Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-12-06
Many Questions of Great Importance
Are Expected to Receive Consider
Enthusiastically May Force Tariff
Issue to the Front.

dous amount of work ahead for the ma
tional lawmakers.
Both houses were called to order at
noon. After some perfunctory work
adjournment was taken to await the
Presidents annual message on Tues
day. In the House there was practi-
cally nothing on the first days pro-
gram, aside from the swearing in of
new members who had been elected TO
fill vacancies. Four members have died
since the adjournment in June, and
resolutions were adopted and adjourn
ment taken out of respect to their
memory before the regular routine was
begun. The Senate was ready to go
ahead from where it left off five
months ago.
Important issues which are to COM
mand the attention of Congress are the
following:
Inheritance tax on big fortunes.
Regulations of corporations
Divorce question.
Race question.
Cuban problem.
Japanese question.
Currency reform.
Safeguarding of coal lands.
Philippine tariff bill.
Ship subsidy question.
Campaign contributions.
Postal savings banks and parcel post.
Child labor prohibition.
Anti-injunction bill.
Government powder factories.
There is Il strong probability thet
river and harbOr bill CARRYING about
$G0,0OO,000 will go through. The only
obstacle will be possible opposition Of
the Senate should the advocates of the
ship subsidy measure in that body de-
mand that it stand or fall with the
river and harbOr bill.
The administration earnestly desires
the enactment Of the House bill re-
ducing the tariffs on Philippine sugar,
tobacco and rice to p per cent of the
Dingley rates, and admitting free all
other Philippine products. The Senate
held the measure up in the last ses-
sion. If the subsidy advocates in the
Senate have their way. they will sup
port the Philippine tariff bill and the
river and harbOr measure, which is to
contain Il provision inaugurating the
proposed deep waterway from the lakes
to the gulf
The SmOot case is tc. be argued in the
Senate and a vote had if possible.
The Santo Domingo treaty, hanging
fire for two years, will also receive the
attention of the Senators, together with
the Isle of Pines treaty.
The eight-hOur and anti-injunction
ganized labor. prompted the American
Federation of Labor'S recent excursion
into the political field, will come up
for discussion during the session. The
eight-hOur bill has been favorably re-
ported by the House Committee on
Labor. Speaker Cannon's opposition
has prevented it from Being placed be-
fore the House. The anti-injunction
measure which President Roosevelt has
promised the labor people he will per-
sOnally consider, is awaiting action at
the hands of the judiciary Committee
of the House.
The creation of an elastic currency to
meet the demands of the bankers and
prevent panicky conditions, owing to
periodical stringency in the money mar
ket will also be discussed.
The measure making more stringent
the regula tons governing the admission
of aliens into this country will I'M
doubtedly become law.
The question of bigger battleships
will be one of the most important ques-
tions to be decided. The Navy Depart
ment has prepared plans for a warship
to surpass the English Dreadnaught,
but the question of embarking upon
such a policy was left at the last ses-
sion to be determined at this one.
There promises to be further agita-
ton of Cuban independence.
There may be congressional inves-
tigation of the government printing
office owing to the bitter personal diff
ferences which appear to have deyel-
oped between the public printer and
several thousand employees. Incidental
Iy the matter of President RcOsevelts
simplified spelling order will come up.
President Roosevelt will send a spe-
cial message to Congress relating to the
Panama canal.
Postal reforms in the matter of sec
ond-class mail matter will be discussed
and Their: will be the usual fight over
the subsidy paid to the Southern Rail-
road Company for its fast mail train
from Washington to New Orleans.
There will be heard occasionally the
voice of the tariff revisionist. He was
prominent in the speaking program of
the last session and has not yet worn
ont his arguments or his voice. The
wise ones say. however, that there will
be nothing doing"
The proposed restriction Of japanese
immigration. advocated by Pacific
coast members, will come before the
House.
Henrik Sienkiewicz, the Polish novel
ist. has sent to British and French news
nauers an open letter to Emperor William