The times., 1901-06-15
NEW SENATE LEGISLATION.
subjects That May BE Considered by
the1Finance Committee.

FINANCE tom mliite.
Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island, Chair
man of the Finance Committee, was in
/ washington yesterday with Mrs. Aldrich
! mouse hunting. Although the Senator said
that no official business called him here
at this time. there are several matters
that may be considered by the committee
! before Congress meets in December At
| the last session a resolution was passed
authorizing the committee to sit during
! the recess, and early in the fall, probably
/ IN september. meeting viii be called un-
! der the authority of this resolution.
| There are several matters that are be-
/ ing pressed for consideration by various
/ interests in them, but it is probable that
! only one subject will be taken up for
! formal investigation. This relates to the
| laws governing the manufacture and sale
OF distilled spirits The operation OF the
present law is very unsatisfactory to the
Government. as well as to those interested
In the handling of spirits the main diff
Guilty arising from the fact that the laws
| have been passed at various times without
| due regard for those already on the stat
ute books and that the result is hodge
podge of legislation that 1t is important
to have done away with. The committee
Will go into the subject thoroughly and
hopes to be able to recommend a compre-
hensive bill to Congress when it meets in
December.
Hugh II. Hanna, Of Indianapolis, repre-
senting the Monetary Commission of the
Indianapolis Sound Money Convention, is
anxious to have the committee take up
anew the general subject of currency leg
isiation with particular reference to MAX
ing favorable recommendations on the
flNprCtrgpt = nd Ri nd tp
vide for the compulsory payment Of gold
instead of silver at the Treasury, but it
seems to be the opinion of members of
the Finance Committee that there has
been enough currency legislation for the
present and that the wisest thing now is
to let the subject alone, which they prob
ably will do
SO far as can be learned no formal rep
reservations have been made to the com
mittee on the subject of a proposed tariff
revision along the lines of the Babcock
bill or otherwise. 1t being the prerogative
Of the House of Representatives to for
muate tariff legislation, the Senate could
not, of course. take the initiative in any
movement TO remove the tariff on articles
manufactured by the trusts. which is the
aim of the Babcock bill The Senate
however. has always exertcd a powerful
influence over the House in tariff mat
ters, and as the Republican members of
the Finance Committee are known to be
strongly opposed to reOpeuing of the
tariff question at present for any purpose,
the chances are that there will be no
tariff legislation enacted by the incoming
tlfty-SeVenth Congress.
Senator AIdrich's presence in Washing
ton has served to call attention to the re-
pert sent out some days ago to the effect |
that he, as the political manager of the |
Senate Republicans had decided that Sen |
atoriai courtesy and tradition should be |
ignored inIthe makeup of the new COM |
Imttees, ana that Senator Lodge of Mass |
achusetJs be made Chairman of the Com /
mlttee on Foreign Relations, over the !
head of Senator Cullom of Illinois, who |
stands second in the line OF promotion, !
and VINO can have the place If Senator |
FRYE, whoI comes first, declines it. OF |
course, Senator eAldrich meyer made such |
statement. because he has no power to |
make committee chairmanships and could /
not set aside lprecedents, however much
he nigh; desire to do so.
The fact of the matter is that while
Senator Ladge's special fitness for the
chairmansh of the Committee on For
eign Relations is generally recognized the
honor cannot be conferred on him if
Senator Cullomi decides that he wants it.
AT presentsthe. latter says he does and he
says IT very emphatically. Senator Frye,
who is President pro tempore Of the SEN
ate, will probably prefer to retain the
nsRip Of the Commerce Commit |
tee. If he does Mr. Cillom will be in line |
Tor promotion to the chairmanship of |
me Committee on Foreign Relations and
unless ne Willingly gives way, which he |
now shows no inclination to do, he will |
go to the head of this. in some respects. |
the most important committee in the
senate. 1t has been said by his colleague !
Mr. Mason, that the chairmanship of this
great committee will assist Mr. Cullom in
ais PRESIDENTIAL aspirations and undoubt-
IDLY this Is true If Senator CuIlom is
to the Foreign Relations Com
nittee, Senator Lodge will retain his place
II the head of the Philippines Commit
ee' winch VIII have charge of the most
important legislation in the next Con-
yTeSS