The Washington herald., 1906-11-26

Influential Senators now coming to
town speak about fine prospects for d
general striking Of hands, by which two
and perhaps three important matters OF
legislation can be disposed of at the ap-
preaching session OF Congress.
In return Cor the favor Of a big river
and harbor appropriation bill-mucn de-
sired by the States bordering on the Mis-
sissippi-the States along the Atlantic and
Pacific seaboards may win sufficient
votes 70 enact the ship subvention bin in
the House And il may happen that 4
trade can be arranged whereby the Phil
ippine tariff bill will pass the Senate.
An increasing surplus in the Treasury
will help the chances Of all three bills
Congress, for several reasons. is averse
to letting the surplus pile up I'm the vaults
Advocates Of the shipping bin are great
ly encouraged at the send-of il lad from
Secretary Root at the Trans Mississippi
Congress last week That speecn viii
spur the House Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries. which now has the
shipping bill under consideration. and viii
be enforced by a strong recommendation
in the Presidents message.
Subsidy bills have failed in the House
more than once, because the Republi-
can Representatives from Middle West
ern States have been lukewarm. In some
instances openly hostile A river and
ha-bor bill Of ample proportions for Mid
die Western communities may not entire
ly placate this opposition. but it will al
lay it to an extent that ,he ship subsidy
would be assured Of a safe majority
should Speaker Cannon once allow il 20
come before the House In times gone
by. the narrow Republican majority in
the House has made it hazardous to try
70 force a shipping bill through. That
Is not a factor now, however, when the
Republicans have margin OF 112 votes.
Depends on Cannon.
As the subsidy bill passed the senate
last session. it has only to be PASSED by
the House. That can be done expedi-
tiously IL the Speaker gives the word He
IS as susceptible 10 Tbs argument OF big
appropriations for the Mississippi VAL
ley. as IS the average Congressman for
his own locality Furthermore. the friends
of the shipping bill have been active in
organizing sentiment for this legislation
among shippers along the Great Lakes
and in the big cities of the Middle West.
II takes more time 10 pass in the SEN
ate a bilt that is opposed. Hence the
chances for the Philippine tariff bill.
which passed the House last winter and
was pigeonholed in the Senate Committee
on the Philippines. are not as good as the
chances for the shipping bill Senator
Lodge. chairman Of that committee. is
well aware that Senator Hale. who led
the opposition 20 the Philippine tariff
legislation. is very anxious that the ship
ping dill become a law at this session.
Much will depend upon the vigor of this
opposition among Democrats. Senators
Du Bois, Of Idaho. and Patterson. OF
Colorado. who. in behalf OF their beet
suger constituents. fought the Philippine
tariff bill relentlessly, have both been de-
feated for reelection. Republican legis-
latures have been chosen in their respec-
tive States. They have no immediate
political prospects and may be prevailed
upon 10 allow the bin to pass, If It can
be brought out Of the Philippine Com
mittee
Interest Centers I'm These Bills.
The interest of arriving Congressman
in the legislative work of the winter CEN
ters chiefly in maneuvers affecting these
bills. Occasionally il is suggested the
President may stir things by asking that
some measure to which he is committed
be disposed of at once. Some say he
might want a bill for an income tax or
for Federal licenses for corporations en-
acted by the House this winter. as a
preliminary step to completed legislation
by the next Congress.
That was a programme he followed two
years ago with the rairoad-rate bill.
which went through the House under
whip and spur. The lawyers of the
House, constituting ii considerable pOr-
tiOn Of its membership. could hardly be
brought to vote for an income-tax bill,
unless some plausible plan could be pre-
sented, materially different from the law
OF Cleveland's second administration.
W Whatever arguments may be advanced
many of these lawyers would be chary of
their professional regulations By voting
for law the highest judicial tribunal had
once nullided-
Defeated Members Apathetic.
Few other developments of interest.
however. are promised by the short ses-
sion Some members who We're defeated
in the recent elections viii not even come
TO Washington, and many of the others
who suffered a like fate will be inclined
10 apathy, rather than activity. as is US
Val ia such circumstances. Those who
nave been reelected will work as hard
rs ever, perhaps, but the general opinion
among the men in that class who have
already arrived in Washington is that
there will be no time 10 do anything but
pass the regular appropriation bills and
a river and harbOr BILL and consider the
most important features Of the mass OF
business left unfinished when the long
session adjourned. June 30. Little VIII 30
before adjournment for the
CONTINUED on FOURTH PAGE.