The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-04-04
STORIES OF
The Statesmen
Proceedings Of Legislators at
Washington.
AN ANECOO1E OF FAIRBANKS.
The Former Vice President Could En-
Joy a Joke Despite His Reputation
For Seriousncss-The Tunnels Be
tween the Capitol and the House and
Senate Offices.

! tween the Capitol and the House and
| Senate Offices.
| Washington. March ST. Special. j.
, Senator IicS burn of Idaho has again
| introduced The bill to purchase all OF
nue. between the capitol and the treas
| ury department. SO that the govern
mcMt may erect thereon the additional
! pu(,iit' buildings that are so badly
needed in Washington. This measure
has several times passed the senate,
but has dragged along in the house
| until there was not sufficient time to
consider ii property. II has not yet
been determined whether the senate
shall pass miscellaneous bills during
the extra session. That body is osten-
sibly Just loating along at present. tax
ing rcccSScs for three days at time
But very soon it will get down to
work. and Mr.. Hepburn is inclined to
press his measure then.
Proposed Extension Of Tunnels.
Tunnels We're built more than Il year
ago TO connect the senate and house
office buildings with the capitol. Now
it is proposed to extend these tunnels
$" that the three buildings shall also
have underground connection with the
new Union station and then 90 on to
the government printir" office. 1t fortu-
nately so happens that in making the
extensions the government will not
have to buy any additional land. as
the tunnels will run under the public
streets ar else under land already
owned. 1t will cost only $jOO.OOO to
carry out the plans and will not only
facilitate the handling Of the mails.
but be Invaluable in communica ting
rapidly with the government printing
office
Prospect For Lumber and Hides.
It is evident from Chairman P3yne:s
nat footed statements in the house dis
cnsSi"ns that he feels reasonably Ger.
tain that hides and lumber will stand
Just as the paragraphs were reported
ny the committee. He has warned
those who are trying to have the du-
ties on lumber restored that if they per
sfst in their efforts they may wake
up some fine morning and find that
this product has been placed abso-
lutely on the free list Free hides. he
Insists. are demanded by the country.
and he ridicules the idea that the
farmer gets any benefit from the pres
eht duty OH hides. His theory is that
if the tanning industry is given this
help and the duty on leather goods is
reduced as provided in the pending
bill the farmer will then truly be heneA
fitted
All Must Be on Hand
The house Republican leaders ap-
pear t" recognize the importance Of
keeping their men strictly on their
jobs when the tariff bill is to be con-
sidered under the five minute rule and
amendments favored by the majority
OF the ways and means committee are
to he voted upon AbscntceiSm caused
great deal Of trouble when the Nc
Kinley and Dingley bills were under
consideration in 1890 and in 1897 re-
spectively. While the late Thomas X.
Reed Of Maine was speaker he caused
some members who were absent with
out leave to he locked in their nav.
The understanding is that Speaker
Cannon and his lieutenants are lee
turing their party men and are in
sisting that they must remain in
for AT emergencies.
House Leaders Fix Possible Date.
The extra session Of congress which
was called by the late President Nc
kinley for the special purpose Of re-
vising the tariff in 1897, like the pres
ent one. started on March Is. The |
Dingley bill. which was then passed.
was introduced two days after con-
gress met. and it was passed on March |
81. The Payne bill was reported back |
On the 10Th Of March. and the Repub-
lean leaders now estimate that it will |
be passed about tile 18th Of April by
The house. At the start they are al
owing wide latitude for general de |,
,ate. with the understanding that IL
here is much Of disposition to fight
certain measures drastic rule will
)e brought in to shut down debate and
permit separate votes only on para
,raphs which the Republican man.
gers sanction.
Appreciated the Situation.
One day in the senate shortly before
ice President Fairbanks retired from
'ffice iii elderly statesman over on the
side of the chamber was
making Il very prosy speech. Scarcely
nyhCdy was listening to him, and
oZen of his party associates were in
heir seats. over on the Democratic
ide of the room Senator Bob Taylor
vas quietly spinning yarns to three or
our of his chums. They had their
eads together and We're laughing but
ot loud CROUCH to interrupt the pro-
ceilings. Mr. Fairbanks. taking in
he situation. sent this note to the
umorous Tennesseean: IF that old
odger who thinks he is maxim. 4
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