Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-23
COMMITTEES L0ADED!!'
Speaker Cannon Given Credit
of Being Greatest Of All
ReactiOnaries
CONGRESS TO DO NOTHING
Committees Expected to Piseonhole
Everything Of Importance That
Comes Up-House Members Sound
ed Before Being Given Assignments
President to Be Ignored.
CONGRESS TO DO NOTHING

Washington, Dec. l5.-- lsepupiica"
leaders of the two houses of congress
have adopted u policy of inaction for
the present session of congress. They
want the session to be unimportant as
the first session OF the fifty eighth con-
gress. which, opened four years ago.
and adjourned in April, and have laid
their wires accordingly.
None of the presidents recommends
lions cmbcdying his peculiar policies
is to be enacted into law. There pos
sibly may be some currency legis :
lation, althu this is uncertain, but be-
yond that no new question viii be
taken up
In the house Of representatives,
Speaker Cannon has come out without
disguise as "A rcactionary. The pro-
cess Of loading committees has
never been carried to greater lenSth
in the history of the American con-
gress, and no speaker tor genera
non has been ruthless and brutal IN
his treatment Of members, as witness
the way he rnarooned Representative
Davis OF Minnesota, and the omporlanl
house committees in this congress nave
been made up and worked over with
particular reference to whether men
desiring to serve on them would be in
line with the reactionary views Of the
speaker.
No River Improvement.
AS a result of this policy, much
bitterness exists on the floor, for many
men have had taste of what was
given Mr. Davis. They are sullen ana
inclined to talk of getting even.
In all probability, however, they WIZ
be kept in line for the present session.
for the republican leadership in con-
gress has always been wonderfully
efficient, hut should, a good opening
present itself. there will be all kinds
of insurgent movements.
1T may be stated emphatically that
there will be no legislation at this ses-
sion providing for an inland water
ways commission, no river and harbor
bill and probably no public buildins
bill There will be no Philippine tarili
no attempt to carry out
any Of the presidents ideas regarding
the conservatism. of natural resources,
nothing doing in the way of parcels
post or postal savings banks.
Examined Committeeman.
The house committees Whlch VIII
these and similar proposition,
have all been most carefully loaded
until even the speaker is satisfied with
the outlook AS showing how this;
loading business has been carried
on, the following story Of what nap
pened to Representative Washburn OF
the third Massachusetts district Is IN
point: Mr. Washburn wanted to be-
a member of the committee OF post
offices and post roads, hearing OF when
the speaker sent for him.
"How 10 you stand regarding the
postal savings bank and the parcels
post propositions of the postmaster
general?" asked the speaker.
We'll" replied Washburn, Il have
been studying both these questions
some, and find a good deal OF interest
In them in my district"
But are you for them?" demanded
the speaker.
well I hardly know. I haven't
gone far enough with my investiga-
ions to be able to say definitely
well unless you can say that you
Ire against them. you can't go on the
1ostoffice committee"
That ended the interview and when
he committees were announced Wash
BURN found himself on insular affairs
Routs Conservation Schemes.
The public lands committee will han
lie the majority of the bills having to
10 with the presidents policy Of con-
;ervation The new chairman of that
committee is Mondell of Wyoming,
Who represents the most radical oppo-
;ition to the policy, and is one Of the
lblest men in the house.
The ways and means committee has
,een "loaded" against Philippine tar
IF legislation. Two Of the new men or
he committee have between them six
cen of the sugar beet factories of this
- Fordney Of Michigan and
3onynga of Colorado.
The story of what the speaker did |
o. the agricultural committee. which
will consider part of the conservation
bills, has already been told in these
dispatches.
Three republicans We're taken from
he committee = Davis of Minnesota |
Henry of Connecticut and Lafean Of
'ennsy vania-because they were
snoWn to stand for the Roosevelt con-
ervation policies, more particularly I