Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-03


storing the merchant marine Of the
United States The commission was
Instructed to report on the first day of
the coming session and it is expected
that this will be done. There has been
a great deal of anxiety manifested by
both political parties to secure legisia-
ton of this character and IL any meas
lure can be agreed upon which will
receive the support of both parties it
will no doubt be speedily passed.
Some doubt exists among the men,
bers of both houses as to whether ad-
ditional Chinese exclusion legislation
is necessary. Ii has been held that the
law would expire this month and 1t was
founded on treaty which also expires.
A new treaty is being negotiated and
an exclusion law to meet its terms may
be necessary. The people of the ia
cific coast have been insisting rpcn
more rigid exclusion than that known
as the Plat law. and if the question is
brought up there will be quite q
lengthy debate.
Senator Dillingham; has reported
from the committee on immigration a
bill amending the immigration Law )
and it is his intention to push for its
consideration. The principal features
of the bill is a provision for an agent
of the United States accompanied by a
surgeon. to be stationed at all import.
ant European immig. IAN. ports to in
spect aliens seeking admission TO the
United States. 1t also provides for
head tax of 81 an immigrant
Three years ago when congress as
sembled a flood of bills were presented
those in line of succession. Some of
these measures were reported and
even reached the stage of conference
between the two houses when the 57th
congress expired. On the senate cal
endar is a notice given by Senator
Hoar last April, that on Tuesday, Dec.
6, he would ask the senate to take up
and consider a bill for the protection
of the president Whether or not some
member of the judiciary committee
will push the bill now that the Massa-
chusetts senator is dead is not known.
There is serious opposition to the bill
as il stands and unless it is materially
modified it probably could not pass
No Currency LegisIation.
Currency legislation will be talked
about, but it probably will not be en-
acted. The Aldrich bill, the Nelson
bill. the Fowler bill and the Hill bill.
as well as a number of others, are
pending before committees, but no one
has shown any particular desire to
have them passed. In fact, one meas
ure is antagOnistic to another, and,
with no apparent danger to the finan-
ces OF the country, those who are not
experts in the matter of currency law
cannot be induced to push these meas
ures forward to the exclusion of other
business.
Reduced representation in southern
states which have by one form or an
other disfranchised negroes will be
theme OF discussion. but not action,
during the winter. The republican ma
tional platform is interpreted by some
OF the more radical members of the
party to call for such reduction and
they will go at the subject from the
beginning. II is well understood that
to bring about anything like reduc-
ed representation would require much
more time than a three months ses-
sion OF congress which expires by limi-
tation.
NO doubt number of bills to pro.
hibit or control campaign contribu-
tlens Will be presented. as that matter
became an issue at the close of the
recent campaign. Just how ii can be
reached is yet to be ascertained as
there are so many ways in which
Efr6 he
The trusts will receive attention. at
least in debate, although some doubt
is expressed about any effective legis- |
lation being passed Following a cam
paign in which the trusts were made |
a vital issue, il is natural to expect |
that there must be a great deal of talk |
on the subject whenever there is an |
Railroads VIII Fight Il.
Interstate commerce legislation. in
some form or another, is always pend.
ing in congress, and there may be an
effort to enlarge the powers of the |
Interstate commerce commission SO as
TO allow il to fix rates. Railroad in y
terests have and will continue to op- 4
pose this measure. Another pending Il
measure is to permit pooling, and this Il
IS opposed by the shippers. With SO
riuch contention there is little pros
pect that anything will be done. A
ill to amend the law for the safety
,f employees of railroads has been re-
ported and it is expected that it will
,ass
a bill which has agitated congress
Or number of years providing for
light hours work daily. on all gov
'rnment contracts. no doubt Will be re-
'orted from the senate committee on
abor. which has given much time
o hearings A bill of similar charac-
er was lost in the last congress by
eing crowded out by other business.
The same fate may await this meas
re, should il be reported from the