The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-21
And Decision of President Taft
Has Been Hailed With Great
Relief by Leaders in the
Congress.
ORIGINAL PROGRAM A
MOST STRENUOUS ONE
Statehood, Conservation, and
Interstate Commerce Stat
utes the Ones Taft Desires
to Be Passed.

Washington, February, 21-The an
nouncement from the White House
that President Taft had by his own
motion cut down to four the number
of administration measures he would
demand at the present session of con-
gress is received by Republican lead
crs with unmixed feelings of relief.
The Administration program was so
formidable that members who are
warmly supporting the Taft policies
hardly knew where to begin.
A schedule, including only the bills
to amend the interstate commerce law,
provide for the regulation of the issu-
ance of injuctions, start Arizona and
New Mexico on the road to statehood
and validate the withdrawal of public
lands for conservation purposes is re-
garded as quite possible of attainment
Most of these measures, it is believed,
can be put through the senate while
the House wrestles with the appropria-
Ition bills.
Loosened Up the Committees.
When it was reported at the capitol
that the president would be satisfied
with the enactment of the four meas
ures named steps were taken to bring
all of these matters out of committees
at the earliest possible date.
Tho v~0oko1 co kory hil1 {c n
ready before the senate and an agree
ment between the supporters of con-
flicting amendments is assured. 1t is
regarded as practically certain that
the bill can be passed during this week.
Hearings have been closed by the
senate committee on interstate COM
merce on the bill to create Commerce
Court and strengthen the existing laws
for the regulation of common carrier
corporations. The committee will
meet tomorrow, and at that time an ef-
fort will be made to report the bill at
once. There is some prospect that this
may be done.
Want to Study 1t.
Although the senate could not be
til late in the week, it is being argued
by members of the committee that the
bill should be reported, SO as to have
it printed and give senators few days
to study it's provisions before it is put
on it's passage.
AS soon as the postal savings bank
bill is out of the way, the railroad bill
will be made the order of business, and
probably will be held before the senate
constantly until passed, except for the
limited time that must be given to the
consideration of appropriations bills.
No decision has been reached in the
House Committee on Interstate Com
merce or the proposition to eliminate
from the administration bill the pro-
vision for the creation of a court of
commerce.
Will Be Some Jockeying.
Even if this is done it is practically
certain that the court feature will be
retained by the senate, and the Ques-
tion of establishing new tribunal to
try cases appealed from decisions of
the interstate commerce commission
The one conservation bill that Presi-
dent Taft is determined shall be passed
is that which gives the president the
unrestricted power to withdraw public
lands from settlements and place them
in reserves that will continue in force
until restored by him or by congress
to the portion of the public domain
that shall be open to settlement. In
the meantime an effort will be made
by special committee of Western SEN
ators to perfect other conservation
measures so that they will be ready for
consideration at the next session.
Hearings on Statehood Bill.
statehood bill, but it is unlikely that
the measure will be brought out of the
Senate committee on territories until
the postal savings bank and railroad
bills are out of the way.
The fourth measure to be pressed for
passage is that relating to the issuance
of injunctions. Several bills on this
subject have been prepared, but they
have not been considered by commit
tees. That introduced in the house
by Representative Moon. of Pennsyl-
vauia has been indorsed by the presi-
dent as meeting his views. and there
are others that are thought would
nrove satisfactory to the president. The
senate committee on judiciary will con
slider the question tomorrow.
Ship subsidy legislation is unpopular
in so many sections of the country that
some members are distinctly relieved
at the prospect of the Humphreys bill
reported from the house committee on
merchant marine and fisheries, may
mot be taken up at this session.