Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-03-16


close not later than the middle of April.
Strange TO say, the Democrats are in full
accord with the present arrangements
and are not doing anything to retard leg
islation and little to make political capi
tai out of what is transpirug.
The early adjournment slogan means
death TO practically all pending legisla-
ton of a public nature. Already the
proper committees have officially declar-
ed against the introduction at this SEES
sion of both rivers and harbors and
lubiic buildings bill. Some OF these items
WI be included in the sundry civil bill,
which will be one OF the last TO come be-
fore the House. Already the appropria-
ton bills have made astonishing pro
grcss due in a large degree to Speaker
Cannon. who has directed the commit
tee work, with a view to expcditing pub
lie business. The appropriation bills for
the civil establishment. foreign inter
course. military establishment. pensions,
agriculture and urgent deficiency have
already passed the House, as also the
naval establishment bill. which was sent
to the Senate last week The Indian
affairs and postal appropriation bills are
ready to report Then will follow the
sundry civil bill. the District Of Colum-
bia bill and another deficiency hill and
the work Of the lower house will be
done.
In the Senate the Panama treaty has
occur ied much time, hut the foreign in
terconrse bill has already passed and the
remaining appropriation bills will follow
in short order. Long appropriation bills
hor-
within an hour after they reach final
reading.
Tariff and Finance to Wait.
No bills on finance or tariff will see the
light Of day this session if the present
policy is adhered TO- The cood-roads
project is dead. and it is doubtful il eth
er of the big labor bills--the eight-hour
law and the Grosvenor anti-injunction
and nnti-cnngpiracy bill--will get farther
than the House calendar. if as far Early
adjournment viii play havoc with such
bills as require earnest consideration in
committee and upon the floor Of either
house.
Speaker Cannon has had the hearty
cooperation of the Senators in his meth
DDS of hurrying up the business of the
house. and the promise has been made
that the upper house will do its share
toward clearing up its calendar. Speaker
| Cannon has introduced new methods, I'M
/ der the unanimous consent rule, of dis
/ posing of bills for claims against the gov.
/ eminent. and upon its first application nc
| less than 800 bills were disposed Of with,
/ in a comparatively short time and hall
/ the legislative day was saved for the
/ consideration of other business. The
/ new plan is that OF passing such meas
ures en- bloc, merely reading the title
/ of the bills and passing the whole by
one vote. When understood by the
| House it met with hearty approval from
I the members.
The one piece of prospective legislation
which shows any signs of life at all
seems to be the service pension bill, for
which veterans OF the Civil War are
united in a clamor for its passage. At
first the powers that be were inclined to
| favor the passage Of such a measure,
| carrying with it pension for nearly all
the soldiers who saw service in that war
and adding to the pension list an appr0-
| priation of S20,000,000 annually. There
are many amendments pending to such a
bill. such as limiting the payment OF
pensions to all veterans over G5 years Of
age who care to apply for it. A CON
ference on this project will probably be
held between the Senate an1 House lead
ers. but it is doubtful if tie upper house
will consent to such a Measure at this
session.
1t is probable also HAT the Senate
committee on postof4'c' aud postroads
will vote down the pending resolution TO
investigate the po,tofiice scandal, II
has even been suggested that the comi-
nation OF Gen. Leonard Wood to be n
major general be allowed to go over until
the next session. the President in the
meantime TO continue him in Office by a
recess appointment. There can be no
doubt of the hurry Of the Legislators to
get away from Washington and the mac
tivity of the Democrats makes it almost
certain shat no new political issues are
to be created before the opening Of the
national campaign.