Evening star., 1937-01-01
PRESIDENT HAPPY
OVER So SUCCESS
Years Story for Him Marked
by Business Upturn and
Good Will.
BY JOHN RUSSELL YOUNG.

efforts for peace in the Western Hemi-
sphere following trips TO both South
America and Canada-these things
can be regarded happily by President
Roosevelt as the story of 1885.
For him it has been a busy year.
Assuming the task OF doing his own
campaigning, he travelled thousands
of miles to deliver 10 maj jor addresses
and approximately 100 impromptu
talks at station stops.
In addition to campaign speeches,
Mr.. Roosevelt delivered IS other
speeches during the year. Further evi-
dence of the labors OF President is
shown in the fact that during 1885
he wrote 264 executive orders, SO pres
idential proclamationS and IS mes
sages to Congress. He held nearly 100
press conferences and went through
with more than 5000 engagements
In his office.
Visited Drought Areas.
On top of all his campaign travels
the President found time to journey to
the Western drought-stricken areas
TO confer with Governors and other
State authorities regarding means of
meeting their problems. He also made
a personal tour to the flood areas in
Pennsylvania. New York and New
England and conferred with State
authorities regarding this problem.
The President added to his travel
Ing mileage during the year by jour-
neying to Texas to participate in the
formal opening Of the Texas Centen-
nial Exposition; by cruising in Flor
ida waters last Spring to fish and
relax, and by voyaging up the New
England Coast in a sailboat for q
brief vacation at his mothers Sum-
mer home at Campobello Island, New
Brunswick, Canada. This visit to
Campobello made the third of three
occasions during the year that Mr..
Roosevelt visited foreign soil. The
other two were his visits to the
Governor General of Canada and the
Inter-American Peace Conference at
Buenos Aires.
The Presidents travelling during the
past year amounted to exactly 46 ,933
miles. This sounds like a record for
presidential travelling. but Mr.. Roose-
welt, even counting his travelling dur
ing his four years in office, still is
little below the record set by the late
William Howard Taft The White
House records Of the latter's travels
are incom mplete, but they are sufficient
10 show Mr.. Roosevelt is in second
place.
Had Its Way in Congress.
Due to the overwhelming Demo-
cratic majority in the House and the
Senate Mr.. Roosevelt had compare
lively easy legislative sailing during
1885. He was given virtually every
thing he desired. The outstanding
exception was the passage of the vet
eranS' bonus bill against his objection
and the overriding of his veto. even
after he personally appeared before
joint session of Congress to read
his veto message.
In addition to the bonus, the Presi-
dent vetoed 81 bills passed by Con-
eress. placing him second to the rec
ord OF Grover Cleveland in the num-
her OF vetoes
or the 881 acts of Congress signed
by the President during the last year
rhe most important were the amend
ment to the tax bill, the principal
feature OF which was to penalize ac-
cumulative surpluses. However, the
President contended additional taxes
were necessary TO meet demands made
upon the Treasury by the 50 900 OOO-
900 soldiers bonus payment along
with additional relief outlays, and to
offset the loss OF revenue caused by
the Supreme Courts invalidation of
the agricultural adjustment act
Other important legislati put on
The statute books at the request of
fhe President included the social Sc
curity act. one creating a maritime
commission with authority to take
over the activities of the old United
States Shipping Board and substitute
ing direct subsidy to American Ship
ping lines; the act recognizing the
FEDERAL Reserve. the principal feature
or which is TO liberalize credit through
the Federal Reserve banks; the soil
conServa ton act, aimed to carry out
the purposes OF the Agricultural Ad-
1ustment Administration after invali-
dation OF the latter by the United
States Supreme Court, and the Fed
fral Alcohol Administration act. Gre
atlng board to take over the reeu-
lation of the beverage trafic from the
administration of the Treasury De-
partment.
Another important piece of legis-
istion signed by the President but
not officially sponsored by him was the
Walsh-Healey act providing that pri-
Vate contractors doing Government
work pay prevailing labor wages and
observe the prevailing labor union
working hours
In adding this legislation the Pres-
dent was compelled to present to Con-
gress a budget estimate totalng So
752,000.0 900, not inclusive OF the esti-
mate of money needed for relief A
relief estimate amounting to sl,425.-
100000 was incorporated in the def
cheney bill and readily passed.
During the year the President made
great number Of appointments to
public Office, but these were confined
principally to postmasterships. Federal
Judges, United States marshals and
United States attorneys throughout
the country. The most important ap-
pointment was that of Harry H.
Woodring, Secretary Of War, to sue
ceed the late George H. Dern Next
In importance was the appointment
Of the members of the reorganized
Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System, the appointment of
William c. Bullitt as Ambassador to
France. Joseph Davies Ambassador
to Russia and William Phillips Am
bassador TO Italy and the appointment
Of three temporary members of the
Maritime Commission.
Two Tragedies in Year.
The Presidents year was marred by
two tragedies. one the death of his