logically lold out against free wool and
yielded.
Not Wilson's Tariff Bill.
The great bulk of the bill is the ways
and means committees bill, not of Wood
recognized the superior information of
the committee upon the subject and all
that he has done. with the exceptions
noted, and few minor changes in the
agricultural schedule, has been to indorse
and support the measure.
He has proffered his aid and is engaged
upon the task of winning the assent of
the Senate to the broad principles of the
confer with the Senate in advance Of the
arrival of the measure in the upper
house and to insure for it more cor
dial reception, if possible.
President Wilson's friends in Congress
draw a distinction. to his credit. between
this method and that of at least one of
his predecessors in holding aloof in an
intrenched position at the White House
and bombardjng Congress with messages.
The Cuban reciprocity bill, it was re-
the President and Congress.
Another feature of President Wilson S
method of dealing with public affairs is
causing favorable comment. His twice
a-week open conferences with newspaper
men are making a tremendous impression
The Evening Star yesterday contained a
full column of a report of talk between
newspaper correspondents and the Presi-
dent of the United States upon the tariff
legislation.
There was no guarded. stilted reference
in the report to the Presidents intentions
| and attitude: no 1T is said upon unim.
peachable authority Or lit is learned
from a high source" or anything of the
kind 1t was a matter-of-fact statement
Of what he said and what they said .
Want the News Straight.
Newspaper men. contrary to the opinion
held by some misguided folk, do not wan
| to misrepresent the President or any
other public man. They want the fact.
for their news stories. Newspapers o.
| opposite political faith want the new.
| straight.
President Wilson is pursuing a course
| which will enable writer's to avoid per
| verting unintentionally his attitude, be
| cause they can get the facts by askint
| for them And this privilege is not con
| fined to any favored group of CORE
| spondents, but is open to any member OF
| tho cornS Of Washington cOrreSpOndant,