East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-12-05


senate and the former would be able
to protect their interests.
During the past 10 years the house
has had 391 members, each represent.
ing 193,167 people. In the preceding
10 years there were 356 congressman.
each representing 173,901 of the pop
ulation. If the present number Of
members should be retained the ratio
would be raised to an extent that
would cause a number of states to
lose some representatives. The pain
full operation would be borne by none
Of these states without heroic resist
ance. If the number of members
should be reduced the losses Of the
slow-growing states would be larger
and their protests much louder. Many
members contend that the house with
391 representatives is now too large
to be a deliberative body and Is fore
ed to do its work through committees
and accept their recommendations.
Census Director Durand will prepare
for the use of congress statistics
showing the proportion Of population
to house membership ranging from
$50 to 475,
The Important Bills.
An array of bills to be considered,
and some of them to be fought over,
relate to the Panama canal, federal
incorporation, ship subsidy, issuing Of
injunctions, conservation, locomotive
boiler inspection, Alaska, form Of
government, natural resources and
railroads, bureau Of public health,
cold storage law.
All of these subjects, except cold
storage, will in all probability be dis
cussed in the presidents annual mes
sage. AS to the Panama canal con-
gress will be called upon to consider
the question of Notifications and the
form of permanent government in the
canal zone. It is probable that q
large majority of congress joins with
the president in favoring the guarding
of the canal and Taft will undoubted-
ly call for an appropriation for that
purpose. The zone is now governed
by the canal commission, a make
shift arrangement to serve during the
construction of the waterway. With
the canal in operation the zone will
considerable numbers, large business
interests will be established and there
WILDE need for settled government.
Col. George w. Goethals, who has
charge of the work on the canal, is
said to have recommended to the
president the adoption Of military
control. President Taft has not inti-
mated his opinion on the matter. Al
though it is a little early, the question
of tolls may be brought to the at
tention Of the legislators.
What Taft Wants.
President Taft repeatedly has urg-
ed the enactment Of a law providing
that federal charters be granted to
corporations. Attorney General
Wickersham wrote bill to carry out
the idea but it has not been received
with favor by congress.
An ocean mail subsidy to encourage
the building up of the merchant ma
rine and especially to assist in the es-
tablishment of steamship lines to
South America, is one Of the strongest
planks in the presidents platform. An
effort to pass a subsidy bill at the last
SSSSAbAA NSNSlOpSu d SCduudl ana an
investigation by a house committee,
with the result that no action was ta-
ken by congress. A determined ef-
fort will be made by friends of the
proposition to pass bill in the pres
ent session.
The president is also strongly in IA
vor of law to limit the power OF
federal judges in issuing injunctions
He would deny the issuing of any in
junction without a hearing attended
by both sides to the controversy. un-
less delay would cause irreparable in
jury to the applicant for the writ. In
the latter event the judge would be
required to write In the court record
the character of the threatened injury
and he might issue a temporary In
junction on which there should be a
hearing within five days. Under the
present law, a judge can extend a
temporary injunction indefinitely
without giving the enjoined party a
hearing
Conservation Bills.
Seven OF the bills bearing on the
conservation OF natural resources sub
mitted to congress by the president
in the last session vara haIa ,r ~