Middletown transcript., 1904-12-17
WASHINGTON LETTER

se OOhsi esS, hidt IL VIII 10 anu WnaL j
ss cannot do IA the want of time. A com
d mittee OF l, publican Senators has held |
% meeting a..d decided that general legisla'
3 ton for this session of Congress must bl
,e confined to the Statehood and Philippinj
is bills. 1t this resolution is maintained
it many pet schemes will go over until
It next December, including the bills for
). the proposed new apportionment of Re-
It presentatives on account of Southern dis
reimbursement; and the Cooper-Quarles
:, bill which would give the Interstate
Commerce Commission power to regulate
railroad rates and fairs. The President
:, claims the sole responsibility for having
!, recommended this enlargement of the
powers OF the Commission. A hearing
upon this bill began yesterday. The
representatives. of the Shippers Associat
a strong Western organization, were
sent and in favor of the bill. Mr..
burn remarked that so august boz
the Supreme Court had decided
could not pass upon the reason
a rate fixture. The inferep
the Interstate Commission
what the Supreme C,x
If Congress apa
recommendation
service of all r
certainif il it
kind of brak
ling order, it
spectors will
freight cars,
$4,000 enginesl
pioyment to a va
cause some travelling ERE
is to be a Federal inqt9 accidents
where there has been a ldD!o5f life, there |
must be, at the present rate of slaughter,
some 5000 inqnests annually. Add to |
this inspectors for the proposed block |
signal service, and small army of men
will be required to keep the railroads safe
and sound. Bnt as many great railways
have Senators in Congress these PROPOSE
tions will hardly be enacted into laws
Immediately, although it is certain that
the people approve of their spirit.
~
After brief session the Senate ad-
journed on the 9TH until the 18th. 1t is
announced that the holiday recess will
begin on the 18th and last until the 5th
of January. The Philippine government
bill will come up in the Senate for vote
on the 10Th. From the fact that Senator .
Platt OF New York, and Representatives
Crumpacker OF Indiana and Morrell of
Penna., have each introduced bills into
Congress for the redustion of representa-
ton fromth bern States. in proper
'tion 10 the disnanchisenAshft of male
citizens .21 years OF age, it is apparent
that determined effort will be made to
effect such an arrangement. Long and
bitter opposition may be expected, and
if it threatens to hinder needed legisla-
ton, the whole matter must go over to
the next Congress. Thus far the Presi-
dent has taken no part in the agitation,
and efforts to draw him out have failed.
The Senate agrees with the House that it
will be wise to keep the appropriations 7
down to the lowest practicable rate
Senator Allison foresees that means must
be provided for the protection of the re- l
serve fund after the first of next July.
Conditions are such, he remarks that
appropriations should be
made for new battle ships, river and har- G
Dor Improvements, and public buildings
~
Legislation for the week has been con-
fined to the Legislative Appropriation 7
bill, which includes provisions for the
Judiciary, the White House, a number of A
the departments. Congress and the Lii
brary. The bill makes pamphlet of G
15a pages, filled with a catalogue of the
items for salaries and sundry expenses.
1t passed the House late last night after g
being cut down largely. While it was
being considered Thursday, the usual
attack was made upon the Civil Service
with excitement on both
sides of the House, and the opposition
was strong enough to defeat PROPOSE g
ton to increase the salary of the Secre- a.
tary of the Commission. The Congress II
sional library was also up for criticism, u
as being very costly institution and not az
as economically conducted as it might be- al
One of the items for the library is $780, fe
300 for the purchase of more books and m
the travelling expenses of the gentlemen W
who go abroad to buy them. The tt
Library is already crowded with books, fr
some &C, 600 having been added the past dt
year, and the building, large and magni- tt
fcent as tits, has acquired the reputation
If being too small. The whole appro-
,riation ior the Library aggregates $780, dl
100, said to be the largest sum given to sa
my similar Institution in the world. dl
~ pa
Next week, when Secretary Taft returns hi
rom Panama, he will, at the request of be
he President, take up the case of the m
Widows and dependents of soldiers in nj
who for many years have vi
,een making soldiers uniforms, but who til
re now deprived of the work by con- =
ractors. An exhaustive study of the
Whole question is desired. The Quarter
master Gen. is in favor Of the contractors
nut the President would gladly give the
work to the poor women if tine statutes
ilcw him 10 do SO. Tile contractors bid
0 make the kersey trousers worn by
,ldiers for thirty seven and one-half
euts pair. The women used to get rs
ents for the same work II appears that
ut Of &C, 900 garments made last year by
be seanstresses only II were rejected,
ihile . much lArgsr cent Of the con-
ract work was rejec| Anpon the first