Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-26
Summary Of the Fifty-Ninth Con


Summary Of the Fifty-Ninth Con
Sress.
The last day of the late congress
was of course the most important day.
Then the ship subsidy bill was killed
by being talked to death. And the
men who killed it made no bones about
their purpose TO accomplish its de-
structiOn in this fashion.
There is good and there is danger in
the possibility of killing a measure III
this way. The good comes from the
fact that it gives to the minority some
power over legislation, if the legisla-
ton is brought in so late in the ses-
sion that mere methods of delay can
defeat it, when the actual votes are in
its favor. The danger is that fac
tious minority might use this power
for evil.
The president recommended many
measures to this congress. Among the
important ones that were adopted are
these:
The pure food law. CThis came out
in sadly crippled condition.
The free alcohol bill.
The bill prohibiting corporation con-
tributions to federal campaign funds.
The bin giving the government the
right of appeal in criminal cases. This
was intended 10 do away with the legal
technicalities that gave immunity to
Chicago packers.
The general immigration and nat
uraliZation bills. These are expected
To cover the San Francisco difficulties
with Japan, although of course that ma
ton is not mentioned.
Some of the measures recommended
which failed to become laws are these:
Compulsory arbitration in labor dis
putes.
Eight hour law.
Child labor bill.
Graduated inheritance and income
taxes.
Citizenship to Porto Ricans, and the
naturalization of japanese.
The ship subsidy bin, killed by dem
ocratic opposition.
Free trade with the Philippines, slain
in the senate
The presidents public land policy
both respecting mineral lands and tim
Der lands failed of proper support in
either house or senate.
The partial success in the first SEES
sion of this congress of the railroad
rate bill and the meat inspection bill
needs now no explanation.
As to the Panama canal. the legisla-
ton concerning it has taken the form
of allowing the president to have his
way, and the sentiment at the capital
about it appears to be that his way will
be disastrous to him, if not to the pro
ject.
Some good measures slaughtered
were: Senator La Follette's bill bear
ing on the valuation of railroad prop
critics; to make the railroads liable ia
their employees for injuries due to de.
fective equipment and prohibiting a
judge owning stock or having other in.
terests in a railroad from passing upon
that railroads application for an in
state commerce commission.
The railroads further succeeded in
beating the endeavOT of democrats and
radical republicans, like La Toilette
to cut down the price paid them fol
carrying the mails.
Another bill originating with Mr.. La
Toilette fixing the hours OF work OF
railroad employees was amended out OF
any resemblance to its original pur
pose by the railroad lobby and stands
now as a victory for that organiza
ton.
SO much for the important affairs
done or not done by the 59th congress
Some things were killed that the coun
try would like to have seen passed
Some things were ignored that the
country might liked to have seer
enacted
With the single exception of taking
the tax off alcohol TO BE- used in the
arts, not one single measure was adopt
| ed, or even debated. that had for il:
purpose any reduction Cf taxation. n,
'"iih was lclI "HtlS-l! S'pCI at IHS ne
Ignning of the session. The stand pa
tiers stood pat and the only reason tina
some millions more Were not added t
| The amount necessary to meet the ap
preparations of this two billion dolla
congress was that there were men wht
dared to sand up and talk colossal an
preparation bills to death.