The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-03-02
coed WORK
Congress Has Wasted It's Sub
stance In Riotous Taking.
PRESIDENTS VIEWS IGNORED.
immigration Bill and La FOIissts's
Railroad Labor Regulation About the
Only Important Measures Passed.
Lobby Worked Overtime.
BY CHARLES W. ARTHUR.

by GdAhLES w. ARTHUR.
| Washington. March 2.-[ Specialize
Is quite obvious that when the second
session of the Fifty-ninth congress adj
journs at noon on Monday next it will
have done little which deserves the
commentator Of the public. Practical
~ all of the important legislation OF
the congress was enacted by the first
session, and even it left many good
bills unpassed and passed many bad
bills. OF the few important measures
finally made into laws by the present
session the immigration bill is the most
prominent. 1t is doubtful IL even it
would have been finally acted on had
1t not been for the chance to settle the
Japanese disagreement by such action.
A really meritorious measure which
has passed both houses is that fathered
by Senator La Toilette limiting the
number of hours railway companies
may keep their employees on duty.
This would not have gone through in
the proper form had 1t not been back
ed by public opinion and had not Pres
ident Roosevelt threatened to veto 1t
II It came to him framed as at one time
the dominant party in the house, Yield
ing to the persuaslons Of railway rep
resentatiyes, desired to have 1t framed.
Many Good Bills Fail.
Many meritorious and important
measures, most of which were recon-
mended by the president either in his
annual message or in some Of the nu-
merous special messages he has sent
TO the lawmakers since they convened
last December, have been given no
consideration whatever. Among these
are the bills providing for publicity of
campaign contributions and expendi-
lures, citizenship for the people Of
Porto Rico, revision of the present in
adequate copyright laws, removal of
duty on works of art, conservation of
mineral lands owned by the govern
msnt, prohibition against the shipping
of liquor into local option districts,
fairer method of paying the railroads
for transporting the mails, so that the
millions of dollars now overpaid to
the roads may be saved the public.
and, finally, prohibiting child labor IN
factories and mines.
Special Interests Responsible.
There can be little or no legitimate
objection TO any of these bills. and the
opinion is Inevitable that special in
terests" have been responsible for
their failure. Then, too, number of
other bills of Importance concerning
which congress has been unable to
agree will lapse with the end of the
session. Among these are the Philip
pines tariff bill, providing for a fur
Their reduction In the customs duties
on articles imported to the United
States from the Philippine Islands; the
! eight hour bill, the anti.injunction bill
and several others favored by the la
Dor unions Of the country. Nothing
has been done toward releasing the
District Of Columbia from the grasp OF
the gas monopoly which has dominat-
ed here for many years as result OF
the fact that the company has power
tul friends in congress. However, the
gas company hereafter will be COM
PEELED to submit a sworn statement Of
Its receipts and expenditures to con.
gress annually. Heretofore It has not
even been compelled to do that. but.
on the contrary, has been permitted to
carry on Its questionable operations
under cover.
Much Time Wasted.
OF course excuses will be made for
the failure OF the lawmakers to do any.
thing more than pass the approprla.
don bills and a few others at the short
session, but no such excuses will an.
peal to those who ere on the ground
and acquainted with tie situation. II
. a notorious fac. that both houses
have wasted much time which could
have been devoted to legislation AFFECT
Ing the welfare of the public. The
senate, for instance, debated the
Brownsville riot resolution for a
month. OF course the question Of
whether the colored soldiers had been
given a square deaI' or not was In.
voiysd. but every well Informed per
son knows that had the discharged sol.
@hSAs OuNh WAltE AlIlG OF no attention
would have been paid to the incident
BY the lawmakers. The circumstance
hat they were negroes opened the way
b the playing Of all sorts Of politics.
and the fullest advantage was taken
II the opportunity thus offered. In the
meantime the public suffered.
The Salary Increase.
In addition to the matters here re.
terred to, congress did one thing more
which will tend Inevitably to lessen
the esteem in which IT is held by the
people Of the country. 1t raised the
salaries Of its own members so per
sent yet has consistently failed and
refused to Increase the pay OF other
persons in the government service on
whom the effect Of the higher cost Of
living Is even more marked than ON
the lawmakers. A new classification
u postal clerks and carriers. which
will result In more pay for them. is
IA