The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-02
Con gress ional Mill Is
Grinding More and
More Slowly.
TAFT'S MEASURES
ARE IN A BAD WAY
Lawmakers Want to Get Home.
and Only Start Has Been
Made on Administration
Bills-Senate and House
Still Far Apart-Outlook
Not Encouraging.

w hShlnStOn. u. u, MAY l.--Ehal'i.Ii''
tration leaders in Congress are be-
ginning to feel a good deal of con-
cern over the chances OF puttlhs
through the several measures on which
President Taft has set his heart. Hot
weather already has settled down upon
the city, and sitting days In legisla-
tive halls are sure to create general
desire among members OF Congress TO
get away. Many who have hard poll
teal battles in prospect even now are
making their plans to go TO their
states or districts.
Nearly all OF the Taft bills are
suspended by more or less uncertain
threads. The railroad bill. which lis
the pending business In both branches.
Ia not out of danger. The amendments
already. adopted In the Senate and
3Iouse and a number of others "hich
are almost certain to be adopted IN
one branch or the other, VIII produce
measures so widely different that har-
mony In conference threatens to be
utterly out of the question.
The House has adopted an amend
ment making provision for the ascer-
tainment OF the physical valuation OF
railroads, and this is sure to meet with /
determined opposition in the senate.
It is said also that on the final vote
the House is likely to strike out the
+
nerce court which feature Is certain
10 he retained by the Senate Further
more present Indications point TO the
adoption OF provisions for the making
of traffic agreements which WIN be at
variance. These differences do not
by half represent the conflicting views
of the two branches.
Pressure Necessary.
By the time the bill reaches con-
ference President Taft will have re-
turned TO Washington. and 1t is hoped
ne may bring the conferees together
by commanding each side TO grant
concessions. Nothing but the most d.
termined pressure from the White
House. II is admitted, could accomplish
such result.
Chairman Mann, of the House com
mittee. and Chairman Elkins. of the
Senate. both hope to bring the bills
to their final votes this week. There
Is little doubt that Mr.. Mann will sue
ceed, but In the Senate there Is no
way In which debate can be shut off.
and it would not be surprising II the
bill took ten days or more in this
body.
That the administration Senator's
will put the bill througi, in about the
form in which 1t now appears on the
calendar is indicated by the vote last
week on the Cummins amendment re-
provision, which was given the support
of all the Democrats and the 1nsurgent
Republicans was defeated by six votes,
and this lead is claimed by Mr.. Elkins
for all of the amendments supported
by the majority of the Interstate Com
merce Committee.
Supporters of the long and short
haul amendment, which was intro
duced by Senator Dixon, claim they
have votes enough 10 incorporate it in
the bill Party lines will be broken
In this amendment in all probability
and the outcome generally is thought
to be uncertain
What measure will be taken up in
the Senate following the vote on the
railroad bill is matter of speculation.
Tho administration senators want to
bring up the bill giving to the Pres
Ident unlimited authority to withdraw
public lands for conservation purposes.
but Democratic Senators, under the
lead of Mr.. Bailey, will insist that the
Statehood bin be considered. In the
House there is some demand that the
postal savings bank bill be taken up,
but 1t is still in committee, and an
order OF a majority of the House may
be necessary to dslodge It.
Peculiar situations exist in relation
to both the Statehood and postal bank
bills. The first named has passed the
House and a radically different bin
has been reported from the Senate
Committee on Territories. The postal
bank bill has passed the Senate. but
in form which seems to be wholly
unsatisfactory to the House. If the
Statehood bill should pass the Senate
In the form in which reported ans the
postal bank bill should pass the
House in form approaching the gem
eral demand of that body, it is eH-
tremely doubtful whether either could
get out of conference.
May Veto Bill.
What the President will do with
the rivers and harbors appropriation
bill Is agitating the minds OF many
members of the Senate and House ir
both parties. The measure is now ir
conference, but no Roadway has beer
made in disposing Of the differences
between the two branches. The della,
Is said to be caused by the rumors fire.
quently heard that the President vii
veto the bill No one seems to have
drawn from him what his intentions
are concerning It. 1t carries appro-
prlations aggregating $52.0Oo,0o0. ant
1t is known the President is extremely
anxious to make the present session {
record breaker In the matter OF hold
Ing down public expenditures.
Practically nothing Is heard abou
the antl-iniunction bill, which th'
President included in his program 70
the present session. The Moon bill
which Is Favored by the administration
still is in House committee, and vii
not be reported until after there hav
been extended hearings The Senat
Committee on judiciary has announced
that 1t will wait on the House com
mittee before taking any action o.
this subject.
The only measure in the Taft pro
gram which appears to have straigh
road Is the land withdrawal measure
The hills pending In both branches ar
$50 near alike that little difficulty 4
eXpectad In reaching an agreemen