The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-12
UNDERWOOD TALKS
ABOUT CONGRESS
He Points Out the Legislation
That Was Beneficial
MEASURES THAT FAILED
On the Whole Congress Worked Hard,
But 1t Left Undone Many Of
the Things It Should
Have Done.

Representative o. W. Underwood has
returned from Washington. In speaking
about the work of Congress yesterday he
said: IN some respects 1t was very sat
isfactory, and in others It fell far short
of what could be wished. An unusually
large number Of bills were passed, and
much legislation enacted that will prove
beneficial to the county.
Congress passed the River and Har-
Dor bill. carrying three-quarters of a
million dollars for the Warrior River
That Is of the first Importance to this
district. It passed legislation transferring
the Rural Mail Service from an expert
mental service to a part of the permanent
establishment Of the postofhce depart
ment; 1t passed the irrigation bill, pro-
viding for the reclamation of the arid
lands of the west and opening them to
homestead settlement when reclaimed; it
passed an Isthmian Canal bi1l-not the
one the people OF Alabama most desired
but nevertheless a bill that will ulti-
mately build a canal at Panama or at
Nicaragua, and any canals connecting
the waters of the Atlantic and the Pa
cific oceans will greatly add to the COM
merce and development of the State of
Alabama; 1t passed a bill repeating the
War Revenue Law, thereby reducing the
taxes imposed on the people over one
hundred million dollars a year: 1t changed
the policy of building our navy by pro-
viding that some of our ships be built
In the navy yards, thereby preventing
private contractors from pooling their
bids and increasing the cost of our battle
ships.
1.-THE House passed bill providing for
an educational test for immigrants to
this country and also a bill amending tho
bankrupt law so as to prevent the fraud
ulent abuse Of the old law. Both Of these
bills will probably be passed by the SEN
ate at the short session and become law.
So that the last session of Congress has
much meritorious legislation to its credit
and 1t can be said that all of the legisla-
ton just mentioned was passed by nom
partisan votes and could not have been
enacted IL it had not received the almost
united support of the Democrats in Con-
gress; and yet, though this Congress has
done more than its duty to the people
In, these matters 1t has only done what
Its constituency had a right to expect OF
1t. Every man should be honest and
truthful, but no man is expected TO in
dulge In self-praise on account of either
his honesty or his truthfulness.
Congress left undone some things that
would have been harmful to the country
If they had passed. At one time 1t looked
very much as If the Crumpacker resolu-
ton would be enacted into law, with all
ton; but 1t was safely consigned to its
| final resting place to sleep the sleep that
knows no awakening.
"On the other hand. the Republican
members voted for an adjournment
| against the protest of the minority with
out in any way attempting to pass legis-
| lation to control the trusts, without at
| tempting to consider in the Senate the
bill providing for reciprocity and increased
trade relations with Cuba, because. the
Democrats in the House had added an
amendment to the bill striking from the
revenue laws the differential tax or
sugar. which went wholly % the sugar
| trust and If passed would have reduced
the price of sugar two cents a pound. II
adjourned without passing the bill for
the admission of Arizona, New Mexico
and Oklahoma to statehood, notwith-
standing both political parties had
pledged themselves to enact this iegisla-
ton at their last national conventions.
1t failed to pass any legislation looking
to the lessening of our tariff taxes or
providing for the expansion of our foreign
commerce
you may say. in my opinion this Con-
gress has worked hard and passed much
beneficial legislation; but 1t has also left
undone many things 1t ought TO have
DONE"