The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-01
SUMMARY OF DAYS
 WORK IN CONGRESS Senator Root Continues Speech
 on Railroad Bill WARSHIPS DISCUSSED Naval Appropriation Bill Is Brought Up and Two Members Advocate
WARSHIPS
DISCUSSED

Washington, March 31.-Senator Root continued but did not conclude his speech on the administration railroad bill in the Senate today He defended the merger and traffic agreements provisions of the measure.
 There was further discussion of the pro- posed amendment of the Cummins em- ployers liability law but the Senate took no action. The naval appropriation bill pending in the House offered an opportunity to the members to discuss various subjects. Mir Sherley of Kentucky explained at con- siderable length his resolution to per- init majority of the House to bring be- fore it at any time a bill which might be pending in committee.
 MT. Padgett of Tennessee and MT. GrNg of Texas, minority members of the House naval committee, each delivered speech | in favor of a one-ba attleship-per- year pol | icy.
 | Objection being made to an increase by the Senate to the extent of $25,o00 to the | appropriation under which the state de- partment may encourage trade relations, the diplomatic bill was sent back to con- | ference by the House after all amend ments except that one had been agreed to. Both houses were in session for about five hours. They will be in session again tomorrow.
 New Cotton Option Bill It is probable there will be a new cot ton anti-option bill likewise to be known as the Scott bill, to cover amendments to the original measure introduced by Chairman Scott of the House commit tee on agriculture prohibiting transac- tons in futures in commercial markets It is practically settled so far as the subcommittee on agriculture is concerned that the grain exchanges will not be af- fected by the proposed legislation, the sub committee taking the position that there is no sentiment in the west for such elimination of the grain futures as in the case of the cotton exchange, and that the grain exchange representatives who tes- tif,ed before the committee made much better showing than the cotton ex- change officials presented.
 There was no final action at this after noon's session of the subcommittee but it is probable that by Saturday morn inc a hill will have been made ready for submission designed to stop effectuaily future dealings on the cotton exchanges.
 The full committee will not meet until the middle of next week.
 BeImont's Publicity Bill
 Determined to obtain congressional action on the bill requiring the pupil cation of campaign contributions, Perry Belmont, head of the organization 10 further that movement, announced to- day that Senator Bailey would intro duce in the Senate tomorrow the meas ure which he said he had been trying for a month to induce Senator Bur- rows of Michigan, chairman of the com mittee on privileges and elections, to present.
 MT. Belmont early in the day sent a telegram to Republican National Com mitteeman Blodgett of Michigan, urg- ing him to use his influence with Sem ator Burrows to have him introduce the bill.
 "The senator's refusal" says the tel egram, lis based upon the ground Of A desire to ascertain the attitude of the President, who has already repeat edly expressed himself in favor of 8 measure of that nature. It cannot be said that the organization still In par tial control of both houses of Congress has shown much alacrity in support of the measure, but it has been so long before Congress that its friends and most of it's opponents are well known and will be given an opportunity or going squarely on record"
 Extending Civil Service
 The question of extending the civil service to certain government employees who are not now included in the com petitive class was the subject of dis cussion today at conference between the civil service commission and rep resentatives of the National Civil Ser vice Reform league; Elliott H. Good win, secretary, and Richard Henry Dana of Boston, a member of the ex- ecutive committee, discussed the ques tions with the committee with par ticular reference to placing within the classified service the positions of as sistant postmasters and the fourth class postmasters which are now ex- cluded. The questions have been taken under consideration by the commits |sion.
 Adjournment i'm Sight
 Congress will be able to adjourn May 31, is the belief of Senator Aldrich today. He authorized this prophecy wten leaving the White House after conferring with President Taft. This is the first prognostication of import ance yet made as to the date of ad- journment. Several influential mem bers of Congress believe 1t is too op- timistic and that opposition to certain features of the administration pro- gramme may develop that will carry the session much farther along.