Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-07
RAILROAD BILL
NEXT IN ORDER
HOUSE WILL SHELVE POSTAL
SAVINGS MEASURE
MAJORITY REPORT FAVoRS PET
SCHEMES OF TAFT
mo Change" Is Promised the Pres.
ident in Spite of the Charges
of White House DOM
ination
ASSOCIATED Pressl

Associated PressI
WASHINGTON, March 6.-The pos
tai savings bank bill will be received
by the house tomorrow and promptly
sent to several weeks oblivion in COM
mttee.
The administration railroad bill will
have the center of the senate stage
and the house win consider it's consid-
Grafton of appropriation bills
Dreary sessions probably will be the
order of business for the next few
days, or until congress has warmed to
another of the administration policies
Before the railroad bill is taken up
in earnest it is likely that the agri-
cultural appropriation bill will be put
through the senate This will not take
long, however.
Members of the house are beginning
TO analyze the amendments made to
the postal savings bank bill last Sat
urday. The one that is causing the
most comment is that which will pre-
vent postal funds from being invested
in per cent government bonds, while
making all higher interest bearing Sc
curities available for such investment
In time of war or other eXigency.
Slap at President
Practically no contest was made
against this amendment when 1t was
offered by Senator Borah. 1t was ac-
cepted by Senator Carter, who had
charge of the bill. and the votes
against 1t were few. In the light of
President Taft's New York speech call
ing attention to the obligation of the
government to see that the holders of
per cent consols should not suffer
loss and suggesting that the govern
ment give the holders relief by using
postal funds to buy these low class
bonds. some members of congress see in
the senate action a direct slap at the
president.
In only one other way is the adop-
tion of the amendment explained, and
that is by the fact that those who
were in charge of the bill believed it
could be passed only by making con-
cessions to insurgents in the senate.
It was charged on the Democratic side
that the adoption of the Borah amend
ment was not in good faith and that
1t would be dropped in the house and
finally eliminated in conference.
At an informal conference at the
White House last week IL was agreed
that administration bills shall be held
in committee until appropriation bills
are passed. If this rule is followed
Chairman Weeks of the postoffice COM
mttee can he trusted to keep the pos
tai bank bill bottled up until the time
is propitious for its passage in the
house.
The senate will have an opportunity
within a few days to compare the ma
jority with the minority views of the
committee on interstate commerce on
the administration railroad bill. The
majority report which will support the
bill in the form in which. 1t was final
ly drafted by Attorney General Wick
ersham, is ready for presentation to the
senate. Under an agreement already
reached II will be printed in the Rec
ord with the report Of Senators Clapp
and Cummns, which was presented
several days ago.
Taft Has Promise
While the debate on the railroad bill
is likely 10 last several weeks Re
publican leaders have promised Pres
ident Taft that it will be passed with
out material change. Unquestionably
this attitude will provoke aerid dis
cussion accompanied by condemnation
of what is termed White House DOM
ination.
All reports from the senate commit
tee on territories indicate that the
statehood bill is in trouble and that
Senator Beveridge will have difficulty
in getting it passed. The exact cause
for the delay is not apparent beyond
the dissatisfaction expressed with the
qualifications for voting in thesproposed
new states. Senator Beveridge contin-
ues to insist that it will pass. He ex-
poets soon to be absent from the city
for several days and the hearings will
go over until his return.
Another effort is being made in the
house to have a small omnibus public
bill i'm rder to give some assistance to
certain districts whose congressman
are in distress. The senate is opposed
TO the bill, however, and points to the
dare rivers and harbrs bill in support
of its objections to another pork bar
rel measure at this session. The lat
ter bill will not be brought out of the
committee on commerce before March
Is or 20.
Little discussion is heard concerning
the conservation bills and the court in
junction bills, which are on the presi-
dents program. The reason is said
to be that leaders believe if action is
delayed the measures can be brought
out Of committee and passed with com-
paratively little debate in the last few
days of the session.
The postof1ce appropriation bill is
still before the house. All last week
was occupied by members in making
political speeches. Consideration of
the measure viii require several days
more.
The naval bill is about ready to be
reported. but the legislative, judicial
and executive bill will be next in or
der in the house.
Many important features of the ad
ministration railroad bill remain TO be
considered by the house committee on
interstate and foreign commerce and it
cannot be forecasted when the bill will
be reported.