The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1906-03-23
ROOSEVELT AND SENATE
Not at Outs as Reported and
Popularity Believed.
PRAISE PURE FOOD BILL.
Senator Hepburn Receives Many
Nice Letters.

From the constant stream or letters
that have been pouring into Senator
Heyburn's Office since the passage Of
the Pure Food Bill congratulating
him on the splendid fight he has
made in behalf of the purity of foods
and drugs-it would seem that the
whole country is in hearty accord
with the provisions of the bill. The
following is an extract from letter
to Senator Hepburn by the chairman
of the American Medical Association,
comprising practically all the physi-
clans in the United States, and is a
fair sample Of the letters being re-
ceived by him: son behalf of the
American MEDICAL Association 1 de-
sire to extend to you their hearty
appreciation, not only of your noble
championship of the Pure Food &
Drug Bill which recently passed the
Senate, but for your splendid initia-
tive in fostering measure Of such
inestimable value to the health and
welfare of the American people,"
Although "Uncle Joe" Cannon is
declaring with characteristic vigor
that the House will not recede from
its position on the Statehood Bill it
is thought that it will finally agree
to the Senate amendments striking
out Arizona and New Mexico-and
permit Oklahoma and Indian Terri :
tory to be joined and admitted as a
State.
In this connection it may be said
that the popular belief that the Sem
ate is untriendly to the Presidents
measures is much overdrawn. 1t is
true that the Senate has done moth
ing with the Santo Domingo treaty,
but as the Democrats are solidly
against the treaty, there is nothing
to be gained by passing the treaty to
certain defeat. AS to the Philip
pine Tariff Bill it was beaten by the
Beet sugar and tobacco interests with
out any reference to the President,
and because it was thought to be
detrimental to these two great pro
ducts. The rate bill has been &C
cepted in the Senate as drawn by
Dolliyer under the inspiration Of the
President. And while some slight
changes in the legal aspect of the
bill will be made, the principle will
be preserved, and it Is predicted by
leading men on both sides Of the
Chamber that the bill will be passed
practically as introduced.
On these measures of vital impor-
tance to the country the Senate is
performing the work that should have
been done by the House. If the
House of Representatives actually
performed its constitutional duties
and functions by carefully consider
ing, and independently passing bills
in response to genuine popular de-
mand, the Senate would not have
the disagreeable work OF tearing tC
pieces the important bills that come
to it from the House and in so doing
apparently deliberately administer
rebuffs to the President and tht
House. But the House, under th'
gag rule of the Speaker and the Com
mittee on rules, did not permit tn,
consideration of the Statehood Bill
as well as other important measures
There was no opportunity for amend
ment, for deliberation or for popula
expression. The Senate, of course
has the right to make such amend
ments as it deems wise, and In s.
doing it does not necessarily take tn
position of being anti-administration
Senator Heyburn's forest reserv
bill has not been reported by tn
Committee to the Senate, and it |
likely that 1t will be several days be
fore report is made upon it. Th
Committee on Forestry which ha
the bill Under consideration will hav
several hearings before final action
taken. 1t is understood that Senate
Hepburn intends to appear before tn
Committee and make an argument i
support of his bill. The report sen
out from here aud published in sum