The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-03

* 8B8 81 q za
employees OF railroads has been reported,
and it is expected that It will pass.
A bill which has agitated Congress for
1lumbdr Of years, providing for eight
hours work only, on all government co1'
tracts no doubt will DO reported from
the Senate Committee on Laoor, when =,
has given much time TO hearings a BILL
Of similar character was lost In the last
Congress by being crowded out by other
business The same fate may await this
measure should It be reported from the
commi ttee IA " y 5}.
Senator Hepburn. OF Idaho. has given
notice that he will call up the pure 1000
bill during the first week OF the session,
and the friends OF the measure hope to
have it passed But theros strong opro-
sition, which will take advantage OF the
Senate rules to attempt Il to defeat me
measure by delay. 64 IS ii S5.3} s,
"a measure which created q great deal OF
int crest in the last session and .Whlc IN no
doubt will cause consl detable dlscu ss 81
IL 1t comes up again, Is q bill provldlns
for several large camp sites IN dlnerene
sections OF the country, FOR or. me use %. OF
the regular army and militia Tor driil
pu rposcs. The localities most likely 70
get the sites IL the bill becomes O law
are energetically pushing It to the front,
While disappointed rivals are opposing It.
New Buildings.
Senator Fairbanks. who has only three
months to serve as a senator before ne
becomes vice-President, and who. as
chairman 90 the Committee on Public
! Buildings and Grounds, has endeavored
to secure a bill providing a building for
! the Departments OF State, Justice and
| Commerce and Labor, will try to bring
about favorable actIon on the bill IN the
ninety days he IS to remain national
legislator. There are other public build.
ing bills pending, but At Is not expected
any general omnibus bill Will be pusih'eed1 az
this session.
IRRIGATION has become permanent legis-
latIye topic. interviewer closely with the
nublio land ollesth on, it has resulted in
setting two house committees by the ears
ana creating a wide difference OF opinion
among senators from Western States.
Several measures intended as amend
ments to the Irrigation law have been
suggested and are before Congress.
the Western men were united they no
doubt could secure some legislation, but
being divided, 1t is quite likely that
nothing will be done. 8 !:aFtsS 65s. 5il}
Two years ago, in the long session Of
Congress, a river and larbor appro pritl-
tions bill was passed. but It was on1itte e
in the session which ended last a Pril.
1T is the intention to pass a. bill at this
session and the men having 1t in charge,
remembering that four years ago senator
Carter, OF Montana talked q river and
harbor bill to death, will make every
effort to have It presented early anu
gotten out of the way OF another such
contingency.
A number Of bills for Alaska have come
over from tile last session. the most I'M
sportant being those providing for q dele
gate from the territory and for govern
mental aid in building roads. Both met
with serious opposition last session. and
there is no intimation that there mas
been a change Of sentiment during the
recess. 33
Bills to reorgunize tho consular SER
vice llavc been reported to both houses,
but so far they have not been popular
enough to secure O. majority vote IN either
body. y,
It is not yet known whether there VIII
be any legislation relating to the Panama
Canal, although 1t may be necessary When
Secretary Taft makes q report OF MS per-
sonal investigation Of conditions IN the
canal zone. f 4, j
AS usual, the regular appropriation biils
will contain legislation that cannot get y
hearing In any other way, Notwlthstand-
ing the stringent rules against riders
on appropriation bills, the short session
is prolific with such riders for claim oil IS.
land legislation, and, In fact. all kinds or
measures that would faro badly II left 70
themselves
New Senators.
Among other bills Of public interest
pending III the Senate or House are the
following: Providing for the transpprtn-
ton or naval and other stores in Amerl-
can built ships for the protection or for-
est reserves and the creation or ndu|lloi'al
reserves; for the payment or S2D, wv 20 en-
Queen Lillcknlnni; to amend the act for
the suppression Of lottery trafllc;4to make
liquor Transported by interstate frame
subject to the laws OF tho state where
1t is sold,
IS Ono day during the morning session Will
be devoted to counting the electoral vote
cast for the President and Vice. President
The ballots of electors Of tho different
states are sent ia The President pro tens
pore Of the Senate, and on the second
Nyodnesdaysin February, tho Senate, With
the forty-Avo ballot boxes, ono from each
state, will proceed to tho House, canvass
the vote, and declare the result. 1t Is an
Interesting fact that although all ma
chinery Is 4proyidnd for the election OF u
president and Vice President. and for
the official canvass and declaration OF tue
vote, no provision is made for officially
notifying the men elected. Both Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Senator Fairbanks
viii have to take the proceedings OF tho
Joint session Of Congress as thcil nptih-
cation OF the result OF the recent election.
1.-Two senators are to take the oath Of
-Philander G., Knox the successor
of Senator Quay, from Pennsylvania. and
w, Murray Crane, the successor OF senar
tor Hoar. from Massachusetts,. both seats
having been made vacant by death since