Middletown transcript., 1908-05-09
WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, d. c., May I'd, 1905.

! WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, d. c., May I'd, 1908.
A bill curtailing the power of the Fed
- eral courts in issuing iDiunctions was
introduced in Congress this week by Rep.
resentative Serene E. Payne of New York,
Republican floor leader of the House,
and the presumption is that this measure
reflects the sentiment OF the Republican
leaders of the House. There is little
doubt that Mr.. Payne introduced it at
the urgent request of a number of Repub-
licans who have been made uneasy by
the menacing attitude assumed by repre-
sentatives of organized labor. While the
bill falls short of the kind which orga-
nized labor has been demanding for
sometime, it is along the line of the rec
ommendation made repeatedly by the
President in his special messages to Con-
gress. Mr.. Payne's bill provides that
hereafter no preliminary injunction or re-
straining order shall be granted by any
judge or court without notice to the party
sought to be enjoined or restrained, un-
less it shall appear to the satisfaction OF
the court or judge to whom application is
made that its immediate issue is necessary
TO prevent irreparable damage; and that
the order shall contain the rule on the op-
posing party to show cause within five
days why the order should not be is
sued."
~
There are some indications that Speaker
Cannon's power in the House is some
what on the wane and that he is no longer
to be permitted to carry things with that
high handedness which has characterized
his rule up to the present time. A prom
inent Republican leader declared that
movement is on foot, backed by between
thirty and forty Republicans, to refuse
consent to the passage of any financial
bill at this session until they have been
given pledge that something will be
done toward putting wood pulp on the
free list.
~
II the action taken by the Senate Com
mittee on Commerce this week is any in
dication OF the sentiment prevailing in the
Senate, little consideration will be given
to the recommendation of the President
tlat permits to dam and otherwise inter-
fsre with the waters OF navigable streams
should be charged for by the Federal
government and made a source of
revenue. The proposition to amend the
bill, in line with the Presidents recon-
mendations, was defeated in committee
by vote of to- 8, and while there was
barely majority of the committee in at
tendance and the vote is not fnality,
the impression prevails that it represents
the view of the majority. Senator Nelson
submitted an elaborate brief in which he
took the ground that such a provision as
desired by the President would deprive
the States and riparian land owners of all
rights to the use OF water now guaranteed
by law, and concentrate their disposal
and control in the Federal government.
~
Speaker Cannon has made a statement
explaining that no affront to President
Roosevelt was intended in the failure Of
the House of Representatives to receive
the special message which be sent to Con.
gress late on Monday afternoon.
~
The House of Representatives has
placed itself ON record as favoring an in
yestigation of the books of all interstate
railroad companies in the country, to de.
termine whether they are conducting
their business in accordance with Federal
law. This is quite victory for President
Roosevelt who has urged upon many rep
resentatives the necessity of this work and
OF making liberal appropriation for the
employment of inspectors to conduct the
examination of books. The House voted
to appropriate $35O,OO0 for the purpose,
overturning the action of the Committee
on Appropriations which had insisted |
that $4,000 was sufficient to begin the
work.
~
The many friends OF Secretary Taft are |
much gratifed that Senator Lodge has re-
ceived the proxy of Henry B. Mccoy,
national Republican committeeman for
the Philippines, and, therefore, will sit |
with the committee at its long meeting in
Chicago, when it will consider the con-
tests filed with the Secretary. The Ma
tioual Committee includes large major
ity Of men of too great probity to.render,
knowingly, an unjust decision on any
which it may be called upon
to settle, and the friends of Secretary Taft
are confident that their candidate will re-
ceive absolutely fair play, but they be-
lieye that in the probing of any tangled
cases which may be presented and in
bringing out all the saIients points the
services of Mr.. Lodge will be invaluable.
~
The United States will be officially
by Vice-President Fairbanks
at Quebec, Canada, during the visit there
If the Prince of Wales July 22d to 29th,
IN the occasion of the celebration of the
anniversary of the ar.
.ival of Champlain. This government
will be represented, also, at these cere-
monies, by man-of-war, the new battle
hip New Hampshire, under command of
Capt. G. MGR. Winslow.