The Washington times., 1910-06-23
Transportation Measure Ex-
pected to Have Greatest
Significance In Future.
SECOND PLACE GOES
TO POSTAL BANKS
Enactment of Administration
Measure eliminates Efforts of
the Last Thirty Years.
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Continued from First Page1
gagged in interstate business; Il pro-
tects water carriers against ruin
Gus rail competition: IL gives the
commission the power to establish
through rates where no satisfactory
rates now exist and II compels United
states courts TO give notice and grant
hearings before issuing injunctions
against the operation OF State laws.
Ihen. TOO, the new law gives the In
terslate Commerce Commission au-
thority to approve all freight rate in
creaSes before they become effective It
limits the period of suspension of an in
crease to ten months. If the proposed
rate Is not declared excessive within
that time II automatically goes into Cf-
tect Also, the act places the burden
of proof as to the reasOna bleness OF a
rate advance upon the railroad and not
upon u'le shipper.
Almost as important a feature Of the
act as any other, IS that Incorporating
the long and short haul clause This
prohibits railroad from charging more
for a short than for n long haul OYER
the same line, and for the same COM
mOdit. This provision IL is asserted,
will result in the reimbursement of prac-
ucally all OF the trans-conunental
freight charges
Postal Savings Banks.
Next in importance among the acts OF
this Congress IS that establishing pos
tai savings banks. This system of
banking will allow the depositor per
cent a year upon his deposits. and will
prove attractive TO many because Of the
guarantee Of safety which the national
credit will give il.
As a restraint upon the use Of the
funds deposited, the law allows the
Government 20 withdraw from the COM
munities where the money is collected,
nil nor ont Of ne
cent more may be used as a reserve
fund, and the remainder must be in
vested in local securities bearing not
less than pa per cent a year. In times
Of national emergency, the President,
however, has the right 10 use any
amount Of the funds deposited.
The admission of the Territories OF
New Mexico and Arizona TO statehood
has been provided for during this ses-
sion OF Congress. Thirty days from the
date o. Presidents Tafts approval of
the bill, the territorial governors are ay-
thOrized TO issue calls for constitutional
COuVen ions in each Territory These
conventions are authorized to frame
State constitutions and submit them to
a vote Of the people. After they are
thus approved the constitutions must be
passed upon by both the President and
by Congress before they can go into
effect
Few restrictions are placed upon the
people of the Territories. in advance,
as 10 the provisions Of their consutu-
tons They are to give every man the
right to vote. without regard 70 race OF
color. and are TO provide for the public
lands within their borders That Is about
All. II Will be probably two wears be
fore the Territories are actually admit
ted and State government organized
Withdrawal Bill Passed
The most important conservation bill
passed during the session just closing
authorizes the President 10 withdraw
public lands from entry. Related to this
e. bin which provides that $200oo.Jjo
n bonds shall be issued. the proceeds
of which are to be used in completing
the reclamation projects now under Way
in the West.
1t was the original purpose to author
lie a S3o,9O0,0J) bond issue. but OpoOsi-
ton forced n compromise 10 S2O000oOo
Western members Ot both houses clam
Ored for this appropriation almost from
the inception Of the present session Of
Congress
The creation of a Bureau Of Mines in
tn Department Of the Interior is N
achievement of this Congress, This
proposition has been urged by mining
interests all over the country as a nee
eSSltN for the conservation Of both hu-
man life and mine products. 1t was
upon the ground that the lives of min
ers woIld b better safecuarded. that
Congress was most appealed to in be-
half Of the proposed mines bureau law
An appropriation Of $4,000 and speci-
ne enumeration of the powers of Sthe
Tariff Board was another important act
of this session. The President had per-
sonallv urged that such en- extension Of
power be granted as would enable him.
through experts. 10 investigate the cost
Of production Of goods at home and
abroad This caused a bitter fight. but
was finally passed.
To Begin Forest Reserve.
Afetr years of pleading the AppaIach-
ian Mountain States VIII succeed in OBJ
tanning an initial appropriation for the
creation Of an Appalachian Forest Re
serve This bin, as il is scheduled to be
passed in the Senate before adjourn
ment today. provides alsoNthat the White
mountains be included in the reserve.
campaign publicity bill finally gained
approval This remained in committees
for months and was despafred of by
many who expected this Congress to
act Finally the bill was reported out.
and just before adjournment of the
Senate was called up and passed. II
provides that the publication of cam
paign contributions and expenses be
made after elections, instead Of before
The two battleship program was an
ether Administration victory. There was
a strong sentiment in both houses of
Congress, a sentiment not confined 70
partisan affiliations. opposed TO the con-
structiOn Of more than one battleship
year. Yet this opposition was nor
strong enough 10 defeat the Adninistra-
tion plan. The reorganization Of the
navy. which. under the Meyer plan.
abolished the Bureau of Equipment, was
q victory for the Administration.
a bill was passed this session reor-
ganizing the lighthouse service Of the
Government. This placed the service in
the hands of a competent civil engineer
instead OF turning ii over TO the officers
of the navy.
Many bills OF minor Importance but
OF national character have also been
Tassed. This list includes the white
Slave" act prohibiting the importation
into this country of women for immoral
purposes: an act compelling the rail-
roads TO equip their trains with auto
matte cOuplers and continuous brakes:
an act TO safeguard the seal fisheries of
Alaska, and an act TO compel common
NOAT NEENTTInM