The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-25
President Taft'S ReCOmInen-
datiOns Are Carried Out
With a Final Rush
REFORM MOVEMENT IN
| HOUSE VERY DECIDED
In the House, 5000 In the scnHfe
aud Many Oher ResoIu-
tons Passed

tions Passed
Washington, June 24-Notwithstanding
the fact that action on many important
measures was delayed by conflicts be-
tween insurgent republicans and regular
republican factions in both branches. and
that the democratic minority was an ac-
tive force, Congress is expected to con-
clude its long session tomorrow with a
record for enacting legislation that sell
dom If ever has been equalled.
In the matter of reform movements for
which President Taft stood sponsor. there
were many Instances of success. Chief In
| the list of legislation for which the admin
istration contended were the following:
Striking revision OF the railroad laws, in
cludfng the creation of a commerce court;
admitting Arizona and New Mexico as
separate states; authorizing the establish-
ment of postal savings banks: giving to
the President unlimited authority to with
draw public lands for conservation pur-
poses; providing for publicity of campaign
contributions authorizing the issue of
| $40 000, 900 In certificates of indebtedness to
complete reclamation projects, creating a
bureau of mines; extending the activities
| 600 for its use; looking to the suppression
| of traffic in white slaves authorizing the
entry upon surface coal lands; creating a
commission to consider economies in the
| administration of the federal government;
| providing new tariff system for the Phil
| ippine Islands; legislation which ultimate
| ly is expected to give practically prohibi-
| ton to the Hawaiian Islands. Opposed to
| the foregoing formidable list of legislation
we're a comparatively small number of
measures which had administration SYM
| pathy, but failed of passage. They were
measures on the subject of ship subsidy,
and-injunction. for new forms of govern
ment in Alaska and on the Panama zone;
| to create a bureau of health, to provide
| increased rates of postage for second
| class mail matter; to create the Appa-
| lachian forest reserve, and increase the
engineer corps of the army.
Measures of Reform
Not the least conspicuous acts of Con-
grees were the strenuous measures taken
| form It's system of conducting business SO
| that less power might be reposed In the
| speaker and the organizat ton of which he
| was the natural leader.
The speaker was removed from the conn
mittee on rules which he had previously
been credited with dominating, and new
rule was adopted for the purpose of ef-
| fectually preventing pigeon-holing of bills
| by committees when they were approved
| by majority of the House regardless of
party affiliations.
| The enormous proportions Of the de-
nands for legislation which we're pressed
on by Congress is shown by the fact that
since the beginning of the present Con-
gress more than 1900 bills have been
| introduced in the House and more than
5000 in the Senate, in addition to hun
dreds of resolutions on various subjects.
"a .
| bills is concerned is without parallel.
More time was consumed in consid-
er1ng the railroad bill than was taken
on all other subjects of legislation. The
measure not only creates a commerce
| court but it embodies authority for
commisson to inquire into stock and
| bond issues of railroads, extends tho
scope of the interstate commerce COM
mission to include telephone and tele-
graph companies and gives to the in
| terstate commerce commission power to
postpone increased rates until the COM
mission shall have found the proposed
| increases to be reasonable
Reports of Railroads
| An act was also passed to compel rail-
roads to furnish to the interstate COM
merce commission reports on accidents
| SO that Congress may be better informed
as to the need of further legislation.
| Under the withdrawal act the Presi-
dent could be informed better and given
almost unlimited power to withhold lands
| from settlement and to conserve the wn-
| ter power. On the other hand, the act
| providing for agricultural entry of the
| surface of coal lands will open to settle
nlent at least &C, 100000 acres and at the
same time reserve to the government the
| right to the coal. BY providing for
| the opening of a proportion of the Pine
| Ridge and Rosebud Indian reservations
| in South Dakota and the Fort Bartholdr
| reservation in North Dakota, more tnan
| 1900 600 acres of agricultural lands will
be available for homestead settlement.
| The sum of s15o.000 was Appropriated
| for the gauging of streams with a view
of the preserva ton of the water supply.
| The conservation measures are declared
| to be far-reaching. Under the new power
| conferred upon the President, 1t Is ex-
| pected there will be extensive land with
drawals while the settlement Of the coal
lands without involving the valuable d.
| posits beneath the surface is expected
| to do much to reconcile opponents of con-
servation who have contended against
| the disuse of lands merely to preserve
natural resources for future generations.
| Increase In the Navy
| The increases provided for the naval
| arm were noticeable. Two battleships
| OF 81 900 tons each. armed with 14-inch
| guns, making them the most formidable
| dreaunauEntS dDOdt, were tutnoTi1cu. 4 u0
naval strength of the United States will
| be further supplemented by six torpedo
| boat destroyers, two Golfers and four
| Submarines while an increase Of the per-
| sonnel of the navy Of 5000 men was
| authorized.
Greater safety of railroad employees and
| travellers will be obtained by the laws
enacted to extend the use of safety applt-
ances.
/ measure of Importance to agrfcuI-
tural interests provides against the mis-
branding OF adulterated products in the
use of Paris green and other medicines.
| An appropriation of 100000 was made to
be used by the Attorney General in en-
forcing the Sherman antitrust law.
The House adopted an amendment pro-
viding that no part of the appropriation
should be used in prosecuting labor or
ganizations, but the Senate struck out the
provision. and later the House voted to
recede from its position upon It. The
| discussion and demands of labor leaders
brought out letter from President Taft
who took a strong position against legis-
lation of the character requested.
i The sum of 100000. with the suggestion
\ that as much more as might be needed
might be Forthcoming, was appropriated
for the raising and removal OF the wreck
y