Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-07-01
CONGRESS QUITS,
TAFT PLANS PASS
President Signs Harbor Bill With
a Warning.
POSTAL BANK MEASURE A LAW
Both Houses Adopted Resolutions for
Searching Investigation of Gore
Bride Plot-BiIIion Dollars
Voted During Session.

Washington.-With President Taft's
legislative program practically carried
out in it's entirety the first regular ses-
sion OF the siXty-firSt congress adj
journed sine die Saturday night. He
signed the rivers and harbors bill,
but sent a message to congress in
dicating that he had made up his mind
to do SO practically at the last min
ute Of time at his disposal, SO far as
that measure was concerned.
Congress was warned that it must
change its method of framing river
and harbor improvement measures,
and announcement is made that I'M
less reforms which he suggests are
carried out in future bills the with
holding Of executive approval will be
justified, even though a rivers and
harbors bill fail.
The president also signed without
comment the postal savings bank bill,
the omnibus public building bill, the
latter carrying authorization for i'm
proyements aggregating $4,000, 600,
but leaving the items Of appropriation
to be attended to later, in connection
with the regular estimates of the
treasury department with respect to
work authorized by congress.
There was little work remaining to
be done when the two houses of. con-
gress met for the last day Of the ses-
sion. Practically everything Of i'm
pOrtance had been attended to except
the general deficiency appropriation
bill, which had become involved in the
charges Of attempted bribery male
by Senator Gore of Oklahoma. The
upshot of the recommitting Of the last
of the big appropriation measures to
conference was the adoption of an
amendment more drastic even that
the Oklahoma senator had desired,
or hereafter made affecting the tribal
money Of property of the Indian
tribes shall be approved until further
action by congress.
With this amendment, following the
adoption of a resolution in the senate
to have the Indian affairs committee
investigate the contracts involved in
the Gore charges, the general de-
ficiency bill was passed by both
houses. The one thing eft pending
when congress adjourned was the Ap-
palachian forest reserve measure,
upon which opponents in the senate
prevented a vote
For ten days after the president
reaches his summer home at Beverly,
according to an announcement made
at the White House, he will attend to
no business matterS-make no ap
pointments and have no political con-
ferences, devoting the time to rest
and reservation.
The only touch Of excitement in the
closing hours Of the house came when
Representative MCGUIRE of Oklahoma
RrOse to a question of personal priv
Ilege and offered a resolution directing
IN investigation of the charges Of
fraud and bribery in Indian contracts.
A substitute amendment, offered by
Representative Carter, more specific
Rnd stronger, was preferred by the
house after promiscuous debate, which
developed nothing of Importance, eX-
cept a widespread sentiment that a
thorough inquiry should be made.
After a fight which had lasted al
most from the beginning Of the ses-
sion of congress just ended Represent
ative Martin (Dem.) of Colorado sue
ceeded in securing an investigation by
congress of his charges of fraud and
maladministration in the sale of friar
lands in the Philippines and Of the en-
tire interior department of the Phil
ippine government by the house COM
mittee On insular affairs.