The San Francisco call., 1910-05-02
congress HALTS
over TAFT BILLS
Administration Leaders Fear
That Presidents Measures
Have Poor Chances
Senate and House Fail to Agree
on All But Land With
drawal Proposal

WASHINGTON, May 1.-Administra-
tlon leaders in congress are begin
ming to feel good deal of concern
over the chances of putting through the
several measures on which President
Taft has set his heart Hot weather
already has settled upon the city and
sitting days are sure to create a gen
eral desire among members of congress
TO get away
Nearly all the Taft bills are sus-
pended by more or less uncertain
threads. The railroad bill, which is
the pending business in both branches,
is not out of danger. The amend
ments already adopted in the senate
and house will produce measures so
widely different that harmony in con-
ference threatens to be out of the ques-
ton.
HOUSE AND SENATE DIFFER
Ihe house has adopted an amendment
making provision for ascertaining the
physical valuation of railroads and this
is sure to meet with opposition in the
senate. 1t is said also that on the
nnai vote the house is likely to strike
out the provision for the creation of a
commerce court, feature that is GER
tam TO be retained by the senate. In
dlcations point to the adoption of pro-
visions for the making of traffic agree
ments which will be at variance.
by the time the bill reaches confer
ehce President Taft will have returned
10 washington and it is hoped that he
may bring the conferees together.
After the vote on the railroad bill,
the administration senator's want to
bring up the bill giving to the presi-
dent unlimited authority to withdraw
publlc lands for conservation purposes,
but democratic senator's, under the lead
or Bailey, will insist that the state
hood bill shall be considered
SAVINGS BANK BILL HELD
In the house there is some demand
that the postal savings bank bill shall
be taken up, but it is still in commit
tee, and an order of a majority of the
house may be necessary to dislodge it.
peculiar situations exist in relation
to both the statehood and the postal
bank bills. The first has passed the
house, and a radically different bill has
been reported from the senate commit
tee on territories.
The postal bank bill has passed the
senate, but in a form which seems to
be wholly unsatisfactory to the house.
If the statehood bill should pass the
senate in the form in which it is re-
ported, and the postal bank bin passes
the house in form approaching the gen
eral demand of that body it is doubt
full whether either bill could get out
of conference.
AGITATION OVER HARBORS
What the president will do with the
rivers and harbors bill is agitating z
many members of the senate and
house. The measure is now in confer
ence, but no Roadway has been made
in disposing of the difference between
the two branches. The delay is said to
be caused by the rumor that the presi-
dent will veto the bill
Practically nothing is heard about
the anti-injunction bill which the presi-
dent included in his program. The
Moon bill, favored by the administra-
ton, still is in the house committee.
and will not be reported until after
there have been extended hearings. The
senate committee on judiciary has an
nounced that it will wait on the house
committee before taking any action on
this subject.
The only measure in the Taft pro-
gram which appears to have straight
road is the land withdrawal measure.
The bills pending in both branches are
so near alike that little difficulty is eX-
pected in reaching an agreement.