The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-05
An Ambitious Program Has
Been Outlined by Admins
tration, but Will This Work
Be Accomplished.
AN EXTRA SESSION
BEING CONSIDERED
But Both Parties Are Hand
ling This Delicate Ques-
ton with Gloves-Champ
Clark the Next Gar.
american News servicc)

american News Servicc)
washington. Dec. 5.-Upon the TEN.
Der of the Democratic leaders depends
entirely the amount and the character
OF the legislation to be enacted into
law at the last session Of the 61st Con-
gress, which convenes at noon today.
According to all reports. President
Taft and his advisers have outlined an
ambitious program. How much of 1t
he may be able to put through Is a
problem no one at this early day would
bo Justified In predicting.
The country has heard much of the
rules of the House OF Representatives
during the past two years. Within
that period material changes have
been made In the methods for con.
trolling the House. Among other
things the rules have been so modi-
fled by providing for specific perform
ances that but three days each week
may be, set aside for the general bust
ness of the House The short session
OF a congress expires by constitutional
Limitation In three months. II meets
the first Monday In December and dies
automatically. at noon on the Bird of
March following.
A Short Time for Work.
This gives II but three months for
actual work, theoretically. As a mat
ter of fact that time actually is much
less. There usually Is q holiday re-
cess that consumes q fortnight. Ad-
tournaments over from Friday to Mon.
day cause loss of valuable time. and.
In the end. by reason of these various
causes. there remain only about sixty
working days for the Congress. re-
duced to quite half that In the House
as result Of the new rules. Within
this short space experience has proved
that It IL well night impossible to do
more than enact the supply bills by
which the funds are provided for the
maintenance and support of the var.
ious branches of the government.
The foregoing, therefore. indicates
what ordinarily is the situation in Con-
gress during short session. Special
rules providing for emergencies are
possible in the House and there debate
can be limited and delay prevented. In
the Senate there is nothing akin to
cloture. and SO long as a single sena-
tor desires to speak there is no way
to bring the debate to q close. 1t is
In the Senate. therefore, that the dan
ger comes II obstacles are thrown in
the way Of an outlined legislative pro-
gram. In tho face of all this the ad.
ministration has mapped out a pro-
gram that will require the most adroit
political and legislative management
to bring II to fruition.
Rsapportionmsnt Matter.
Chief among the matters attracting
attention. In Wow of the result of the
recent elections. Is the proposed re-
apportionment. This Is the determina-
tion OF the allotment of members of
the house Of representatives to the
various states. based upon the popu.
lation ascertained by each decennial
census. while this ought not to be a
political question. II invariably in
wolves politics, and the Republicans
are anxious to deal with IL while they
control both houses of congress. 1t
In essential that this new reappor.
tionment be enacted into law at this
session. and II bill considered un.
fair be submitted the Democrats in
tho senate may be counted upon to
prevent Its conclusion before March 3.
The present representation is one
representative to every 194.ls2 of pop.
ulation. making total membership
Of the house of 391. Upon the same
figures the membership OF the house
thereafter would be enlarged mater
ially. There is opposition to increas.
Ing the size OF the house which al.
ready 10 unwieldy. ana the proposition
will bc made to enlarge the basic fig.
ures. This will bring about an in
crease Of membership In some OF the
iai ger states. and result in loss in
sone OF the less thickly populated. It
easily is seen. therefore why the Re-
publicans are anxious to deal with
this subject and retain whatever po-
litical advantage the situation may
have.
Big Fight Promised.
A big fight is promised with re-
gard to :he tariff board which the
president will ask still large .appro-
priation for. and incidentally increas-
cd authority In the matter of conduct
ing Its inquiries and making its in
vestigations both at home and abroad
Many leading Democrats. like Senat.
or Bailey. for instance. are opposed to
the tariff commission plan and will
antagonixe this. Whether they can
do 20 to the end that consideration
and anal determination will be post.
poned until the Democrats control the
house remains to be seen. The presi.
dent Is very earnest In this matter.
Then. too. there are many men in both
parties who believe the tariff should