Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-01-03
WORK FOR CONGRESS
Unfinished Business That Will
Require Attention.
SHIP SUBSIDY WILL BE PRESSED.

No Prospect of Tariff eform or Cur
rency Legislation-Late Elections
Have Christening Effect on Re-
publicans-Many Reform Measures
Being Discussed.
Congress finds itself with a formida-
BILE list Of unfinished business on it's
hands that, with the appropriation
bills, will fully occupy it's time until
March 4 without attempting any of the
new measures that have been recon-
mended by the president. AS the stand
patters will have entire control, there
will OF course lie no consideration of
pending bills for tariff revision. al
though the Christening effect of the de-
feat of many Republican members on
that issue and the great reduction Of
the majority by which nearly all Of
them We're elected will cause many to
pause in their extreme stand pat atti-
tude. The list of unfinished business is:
immigration restriction Gin confer
ence).
Santo Domingo treaty.
Isle of Pines treaty.
Decision in Senator Shoots case.
Campaign fund publicity.
Prohibiting corporations to contrib
ute to campaign fund.
Ship subsidy.
To make Porto Ricans United States
citizens.
: Reduction of tariff on products of
Philippines.
United States to w it's embassies
and legations abroad.
To build government powder fac
tory.
Appalachian and White mountain
forest reserves.
Copyright revision.
Modification Of Chinese exclusion
law.
Prescribing p%unishments on high
seas.
Codification Of revised statutes.
Navy to have biggest battleship
afoat. g
Removal of customs duty on works
of art.
Swamp reclamation similar to irriga-
ton statute.
Cable to Guantanamo and canal zone.
Anti-injunction bill.
Eight hour law.
Nominations Of isthmian canal COM
missioners.
Army and navy dental surgeon corps.
Increase of artillery corps.
To punish improper use of stars and
stripes.
Retirement of superannuated federal
clerks.
To establish postal savings banks
and parcels post.
Limiting working hours of railway
employees.
OF these measures there will be but
few bills that will be brought to a vote,
and the Smoot case, the Santo Domingo
treaty and the reduction Of Philippine
tariff will be ample to occupy all the
time the senate can spare from the
consideration and passage Of the nee,
essary appropriation bills.
In the house legislation depends up
on the will Of the speaker, and any bill
he approves can be put through in
short order, and such as he is opposed
to is hardly likely to be considered.
His opposition to the ship subsidy bill
at the last session prevented It's report
from the committee, and unless Speak
er Cannon has changed his mind a ia
vorable report and a special rule for
it's consideration will be impossible In
spite Of the efforts of the steamship
trust and other predatory interests to
have the bill brought to a vote. 1t Is
quite possible that there will be enough
Gratis to defeat the bill in any cast on
similar lines to the division Of the com
mittee, which is exactly evenly divided.
Another matter that looms up for
the consideration of congress is the
currency bill proposed by the Wall
street and other bankers. 1t is a sub.
ject which the majority of congress
will be very loath to deal with, SO it is
quite probable no such law will be
passed at this session. Such great
measures as III income tax or an in.
heritance tax will require long and Sc.
rious consideration and therefore will
not be seriously attempted.
The fact that many reform measures
are being discussed by Republican
members indicates that the result OF
the election in several states showing q
general trend toward Democracy may
have a useful effect in influencing Re.
publican votes toward more liberal leg.
islation in. the interest of the great
mass Of the people. The old Republic
an leaders, however, are still just as
Arm stand patters in sentiment, and
no reform that will prevent the trusts
and corporations from plundering the
people will willingly receive their sane.
ton.
Congregational Spelling.
There are indications of a fractional
fight among the Republican members