The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-02-21
Number of the Administration
Measures to Be Passed at
Present Session of Congress
Cut to Four by the President.
CHANGE OF PROGRAM
PLEASES THE LEADERS
Interstate Commerce Laws 10
Be Amended, Issuance of
InjunCtiOnS Regulated and
Conservation Made Certain.
WORK ALL BLOCKED OUT

/ Washington, Feb. 20.-The announce
ment from the White House that
President Taft had, by his own mo-
/ ton, cut down TO four the number
/ of administration measures he would
/ demand at the present session of Con
gress is received by Republican lead
/ ers with unmiXed feelings of relief.
The administration program was so
/ formidable that members warmly sup
porting the Taft policies hardly knew
where to begin.
\ schedule including only the bills
to amend the interstate commerce laws,
to regulate the issuance Of in
/ functions, to start Arizona and New
Mexico on the road to statehood and
I 10 validate the Withdrawals of public
lands for conservation purposes, is re-
garded as quite possible of attainment.
Most Of these measures, il is believed
can be put through the Senate while
the House Is wrestling with appropria-
| uon bills. When it was reported at
I the capitol yesterday that the PreSi-
dent would be satisfied with the enact
ment of the four measures named
steps were taken to bring all these
matters out Of committee at the earIi-
est moment The postal savings bank
Dill already is before the Senate, and
an agreement between supporters of
| conflicting amendments is assured. 1t
IS regarded as practically certain that
the bill can be passed this week.
May Report Today.
Hearings have been closed by the
Senate committee on interstate COM
/ merce on the bill TO create commerce
court and to strengthen existing laws
for the regulation of common carriers.
The committee will meet tomorrow
when an effort will be made to report
the bill There is some prospect that
this may be done. Although the Senate
could not be ready to take up the
railroad bill until late IN the week In
is being argued by members of the
committee that the bin should be re
( ported So as 10 nave it printed and
give senators rev days 10 study its
provisions.
As soon as the postal savings hanks
OH Is out OF the way the railroad bill
Will DC made the order of business. and
probably will be before the Senate CON
stantly until passed, except for the
limited time that must be given to an
preparation bills
No decision has been reached in the
House committee on interstate com
merCe on the proposition IN eIiUinare
from the administration bill the pro
VISION Tor the creation of court of
commerce. Even if this be done, il is
practically certain that the court fea-
tUre VIII be retained by the senate
and the question of establishing the
new tribunal thus would be thrown
into conference.
President Determined.
The one conservation bill that Presi-
dent Taft is determined shall be passed
IS mat which gives to the President
unrestricted power 10 withdraw pubIic
lands from settlement and place them
IN reserves. In the meantime an eff
tort Will be made by a special com
mlttee of western senators to perfect
other conservation measures so that
they Will be ready for consideration at
the next session.
Hearings are in progress on the
statehood bill, but II is unlikely the
measure viii be brought out of fbe
senate committee on territories until
IHe postal savings banks and railroad
bills are out of the way
The fourth measure 10 he messed
for passage is that relating to the is
Suance OF lnJuncuOns. Several bills on
this subject have been prepared, but
they8have not been considered in com
mittee. That introduced in the House
by Representative Moon Of Pennsvl-
Vania has been endorsed by the Presi-
dent and there are others that are
thought would prove satisfactory to
him. The Senate committee on indicfaTV
Will consider the question tomorrow.
No Ship Subsidy Bill.
Ship subsidy legislation is unpopular
IN so many sections of the country that
some members are distinctly relieved
at the prospect that the Humphrey bin
reported from the House COMMITTEES
on merchant marine and fisheries. may
not be taken up at this session.
There IS a feeling in the Senate COM
mIttee on commerce that the rivers
and harbors bill, as passed by the
House, carries about as heavy aDpro-
prlatlOns now as can be hoped for at
this session 1t is freely charged that
the House "gObbles up about all" avail
able for the present for distribution,
and, in consequence, much dissatisfa
ton IS expressed. Some members of
the commerce committee went so far
as 10 argue that the whole bill should
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