The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-05-23
Enactments Few Despite
Importance Of Problems
on Which Action Was
Demanded.
APPROPRIATIONS A RECORD
Emergency Currency Bill the
Big Question from Opening
to Close-Actual Re-
suits Accom-
plished.

washington, May Z2.-LeglslatlVe
problems presented to the present con-
sIgress for solution, but unanswered, so
" outnumber the actual results"
IT they may affc;d justification of
\ he charge In the approaching cam
paign that the present has been do.
nothing session. More important
questions were presented and discussed
on which the pubic generally, or sec
tions or classes demanded action than
ever before In the nations history. 4
majority of these were Of President
Eoosevelts making. and listed among
his policies" Comparatively, the
ensctments were few. On the other
hand, the aggregate of the appropria-
lions was great and when the final fig
nres are sbbtainable 1t Is not doubted
that they will exceed those Of any pre-
yious session In times Of peace.
Conspicuous above al other ques-
tions with which congress dealt, was
the effort to pass an emergency cur
rency bill 1t was hardest to meet and
It did more to delay adjournment than
any other measure. The senate and
house failed to agree and commission
Of senator's and representatives In con-
gless, whose duty 1t shall be to study
the subject and report at the next
session, was decided upon
Numerous bills affecting labor were
considered by both senate and house
In the form In which the bills were
presented organized labor was not
heartily behind them, and questions
concerning the constitutionality Of
many of the measures In the light OF
recent decisions by the supreme court
Of the United States, raised other bar
rers. 1t Is conceded that more legisla-
lion would have resulted had II not
peen for the pending national elections.
There was evolved new employers
liability law to take the place Of that
declared unconstitutional by the su-
preme court and there Is bill pend
ing providing for the compensation OF
government employees in hazardous oc-
,upations who are injured In line of
duty. Other matters OF equal or great
er Importance to organized labor failed
These include an anti-injunction law;
provision for the exemption OF organ
zed labor from the treble penalty
clause of the Sherman antitrust law
and other amendments to relieve labor
unions from the operations of this law.
Some of the striking things urged up
pn congress by President Roosevelt
other than those already mentioned
and which were not enacted, resulted ir
compromises. For instance, he wanted
national child labor law. He also
asked for the enactment OF law regu,
Iating child labor In the District Of Col.
umbia and the territories, and the lat.
Ter bill was passed.
An appropriation was made for the
I construction Of two battleships and thu
policy of authorizing two each veal
was announced by republican leaders
which was generally regarded as con
,ession to the presidents enlarged
naval program.
Resolutions were adopted in the
,enate authorizing the committee or
ways and means, to conduct Ndividua
investigation on the tariff. These
committees are empowered to amplo,
,uch experts as they need.
Several measures were recommend
I'd which were designed u place
created power In the hands Of tn,
interstate commerce commission II
he matter of regulating iaiiroat
rates Among these was a propose
that the commission proceed to as
certain the physical valuation Of rail
roads; that the commission be giver
.he power to suspend Increases II
railroad rates pending an invcsriga
lion of the justice Of such advances
FLOWING railroads to make poolint
agreements and number of othe
questions involving the regulation q
interstate commerce, None Of hes
pills was passed, but a substantial
victory for the commission vas woi
IN the appropriation of s350,0O0 TO
he establishment of statistical anC
accounting department Of the com
mission.
An effort was made and still Is II
progress In the senate to suspend tn
,peration of the commodities claus
u the Hepburn railroad rate act un
Al January 1, 1910, but there has beeI
40 general sentiment In either bod
demanding this legislation in the IN
Arrest OF railroads which own mine
Ind manufacturing establishments
Some general revision of the Sher
man antitrust law In the interest O
both capital and labor was demande
md a bill was presented by the Ma
Honal Civic Federation. Samue
5ompers, president Of the America
Federation of Labor did not TAX
| Kindly to 1t. After 1t became evider
that II stood no chance Of passage,
movement was begun for the ar
pointment Of a commission to consid
or such legislation during the reces
Of congress, but this met with no er
couragement,
n The question of conserving the mai
resources was before the sessio
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