Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-03

Dill. the Fowler bill and the Hill hin =,
well as a number of others. are mend
ing before committees, but no ono h.s
shown any particular desire To have
them passed. In fact one measure ;s
antagonlstlc to another and. with M
apparent danger to the finances If the
country. those who are not exnar,s Il,
the matter of currency law canno, n.
induced to push these measure. for-
"ard TO the exclusion of other business
reduced representation in Southern
states which nave by one form or an
other disfranchised negroes will he :.
theme of discussion, but nor act;on
curing the winter. The Republican,
national platform is interpreted h,
some of the more radical members of
the party to call for such reduction ana
they will go at the subject from the
beginning. 1t is well understood tha,
&c bring about anything like = re-.
duced representation would reouira
much more time than a three months.
session of congress which exniras nv
limitation.
NO doubt number of bills to nro-
hlbit or control campaign contributions
Will be presented as that matter he-
came an issue at the close of the re-
cent campaign. Just how il can no
reached is yet to be ascertained AS
there are so many ways in which a Law.
OF this kind can be avoided.
The trusts will receive attcnt;on =,
least in debate, although some doub,
is expressed about any effective lcgis-
lation being passed. Following ),
n he
made d vital issue it is natural 10 OK
pect that there must be Il crcat dad Of
talk on the subject whenever there is
an opportunity.
Interstate commerce Legislation in
some form or another Is always rerld-
ing in Congress and there NAV be an
effort to enlarge the powers of the In
terState Commerce Commission so as
to allow it TO fix rates. Ra;lr lad in
,erests have and will continue TO OPP
ose this measure. Another pending
measure is to permit pooling and this
j. opposed by the shippers. With so
sauoh contention there is little pros
poet that anything will be done. A
bill to amend the law for the safety of
employees of railroads has been report
~ ''''i ~ IL eNPNN wv THAT IL w III PASS.
a bill which has agitated Congress
fnr number Of years providing for
eight hours work only. on all govern
ment contracts. no doubt will be re-
ported from tn" Senate committee on
labor which has given much time to
bearings. a bill of similar character
":as lost in the last Congress by being
to,.'Lcd out by other business. The
san" fate may await this measure
Sh"nld it be reported from the COM
m!trec.
S.n| tor Hepburn Of Idaho. has given
.'otite that he will Call up the pure
food bill during the first week of the
.S,inn and the friends of the measure
,opc to have it passed. But there is
strong opposition which will take ad
vantage of the Senate rules to attempt
to defeat the measure by delay.
4 measure which created a great deal
Of interest iii the last session and
" Mich no doubt will cause considerable
discussion if it comes UP again. is a
bill providing for several large camp
sites in different sections Of the coun-
try for the use Of the regular army
and militi;, for drill purposes. The
lOcaIltleS ItOSt 1heiS " get TIE SittS IL
the bill becomes law are energetical-
ly pushing it to the front while disap-
pointed rivals are opposing it.
Senator Fairbanks, who has only
three months to serve as a Senator
before h.. becomes vice-President. and
who as chairman Of the committee on
public buildings and grounds. has en-
deav2red to secure a bill providing
building for the department of state.
justice and commerce and labor. will
try to bring about favorable action on
the bill in the ninety days he is to re-
main a national legislator. There are
other public building bills pending. but
it is not expected any general omnibus
bill will be pushed at this session.
Irrigation has become permanent
legislative topic. interviewer closely
with the public land question it has re-
suited in setting two House COM
mittc"s by the ears and creating a wide
difference Of opinion among Senators
from Western states. Several meas
urcs intended as amendments 10 the
irrigation law have been suggested
and are before Congress. If the
Western men were united they no
doubt could secure some legislation,
but being divided it is quite likely that
nothing will be done.
Two Years ago iii the long session OF
Congress a river and harbOr apprO-
priations bill was passed. but it was
omitted in the session which ended last
April. 1t is the intention to pass a
hill at this session and the men hav-
ing it in charge. remembering that four
wears ago Senator Carter of Montana.
talked a river and harbor bill to death,
will make every effort to have 1t pre-
scented early and gotten out of the way
Of another such contingency.
A number Of bills for Alaska have
come over from the last session, the
most important being those providing
for a delegate f1om the territory and
for governmental aid in building roads.
Both met with serious opposition last
session and there is no intimatiOn that
there has. been change of sentiment
during the recess.
Bills to reorganZe the consular
service have been reported to both
houses hut so far they have not been
popular enough to secure a majority
vote in either body.
II is not yet known whether there
;cla oil t;,,y n tho