Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-21
TAFT FORCED TO
YIELD TO PARTY
Administrative MEASURES
DEMANDED CUT TO FOUR
President Insists Unrestricted Power
Shall Be Given Him to Withdraw
Any of the Public Lands
from Settlement
IAssociated Pressl

! WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.--Announce-
ment from the White House that Presi-
! dent Taft had, by his own motion, cut
down to four the number of admins
tration measures he would demand at
the present session of congress is re-
ceived by Republican leaders with un-
mixed feelings of relief.
The administration program was SO
formidable that members warmly sup
porting the Taft policies hardly knew
where to begin.
A schedule including only the bills to
amend the interstate commerce laws,
to regulate the issuance of injunctions,
to start Arizona and New Mexico on
the road to statehood and to validate
the Withdrawals of public lands for
conservation purposes is regarded as
quite possible of attainment.
Most of these measures, ii is believed,
can be put through the senate while
the house is wrestling with appropria-
tion bills
When it was reported at the capitol
yesterday that the president would be
satisfied with the enactment of the
four measures named, steps were taken
to bring these matters out of commit
tee at the earliest possible moment.
The postal savings bank bill already
is before the senate. and an agreement
between supporters of conflicting
amendments is assured. 1t is regarded
as practically certain the bill can be
passed this week.
Will Try to Report Bill
Hearings have been closed by the
senate committee on interstate COM
merce on the bill to create a commerce
court and to strengthen existing laws
for the regulation of common carriers.
The committee will meet tomorrow,
when an effort will be made to report
the bill. There is some prospect that
this may be done.
Although the senate could not be
ready to take up the railroad bill until
late in the week it is being argued
by members of the committee that the
bill should be reported so as to have
it printed and give senators a few
days to study its provisions.
AS soon as the postal savings bank
bill is out Of the way the railroad bill
will be made the order of business,
and probably will be before the senate
constantly until passed, except for the
limited time to be given appropriation
bills.
No decision has been reached in the
house committee on interstate COM
merce on the proposition to eliminate
from the administration measure the
plan to create a court of commerce.
Even if this be not done, it is practi-
cally certain the court plan will be re-
tanned by the senate, and the question
of establishing the new tribunal thus
would be thrown into confusion.
Insists on Conservation Measure
The one conservation bill that Pres
ident Taft is determined shall be pass
ed is that which gives to the president
unrestricted power to withdraw public
lands from settlement and place them
in reserves. In the meantime an effort
will be made by a special committee
Of western senators to perfect other
| conservation measures so they will be
ready for consideration at the next
| session.
| Hearings are in progress on the
| statehood bill, but it is unlikely the
measure will be brought out of the
senate committee on territories until the
postal savings bank and the railroad
bills are out of the way.
! The fourth measure to be pressed
for passage is that relating to the
! issuance of injunctions. Several bills
on this subject have been proposed
but they have not been considered in
committee.
That introduced in the house by
Representative Moon of Pennsylvania
has been indorsed by the president,
and there are others which, it is
thought, would prove satisfactory to
him.
The senate judiciary committee will
consider the question tomorrow.
Ship subsidy legislation is unpopular
in so many sections Of the country