Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-05-25
The Capitol.
Washington, d. c., May 10.

RlSeeiOihl AnteenlDg machine our
ing the present season?
From the standpoint of tho adj
ministration, that question would
have received a pessimistic an.
swer ten days ago around the
capitol. The question gets an OPP
timistic reply now-not abundant
iy optimistic, but restrainably OPP
timistic.
1t now appears that four adj
ministration measures are reason
ably sure of enactment into law
before adjournment sine die is
announced. These will be bills
for the better regulation of the
railroads of the country, for the
establishment of a postal savings
bank system, for the publicity of
campaign expenditures. for giving
he president authority to with
draw public lands from entry or
settlement.
Prospects for the FIRST two Of
the quartet we're mighty dubious
few DAYS ago. There had been
several very close votes in the
house on important features Of
the railroad bili-two so very
close that the presiding officer
was called upon TO vote to settle
a tie and there was much doubt
as 20 how the majority of the
house would vote on bill with
some radical amendments that
had been carried. A combina-
ton Of insurgent republicans and
democrats threatened to cause
much trouble for those who were
supporting the bill and it was re-
ported TO the senate from the
commitsee and from the White
House. The president was out
of the CITY. To the wall wishers
of the republican administration,
the situation was so dark that
they could not feel their way
around and know where they
were coming out.
The railroad bill, however, had
the advantage over the postal
bank because it was before both
houses of congress- as the regular
unfinished business for each day
The postal bank bill had been
passed by the senate, but it seem
ed 70 have been thrown into the
waste basket in the house com
mittee on post Offices.
Then all republicans - both
regulars and insurgents-began
to ponder over those elections In
Massachusetts, and New York, re-.
sulting in the sending of demo-
Gratis to the house from two rock
ribbed republican districts. The
rocks ahead Cor the administra.
ton Legislative program were
pointed out to the PRECEDENT by
the congressional pilots-to say
nothing of the dark clouds that
threatened the republican day
light.
Since that time, the president
and those mbers of the senate
and the house who have prom
ised to assist in the CARRYING out
of the Legislative program have
been working like bees. The
president has cancelled practical
ly all of his out-of-town speaking
dates and has had stream of
Legislators flowing into the execu.
tive offices. The leaders of the
senate did some tall talking to
some republicans who were not
altogether enthusiastic over the
legislative program.
The results have been numer
ous. The house passed the rail
road bill, and majority of the
senator republicans have agreed
to stand by what the president in
sists upon in the way of railroad
legislation. The house commit
tee has rescued the postal bank
bill, agreed to a compromise pre-
vision regarding the disposition
Of the deposits and it seems like.
ly to pass the lower house.
As the railroad bill will finally
become a law, it will contain pro.
visions for the creation of
court of commerce IN which will
be heard the appeals from the
divisions of the Interstate Com.
merce commission now taken to
the federal and district and cir.
cut courts; provisions for giving
the commission power TO investI.
gate the reasonableness of rates
on Its own initiative, provisions
for compelling common carriers
to quote the proper rates to ship.
pers III writing and some pro
vision for the federal regulation
vt the capitalization of railroad
/ Corporltions.