The National tribune., 1910-03-17
THE LAWMAKERS.
Lively Times in the Great White
Building on the Hill-The I'M
pOrtant Bills Under Fire.


There's a high old time again this
week with affairs legislative. The Sen
ate and the House are both sharing in
the legislative jinks. The headers of
both bodies are as busy as can be. The
orators are busy pouring forth great
volumes of words. The managers are
skipping around, sounding sentiment
counting noses and trying to arrange
programs and majorities against the
day of voting.
In the Senate it is primarily the rail-
road amendments. That holds true of
the Senate debate, in which the heavy
guns are participating, and of the Sem
ate managers, who have been tripping
frequently to the White House and
holding many parleys in the quiet of
their committee rooms. 1t is true to a
less extent of the House, where the
railroad debate is still some weeks off.
But the House Committee on Interstate
Commerce is proving very independent
in its deliberations over that railroad
bill, and is putting in amendments that
the Administration does not like and
that is causing wrinkles upon the brows
of both the Senate and the House lead
ers.
But the House is also in the throes
Of. the postal savings bank bill, which
the Senate has passed. The measure is
before the House Committee on Post
Offices and Post Roads, where four of
the IA members have intiulated their
opposition. That includes the Demo-
Gratis. The committee is giving hear
ings this week to all who want to. be
heard, and many of those who came to
speak were in opposition. There is no
great haste about getting the postal
bill out, because the House will not be
ready to consider it for some time yet.
1t has been wrangling over the legisla-
tive appropriation bill, which carries
appropriations for the army of clerks
and the many officials in the Depart
ments here at Washington. And as
soon as that appropriation bill is out of
the way the Naval appropriation bill
Will be ready for consideration. That
VIII give the orators a chance to dis
cuss eXhaustively the controversy as to
the number Of new big battleships
which the country needs and the con-
troversy over the management of NAVY
Yards as now in operation under the
Meyer reorganization plan.
Establishing New Courts.
Senator Cummins. of Iowa, has been
leading off at the north end of the Cap
itol In opposition to the Presidents
railroad bill. He contends that II should
be modified in important particulars.
one of which is the Presidents clause
for the establishment of a Commerce
Court for the trial Of transportation
cases. There is very strong hostility
in Congress toward establishing any
more special courts. There was much
criticism of the new Court OF Customs,
which the President at last is Just get
ting established. He Withdrew the
nominations of FIVE Judges there
for when Congress refused to
pay them $4,000 and agreed
to pay them but $1,000 a year, but has
sent in new list. changing enIy the
name Of the Chief Judge The Senate
viii confirm them, but some Senators
will vote TO do so reluctantly An opin-
ion prevails that the Federal Judges
with 4 few exceptions, are not over
worked, and that there is little need of
establishing q new Circuit Court at
Washington, because, as claimed, the
Judges will have little work to do. Tho
President, on the other hand, speaking
out of his long experience as a Circuit
Judge, regards # as of the highest i'm
portance that these special courts be
established. He argues that the Judges
VIII specialize in the Interpretation OF
their special line of cases and that
there will not only be more expedition
of litigation, but that the decisions will
be fairer.
Court, and IL is his opinion as to the
proposed Commerce Court and also as
10 Patent Court, which he also wants
established He is very tenacious of
this idea and will not yield jot or tit
tie on the provision for a Commerce
Court IN the railroad bill.
The opposition orators are also at
tacking the provisions OF the railroad
bill. allowing railroads to buy up other
lines, to the extent Of purchasing all
the stock in such lines where they now
own 81 per cent thereof or where they
hold leases for 20 years or more. There
Is contention over provisions about the
rights Of shippers to have ATTORNEYS in
cases which the Interstate Commerce
Commission brings to determine the le-
gality of new rates. Many other provi-
sion5 Of comparatively minor irnpor-
t@nce are also the subject of wranEiing.
The senate Committee on Interstate
Commerce has some amendments yet to
offer and is waiting for the debate to
bring out the opinions of Senators be-
fore formulating those amendments.
a Compromise Likely.
The ambition of the Senate leaders is
to effect a compromise ultimately that
both Republican factions can support
They do not claim that this will be pos
o. blr at present, but they recall that
ther- was a bitter fight in the Senate
over the postal savings bank bill, and |
at TIE last moment Il way was found TO |
bring al the Republicans together upon |
q una imous vote. The effect of that |
vpte -p. the country was most whole
some from Republican standpoint, and |