Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/221

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT 181 the military establishment; he promptly vetoed it, and its authors had to revise it so as to exclude the items open to complaint. Another contained riders limiting the tenure of civil service employees to seven years, and wiping out the commerce court ; he vetoed it on both grounds. Congress struck out the civil service item and repassed the rest. Although the session was near its close, he sent the bill back once more with a veto based on its failure to provide for the commerce court, and congress was driven to a confession of defeat by making good its default. At the next session, however, the same tactics were renewed, a paragraph abolish ing the commerce court, and another exempting farmers and laborers from the penalties of the anti trust law, being tacked to appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year. This was within a few days of the end of his administration, so he let the ap propriations lapse, and left his successor to grapple with the sequelse. Equally resolute was his stand against dictation on matters which in his opinion fell within his executive discretion. A commission appointed by him to consider plans for reducing public expendi tures recommended an annual budget, such as is in common use among civilized governments, show ing for what every dollar is needed, and also how it can be raised. Congress, which had before mani fested its impatience of commissions and their